I can’t make up my mind:
Slight Hijack:
What is it with all the really old cars? I’ve never been able to see the supposed beauty in all of these classic and vintage cars, they all look rather dated and, at times, crude.
You’re in Japan, right? Name the last “classic” car ever to come out of Japan, and there’s your answer. Japan is a country which specialises in the export of consumer electronics, automobiles, and optical cameras. But aesthetic innovation is NOT a term which I ever hear associated with Japan. However, the art of copying something and refining it is certainly a term I hear associated with Japan, but not the words “aesthetic innovation”.
So, for some, it’s a hard thing to grasp, but “fancy gizmos” and “computer generated curves” simply don’t a “true beauty” make. Sure, they make for a technilogical tour de force, and they make for cars which will feature in the next installment of “Fast and Furious” but that’s not what this thread is about.
All of us who love beautiful cars are aware that most of them have more faults than you could poke a stick at, but you see, life itself is a compromise so we don’t really get too bothered by it. Especially if it’s an older car. The fact it’s crude simply makes the achievement of being beautiful even all the more worthwhile I rather think.
But why does “classic” equate to beautiful? I noticed a distinct lack of modern cars being listed above, to the extent that it almost seems like to be beautiful, a car had to be old/classic/vintage following the “they dont’ make them like they used to” way of thought.
I wouldn’t name a Japanese car as being up there with the most beautiful, no, I agree with you that as far as Japanese car design goes they are good copiers at best. As for being in Japan, yes I am in Japan atm, but home for me is just a little bit (relatively speaking) southwest of Southport.
If I were to name a beautful car though, I would name perhaps something that looked like the DB7 by Aston martin (just off the top of my head) which is English not Japanese. It looks streamlined, balanced, stable, fast, luxurious, comfortable, and gives out a general sense of quiet confidence in being able to handle any situation, all of which equates in my mind to “beautiful”.
I am looking for an insight into what makes the above classic/vintage cars beautiful. Taking the 1966 GTO as an example, is it beautiful because of it’s shape, tires, the cover-able headlamps, its colour, or some other characteristic of the car which cannot be ascertained from its photo (i.e. history, sentimental value, etc.)
I know that was a rhetorical question, but I’d say the 1965 Toyota 2000GT.
The GTO (under the hood):
Well I have to say that personally, I don’t subscribe to that train of thought. I’m more than happy to nominate the McLaren F1 of 1992 as a modern classic in every sense. Oodles of horsepower, and chock a block full of state of the art technology, and a drop dead gorgeous car to boot. I’m suprised no one nominated it to be honest.
Now I have to concede, THAT is a truly beautiful car. By any yardstick.
The Lamborghini Countach is simply the most wonderful and beautiful car ever made.
http://www.blaise27.demon.co.uk/lambo/archives/jpegs/count1.jpg
Well, yeah in a way that is exactly how I feel. But it isn’t that they don’t build them like they used to it is that they don’t design them like they used to. If you’ll look back through the thread you will see that most everyone’s vote fell on a two seater sports car post 1980. Those that didn’t tended to vote for muscle cars, which I for one find impressive but anything but pretty.
In the past 50 years there has been a trend towards making mid or full-size cards look exactly like all the other cars of that size. This makes pretty much all cars since 1960 pretty boring. I was so thrilled to see the PT Cruiser come out a few years ago just because it looked different. As long as modern auto makers continue to stamp all of their cars out of the same mold I am going to prefer older cars with a little character.
Frankly I find several of the “sports cars” mentioned by other posters to be bretty derivitive as well.
Lotus Elise
Audi 100 and it’s reincarnation Audi A4 1.8T Quattro
At least both of my favourite can turn at curves, unlike many “muscle cars”.
This gets my vote, too. Largely because you can actually BUY A NEW ONE! $60K isn’t really THAT much for a new car, not like that one…
Just out of loyalty to my ol’ land yacht, I’d really like to say the 1965 Ford Galaxie is where it’s at (note; that ain’t mine. Mine is faded maroon and lists to the left), but the Gal doesn’t have beauty so much as style, in an ineffable sense.
Nope, the top prize in my book goes to the 1964 Thunderbird hardtop. Don’t know why, certainly can’t explain it in the terms that Vaeth presents (which are totally valid, don’t get me wrong). Someday I’ll have one… in “Pagoda Green.”
Close, very close…but…
I drive a chevy avalanche - does my opinion count in this thread?
Just kidding, I really like the new BMW 760i , thats a hot car!
It counts. Had you been an Aztek owner…
My parents have a 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 4-door sedan in Chantilly Beige. I love driving that car–you barely have to touch the accelerator to make it go.
My vote for the prettiest car is a 1948 Willys-Overland Jeepster. It was underpowered and lacked four wheel drive, but it’s an incredible looking car–I’ve seen a fully restored one in person.
If those are your pretty cars I’d hate to see your ideas of pretty women.
(Well some anyway … )
The most beautiful car ever made was the Bugatti Atlantic http://www.megeve-simplon.com/bug57sc.jpg
Definitely a Jaguar XKE convertible.
Count another vote for the Ferrari 250 California.
But the object of my automotive lust would have to be Porsche No. 1.
Hands down, the Honda HSC concept.
http://www.rsportscars.com/eng/cars/honda_hsc.asp
http://www.edmunds.com/news/autoshows/articles/100643/page012.html
mmmm. sexy.