Aston Martin DB5
Nothing says luxury like a sleek DB5. This timeless beauty combines a dignified appearance with impressive performance.
Mercedes 300 SL
Few cars are as beautiful as the iconic gull-wing Mercedes. The elegant coupe combined stunning curves with world-beating engineering. Its beauty has lasted nearly a century.
Ferrari 250 GTO
One of the rarest and most coveted vehicles in existence, this 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO is a true work of art. It’s no wonder the owner of WeatherTech, David MacNeil, paid $70 million for it, one of 36 that were ever produced between 1962 and 1964. The GTO is widely considered to be the most valuable automobile in the world, and it’s not hard to see why.
This Ferrari’s form follows function design is a testament to its gripping Italian aesthetic. It was designed by the racing department at Ferrari, known as Controlli, Collaudie e Sperimentazione (CCSI), and commissioned to create a car that could win races without compromising its road-legal usability. Its efficient and voluptuous shape would go on to dominate the World Manufacturer’s Championship series and events like the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The 250 GT’s four-speed manual transmission features a long-throw shifter and a column mounted gear lever, both of which feel precise and accurate when driven firmly and with conviction. Its four-wheel disc brakes are a first for Ferrari at the time, and they deliver solid, forceful stops. Its tires are tall and narrow compared to modern low-profile rubber, but they’re happy at the edge of their adhesion. Its half tray cockpit is filled with white on black instruments, a row of oversized toggle switches, and a shifter on the transmission tunnel.
Lamborghini Jarama
In a world where the Miura and Countach have become synonymous with Lamborghini, it’s easy to overlook the Jarama. However, this often-forgotten coupe was Ferruccio’s favorite and it’s easy to see why. Based on the Espada platform and featuring a 3.9-liter V12, the Jarama had all of the tried-and-true Lamborghini elements but with a stunning wedge shape that screamed performance before it was cool.
Designed by Marcello Gandini, who also penned the Miura and Countach, the 2+2 Jarama walked a fine line between svelte and muscular. The car was assembled by Carrozzerio Marazzi on a shortened Espada chassis and made its debut at the 1970 Geneva Motor Show.
Like the Islero before it, the Jarama was a grand tourer that had some serious teeth to it. It could easily compete with a Ferrari 250 GT on a racetrack and it was well-suited to long drives.
The 177 production cars that were built between 1971 and 1973 are now highly sought after collector’s items. The one on sale here has been restored by Colin Clarke Engineering, a company known for its no-expense spared restorations. The result is a superb example of the last front-engine V12 Lamborghini to be produced. It is fitted with the more powerful S specification, which added NACA ducts to the bonnet and 15 hp to the power output.
Lamborghini Miura
When the Lamborghini Miura debuted at the 1966 Geneva Auto Show, it shook the automotive world. Not only was it a beautiful, exotic machine with a stunning Bertone shape, but it also featured a mid-mounted V12 engine. This was a first for road cars, and it gave the Miura incredible balance and weight distribution. The car would go on to become the first supercar, a term coined by automotive writer LJK Setright to describe its blend of advanced design and incredible performance.
Ferruccio Lamborghini founded his company with the intention of beating Ferrari, and while the 350 GT was a respectable match to contemporary Ferrari grand tourers, it was the Miura that drew the most attention. The new model was a stunner in any guise, and it inspired Ferrari to follow suit with its own version of a mid-engine exotic — the 365GT4 BB and later 512 BB models.
The Miura remains a benchmark in automobile design and one of the most beautiful vehicles ever made. Even the most cynical among us can’t help but be seduced by its raucous exhaust note, sculptural lines, and iconic looks. As a single-minded, ’60s supercar, it demands to be driven fast and enjoyed as a pure driving experience. Few can resist its siren call, and those who do own a Miura will never regret it.
Jaguar E-type
It’s hard to think of a classic car that is a more desirable object of desire than the Jaguar E-Type. It was, in fact, so stunning upon its release that it changed the whole way that cars were designed. It was the first time that designers started to design vehicles with aesthetics as well as practicality in mind.
It was the first Jaguar to feature a monocoque chassis and it quickly turned into an icon of the 1960s. Stars like Brigitte Bardot and Frank Sinatra took delivery of them, and the E-Type became a symbol of elegance and style.
Sayer’s designs were inspired by the Golden Ratio, a mathematical equation that artists and designers as far back as Michelangelo had used to determine ideal proportions. This was how he created the clamshell bonnet, faired-in headlights and the centred twin exhaust of the E-Type.
It was produced for 14 years through three series and it’s still the most sought-after British sports car to own today. The discerning collector will seek out examples with a comprehensive history and factory right-hand drive (RHD) status, while those that are painted in opulent colours such as Opalescent Silver Grey and Oxblood Red will also have a soaring value. The ultimate choice, though, is probably one of the early 4.2 fixed-head coupes or an S1 roadster.
