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The MGA was the quintessential British sports car. It had everything going for it. It was sleek, elegant and reasonably quick. Plus, it was a convertible. Despite its current popularity, especially in the UK, most MGAs were sold in the U.S. Twin-cam units command $20,000 and up, but you can find standard 1.5 and 1.6-liter variants for a little bit less than that. If you’re not afraid of getting your hands dirty, you can even find a cheap project car for $10,000 or so.
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The original Mini was a revolution in the car world. Its transverse engine layout and transverse front-wheel drive combination made it a ground-breaking innovation for the time. This compact and space-efficient design meant the car could be packaged incredibly tightly. Although it’s still one of the smallest cars to ever exist, it was capable of seating four adults, provided they didn’t mind squeezing in. A ton of body styles and engines were offered over the years, so prices vary greatly depending on the individual model. They can range from cheap, sub $5,000 figures to jaw-breaking $100k prices.
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The 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona was the very first car to break that magical 200 mph mark in NASCAR. Although the production version offered to the public was detuned, it didn’t seem to slow the car down that much in real-world testing. Because it was only sold for one year, its younger sibling, the Plymouth Superbird, is a lot more popular these days. Just 503 examples were sold, but less than half of them remain on the road today. The Daytona proved to be so fast NASCAR had to eventually ban it from competition to keep the playing field even.
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Where do we even start with this one? Amongst the ton of Ferraris and Astons we saw in the mid-to-late 1950s, one car surprised people more than anything else: the Citroen DS. The futuristic, bulbous design wasn’t the only thing unique about this car. Underneath it featured an advanced hydraulic suspension system with modern steering and brakes. It was so far ahead of its competition that even comparing it to a Ferrari seemed ludicrous. It was the first car to boast disc brakes on all four wheels and a semi-automatic gearbox. Although prices start at around $15,000, you will need $20k and up to find one in tip-top shape.
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After WWII, BMW and most other German car manufacturers started slowly rebuilding their brand and economy. Although the Bavarian car maker offered some truly innovative and technical models, they needed to find a way to speed up the recovery process as sales weren’t going as well as they had hoped for. Introducing the BMW Isetta. One of the smallest cars built under license by BMW. It was offered in four and three-wheel versions, with plenty of body styles to choose from. Cheap Isettas cost around $8,000, but you need something like $20,000 to get one in really good condition.
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The Bora is a mid-engined coupe produced by Maserati from 1971 to 1978. It was initially offered with two engine choices, a 4.7-liter V8 and a 4.9-liter V8. Both offered plenty of low-end grunt and loved to scream up top, but it was the 320 horsepower 4.9-liter people opted for the most. Although most people talk about its design, the Bora was one of the first cars to feature a steel monocoque chassis with a tubular steel subframe at the back. It also boasted fully-independent suspension all-round, along with coil springs and anti-roll bars.
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The Mustang doesn’t need any introduction. Ford’s popular pony/muscle car was offered in a several body shapes (coupe, convertible, fastback), with engines ranging from low-power straight-six units to the 271 hp 4.7-liter V8. Ford originally expected to shift 100,000 cars in the first 12 months, but that figure ended up being a lot closer to 330,000. In the next 6 months, that number rose to well over a million examples.
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The Lancia Stratos is essentially a rally car in disguise. Well, it’s not really a disguise when you manage to win the 1974, 1975 and 1976 World Rally Championships in a convincing manner. It was styled by Pininfarina and used a Dino 2.4-liter V6 engine at the back, sending power to the rear wheels. The road-going version had a slightly detuned engine, producing juts 190 horsepower, but it didn’t really matter. The entire thing only weighed 950 kilograms, so it could hit 60 mph in just 6.8 seconds and top out at 144 mph. The rally car essentially shaped the WRC into what it is today, seeing as how it was the first car to be specifically built for the competition in mind right from the very beginning.
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Most people criticize the 308 for its lack of Ferrari-ness, but as a grand tourer, it did quite alright. Granted, this ‘luxurious’ Ferrari didn’t exactly scream Ferrari from the outside, but the subsequent name change to Dino somewhat improved things. Weirdly, from the side, it looked the same from both ends, appearing as though it could drive backwards just as fast as it could forwards. It looked like a kit car from some angles. In the end though, it symbolized everything the 70s stood for with weird styling and originality.
