Vintage cars, depending on who you ask, can mean anything from cars from the early 1900s to late 1900s. To me, vintage is anything something that seems like it is from another age, an earlier age. The word vintage means something from the past that was of a high pedigree and class. Something that at the time of its making was a thing of beauty and was the best of its kind. Now beauty is subjective and it is entirely dependent on the eye of the beholder. This list covers vintage cars from the 1950s to the 1990s because it is at this point that most traditional car companies and individuals had gotten their stride. It was also a post war period and the world that had birthed new inventions and peace had led people to create things of joy, things of beauty.
1963 AC Shelby Cobra
This car was and is still is a delight. It was a creation of the legendary Carroll Shelby in conjunction with AC Cars. It was powered by a 3.6L V8 engine block that was supplied by Ford Motor Company. This car is divine because it has such a simple and redefined body, a small one at that yet with a belly of a beast.
It was and is a car that could squeeze in to any and every nook and cranny. The car was first produced in 1962 and it was a car that was available to the public in Europe and in the United States. It was quite a hit. It was and is a car that was incredibly easy to drive and it was a car that was loved by many. It was a car that was incredibly reliable and it was a car that was incredibly fast. It was a car that was incredibly easy to maintain and it was a car that was incredibly affordable. It was a car that was incredibly popular and it was a car that was incredibly stylish.
1958 Aston Martin DB4
This car represented the onset of the gentleman. It was launched at the London Motor Show in 1958 and came with a 3.7L straight 6 engine. The engine was wrapped in a sleek and beautiful exterior that was designed by Carrozzeria Milan. This car was the foundation used in designing the Aston Martin DB5 which was among the first cars to be featured in the early James Bond films. It is a classic vintage car for a vintage classic film.
1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL
This car is seemingly on every car enthusiast’s list simply because as time progresses it ages just as wine does. The production Gullwing version was a spectacle with its doors that opened upward and not forward similar to flap of the Seagull wing. It had its genes from the racing variant known as the W194.
1964 Porsche 911
This car has such a profound place in the automotive world because it was unlike many cars of its time. It had a rear-mounted 130 horsepower air cooled 2.0L boxer engine that gave it a crispy, bubbly rumble housed in a small yet adequate body. This car gave the Porsche Company the edge it needed to survive the harsh conditions most companies faced in trying to rebuild post World War II.
1967 Lamborghini Miura
The Miura came at a time when Italian passion and art was finding their way into their cars. In doing so Lamborghini made the world’s first supercar in a bid to outdo their rival Ferrari. It was powered by 3.9L V12 that allowed it to top out at 280 km/h.
The car was designed by Marcello Gandini who was then working at Bertone. The wedge-shaped body was unheard of at the time and looked like something from out of this world. It was also incredibly light for its size, weighing in at only 1,100 kg. The Miura was truly a work of art and is still considered one of the most beautiful cars ever made.
Ford Mustang
The first Ford Mustang was unveiled on April 17, 1964 at the New York World’s Fair. It was a two-seater sports car with a high-performance V8 engine. The car was an instant hit and more than half a million were sold in the first year.
- The Mustang was based on the Ford Falcon, a small car that was introduced in 1960. The Falcon was designed for the average person, but the Mustang was designed for the enthusiast. It had a powerful engine, a sporty design, and was affordable.
- The Mustang was a hit with both men and women. It was the perfect car for the baby boomers who were just starting to drive. The car was also popular with celebrities, including Elvis Presley and Steve McQueen.
- The first Mustang was a convertible, but later models were available as a coupe or a convertible. The Mustang was also available in a variety of colors, including red, blue, yellow, and green.
1982 BMW 3 Series (E30)
We shall skip the 1975 BMW E21 because the E30 was really the defining BMW 3 series that sparked life at BMW. It came with a variety of engines and a new all-wheel drive drivetrain which then led to the creation of the very first BMW M3.
The E30 M3 was equipped with a 2.3 liter inline-4 engine that produced 192 horsepower. This allowed the car to do the quarter mile in just under 15 seconds. It was extremely fast for its time. It was also one of the first cars to come with a traction control system. The E30 M3 is a classic car that is still highly sought after today. If you can find one for sale, it will likely be a very expensive purchase. However, it is definitely worth the money. The E30 M3 is a true classic that will always be in demand.
Jaguar E-Type
The Jaguar E-Type was first shown to the public at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961. It was an instant hit. Enzo Ferrari called it “the most beautiful car ever made.” The E-Type was a two-seater sports car with a sleek, aerodynamic body. It had a six-cylinder engine that produced 265 horsepower. It could go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 7.5 seconds.
The E-Type was a very popular car. More than 70,000 were sold between 1961 and 1974. Today, it is considered a classic car and is highly sought after by collectors.
VW Beetle
A Vintage VW Beetle is a classic car that is loved for its unique style, its classic design, and for the memories it brings back for people who have driven them in the past. While they are not the most practical cars on the road today, they are a lot of fun to drive and they can be a great way to show your personality when you’re behind the wheel.
If you’re looking for a classic car to drive that will turn heads, a Vintage VW Beetle is a great option. They can be a little expensive to buy and maintain, but they are definitely worth it if you’re looking for a car that is both stylish and fun.
1974 MK1 Volkswagen Golf
This, unlike the cars that precede it on this list, is not a top of the line car. It was produced to cater for the growing middle and lower income households who needed a practical and economical daily driver. At the time a 3-door hatchback could get the job done for many families. In 1976 Volkswagen introduced the Golf GTI. This car is famed for being the world’s first high-performance hot hatchback. High performance here meaning 108 horsepower which was more than enough. When it launched, it was a dream car for almost many boys and girls as well as young adults.
1992 McLaren F1
This last spot had been reserved for the Ferrari F50. However, upon further consideration, the F1 stood out. This is because at the time McLaren was a very new company that shone with new vehicle technology. It also came out just 3 years before the F50 so it beat the iconic Ferrari to market. It was at its time the fastest naturally aspirated car in the world. The world had gone crazy and technology companies were springing up everywhere. This was largely because the internet was revealing previously unknown opportunities as the McLaren F1 was doing in the automotive industry.
Conclusion
It has to be said that though this list has some very iconic vintage cars, so many more have not yet been listed. Some might say every car ever produced should be on this list since every car model has a story to it and that argument is probable. This list is a generalized Mount Rushmore of sorts, representing some of the greatest automobiles and most beautiful vintage cars to have ever been produced and sold to the general public. There are seemingly many cars that never got to the public because they never went into production and only existed as prototypes.
