MOST ICONIC CARS OF ALL TIME
1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL
Modern Day Successor: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
It was the fastest top-speed production car at the time. The 1954 edition was the first consumer-oriented (non-racing) car sold with fuel injection. Derived from the 1951 300 saloon, the 300SL’s driveline, suspension and in particular its high-mounted, rear swing axles were all designed for comfort rather than stability at speed. That rear suspension imposed a high rear roll centre and encouraged large camber and toe-in changes according to the wheel travel. The problem was fixed for the later roadster versions of the 300SL, but quite how Rudi Uhlenhaut, Mercedes-Benz’s legendary engineer/chief designer allowed his gorgeous car to be offered to the public with such a flaw is understandable, if not altogether excusable.
1961 Ferrari 250 GT California
Modern Day Successor: Ferrari California
A red ’61 Ferrari 250 GT California was immortalized, sometimes in midair, as Cameron’s dad’s prized possession in the 1986 film “Ferris Bueller's Day Off.” As its name suggested, the California Spider was aimed at a very specific segment of Ferrari’s American clientele – young, well-heeled enthusiasts who wanted a stylish, thoroughbred sports car that was equally at home on road or track. It’s not only considered by many the most beautiful car ever created, but it’s one of the most valuable collector cars today.
1963 Chevrolet Corvette
Modern Day Successor: Chevrolet Corvette
By the early 1960s, the Corvette had triumphed and was now firmly America’s sports car. Car guys, pilots and engineers all over America had taken the lightweight-big engine formula to heart with their prized first-gen Corvettes, but now they wanted more performance by every measurement. Much more speed, in particular.The 1963 Chevrolet Corvette is distinguished as the first year of second-generation (or "mid-year") Corvette; only year with "split window" rear glass. It was also the first Corvette with hidden headlamps and independent rear suspension.
1964 Aston Martin DB5
Modern Day Successor: Aston Martin V8 Vantage
The DB series was named honouring Sir David Brown (the owner of Aston Martin from 1947 to 1972). It is one of the most famous cars in the world thanks to Oscar-winning special effects expert John Stears, who created the deadly silver-birch DB5 for use by James Bond in the film, Goldfinger (1964). Although Ian Fleming had placed Bond in a DB Mark III in the novel, the DB5 was the company's latest model when the film was being made. At first appearing in “Goldfinger,” followed by appearances in “Thunderball,” “GoldenEye,” “Casino Royale” and “Tomorrow Never Dies”.
1965 Jaguar E-Type
Modern Day Successor: Jaguar XK
The 1965 Jaguar E-Type’s important advancement was its in-board rear disc brakes. At least one expert praised it as “the most beautiful car ever made”—it was Enzo Ferrari, who should know about such matters.The E-type Jaguar arrived on the automotive scene in 1961, like a cruise missile vectoring into a stone-age village. It brought with it technologies extracted from the rarified world of endurance racing, bringing world-beating performance to the street for a shockingly reasonable price.
1966 Ford GT40
Modern Day Successor: Ford GT
Following months of careful negotiation, Ford was ready to do a deal with Enzo Ferrari to purchase his company. But when Enzo, who may never have intended to sell at all, baulked at losing the autonomy he so cherished, he sent the Americans packing. Empty-handed on his return to Detroit, Ford’s point man, Don Frey, was told by Henry Ford II to ‘go to Le Mans, and beat his ass.’ Or so the legend goes.The result was the GT40, a car that most definitely is a legend The only car to win the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in first, second and third place. It is also one of the lowest cars ever made, at 40 inches tall. "The 7 liter, 200 miles per hour monster" as described by Jeremy Clarkson
1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4
Modern Day Successor: Ferrari F12 Berlinetta
The 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 could go 165 mph and was the first Ferrari to use an integrated transmission and rear axle for improved balance. The NART driven by Faye Dunaway in the 1968 film The Thomas Crown Affair, was serial number 09437, the first produced. It came second in its class in the 1967 12 Hours of Sebring before being repainted and used for the movie. In August 2005, it fetched $3.96 million at auction.
1970 Dodge Challenger R/T
Modern Day Successor: Dodge Challenger
A white 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T famously starred in the 1971 film “Vanishing Point” (and because of that, a plot device in Quentin Tarantino’s “Death Proof”). It was also the first for “E-Body,” it offered with 426 Hemi engine and it was available in "high-impact" colors like "Plum Crazy Purple." Ford’s Mustang had taken off as the “Pony Car” of the day. There was a unique concept about the Challenger, you were able to choose from just about every engine in the Chrysler lineup to put in the Challenger. Dodge got it right and saw that it would need to compete against the more “luxury” branded cars such as Mercury Cougar.
1971 Lamborghini Miura SV
Modern Day Successor: Lamborghini Aventador
Even as a bare chassis it was beautiful - but the big news was its engine and transmission had been placed transversely ahead of the rear wheels, and the V12 engine sat on top of the gearbox. The following year, the production version, and was blessed with the most incredible looking body, styled by Bertone's Marcello Gandini. The Miura soon established itself as one of the fastest cars money could buy. The Ferrari Daytona may have pipped its top speed and could cruise more convincingly, but the flawed Miura captured the hearts of a generation of supercar buyers, creating the market in the process
2003 Rolls Royce Phantom VII
Modern Day Successor: Phantom VIII
As the flagship model of the world's most famous luxury carmaker, the Rolls-Royce Phantom is a rolling throwback to an age when the superwealthy lived in 100-room estates and employed dozens of staff members, a few of them chauffeurs.