08-09-2022
Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic
Bugatti have created many beautiful cars, but the Type 57 SC Atlantic was a masterpiece. Designed by Jean Bugatti, who tragically died at 30 years' old driving one his cars, only three Type 57 SC Atlantic's were ever made (and only two are known to have survived) and they were way ahead of their time with the ability to reach 200 km/h thanks to an engine that produced 200 bhp. For a street car in 1938, this speed and power was immense.
One Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic is owned by Ralph Lauren and the other by a North American collector.
Jaguar E-Type
It was an extremely hard job to choose between the E-Type and Gullwing for second place, but I think I made the right choice - the Jaguar E-Type is just a beautiful machine in every sense of the word. The original E-Type introduced at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show is undoubtedly the most desirable with the likes of Brigitte Bardot, Steve McQueen, Mick and Bianca, and George Best all driving one.
The E-Type now commands a permanent place in the New York Museum of Modern Art and unlike many of the classics here, you can up a pretty good one today for around £20k.
Mercedes Benz 300 SL “Gullwing”
It might not have made number one on our list of the most beautful cars ever made, but the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL "Gullwing" would undoubtedly top the list of most beautiful Mercedes. Developed from a race car, the 300 SL stood out as a beautiful machine in its day with the little touches, such as the slight concavity to the on the roof, to the bonnet detailing and Gullwing doors giving it pure class.
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL was the fastest car of its time with a top speed of 260 km/h. It was only produced from 1956 - 1959 and so is extremely rare.
Ferrari 250 GTO
Considered the holy grail of Ferrari's, the 1962 Ferrari GTO is, in our opinion, the most beautiful Ferrari ever made. Only 39 of these machines were ever made between 1962 and 1964 and it has considerable racing pedigree, having one three consecutive FIA world championships. Arguably, what gives the 250 GTO such appeal is the coachwork, which is nothing short of superb - the GTO stands out from any other Ferrari ever made.
The last Ferrari GTO to go on sale fetched $31 million at auction.
Aston Martin DB5
Famous for its stunning design and of course its role in the 007 franchise, the Aston Martin DB5 often finds its way onto the lists of must-own cars. Produced between 1963 and 1965, only 1,023 cars were made and it now commands a huge price tag. It was powered by a gorgeous 4.0-litre engine and with a slick 4-speed ZF manual gearbox the DB5 was great fun to drive hard - it isn't the type of car you race, though, because the DB5 is an exceptional cruiser.
The DB5 has a top speed of 143 mph and made 282 bhp.
Ferrari Testarossa
Produced between 1984 and 1991, the Ferrari Testarossa is one of the most gorgeous supercars. And, because it's now more than twenty years old, it's also among the most gorgeous classics. This 12-cylinder mid-engined sports car was designed to appeal to the American market and was therefore exceptionally comfortable and luxurious, yet it had the bite to back up the bite and went like stink.
The Testarossa had a 4.9-litre Ferrari Colombo flat-12 engine and it sounded amazing.
1963 Chevrolet Corvette
The first Corvette with hidden headlamps and an independent suspension, the 1963 Chevrolet Corvette can be easily distinguished as the first year of the second-generation Corvette thanks to its split-window rear glass - a feature not found on any other car of the time. This is one of the most desired American cars in the world and it is often the subject of huge bidding wars at auction.
Lamborghini Miura SVJ
Produced between 1968 and 1971, the Lamborghini Miura SVJ is considered to be one of the most beautiful Raging Bulls ever made. A radical two-seater sports car, the Miura had an aggressive design and an explosive engine, and this was the first Lamborghini which proved that if you wanted a fantastic supercar, you didn't have to go for a Ferrari. Although it lacked the refinement of its Italian competition, the Miura has stood the test of time and still looks plenty modern today.
1966 Ford GT40
The original GT40 is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful cars ever made. It is also one of most race-ready cars - this is still the only car to have won the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in first, second and third place, a title held since 1966. If that isn't amazing enough, the GT40 was further refined over the years and it became a road car in the name of the MK III, with a 4.7-litre engine dubbed "the beast".
Ferrari 275 GTB/4
You might think that the Ferrari 275 GTB/4 deserves to be in the top five most beautiful classics, but it faces steep competition here today. Tenth is still very respectable though, and there's no denying that the Ferrari 275 GTB/4 has the looks to stop people in their tracks. With a top speed of 165 mph, this was one of the fastest cars of its time and this was the first Ferrari to feature an integrated transmission.
1970 Dodge Challenger
We kick start our list with an American classic - the 1970 Dodge Challenger. This car famously starred in the 1971 film "Vanishing Point" and it also became the stunt car used in Quentin Tarantino’s “Death Proof”. The first-generation car set the standard for other Challengers in the future but none have been able to replicate the originals muscle - it could be had with a whopping 7.2-litre V8 and with high impact colours such as "Plum Crazy Purple", it stood out too