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The Continental Convertible was the first mass-produced American car of its time. The legendary suicide doors and roofless design made it one of America’s most recognizable cars. Although it’s not entirely relevant or that interesting, the Continental Convertible was also the first car to offer a two-year or 24,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.
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It looked weird back then, and it looks weird now. Citroen tried to “predict” the future with the SM, but here we are, 40 years later, and it still looks as futuristic as ever. The most potent version offers just 170 horsepower, but thanks to its extremely streamlined design and low drag coefficient it’s capable of reaching 140 mph. That’s more than most modern hatches and sedans.
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Although the Camaro made its first official debut in 1966, it wasn’t until 1967 that GM introduced the highly-anticipated Z/28 iteration. Built to qualify the Camaro for the popular TransAm racing series, it was a legitimate performance monster back in its day. The 305 cubic inches limiter imposed by TransAm officials didn’t prove to be an issue, as GM simply de-stroked the 327 motor to get there. Horsepower was quoted at ‘just’ 290, but most people will agree the car made well over 350 in the real world.
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The original XK120 first made an appearance in 1948, but the car’s popularity only took off in the 1950s. The XK140 and XK150 were massively improved, with a better powertrain, suspension and steering system. They were actually incredibly quick for their time. Values fluctuate based on the model’s originality and desirability, but shell out roughly $35,000 for a worn-out XK150. Immaculate-condition cars cost upwards of a quarter of a million dollars.
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The 300SL is widely considered to be Mercedes’ finest hour. There’s nothing about this car which isn’t anything other than astonishing. It’s the perfect automobile because everything about it is, well, perfect. From its timeless design and upward-opening “Gullwing” doors to the 3.0-liter straight-six and 160 mph top speed. Prices for this beauty start at well over $1.2 million, but it’s arguably the most desirable car on the planet. If you had to have one car for the rest of your life, this might as well be it.
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Although it was technically launched in the mid 1960s, the 1971 facelift transformed the BMW into a different car. There was a new Touring model as well as an 1802 one, and the 2002ti was replaced by the less popular 2002tii. The 2002 Turbo, introduced in 1973, was the first turbocharged European passenger car. It makes 170 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque, more than enough for such a small and light body.
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Pininfarina has yet to mess up a design, and the Spider Duetto is probably the most beautiful one to date. Gorgeously proportioned with round styling elements and shapes only an Italian car can offer, the Spider Duetto is as amazing to look at as it is to drive. The 1570-cc engine offers just 109 horsepower, but with twin Weber side draft carburetors and dual overhead camshafts the sound is really something else. The roadster got disc brakes all around and a five-speed manual transmission, which makes the experience even sweeter.
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Although technically not a car, the Bronco was such an improvement to the ‘modern’ trucks that we simply had to mention it in this list. When Ford debuted it, there wasn’t a single magazine not talking about it. Most Broncos ended up getting modified eventually. The Bronco managed to make Jeeps appear girly, something no other truck has managed to do since.
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The most popular sports car of the last 50 years or so traces its roots back 1963, when Ferdinand Porsche introduced the very first 911. Although the rear-engine layout was looked down upon at first, Porsche has been refining and perfecting the concept over the 911’s seven generation lifespan. So although the brand-new 991 911 is arguably the most capable car on the planet, its entire mechanical layout is identical to the first Type 901. It’s a case of evolution rather than revolution.
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Apart from being the first coupe Corvette ever produced, the by-now iconic split rear window made it very appealing to sports car buyers back then. It was also the first time pop-up headlights were applied to a Corvette, a feature which remained for every succeeding model up to 2005. The flagship fuel-injected V8 under the hood makes 360 horsepower, a decent figure even by today’s standards. The close-ratio four-speed Borg-Warner box proved to be reliable and durable over the years too.
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What Classic Car is This?
As much as we love the Corvette, you should avoid early-to-mid 1950 models. They were plagued with a ton of production issues and lacked the V8 engine option. Post 1957 cars however, are a completely different story. The sleek body received a massive facelift and the addition of a great, big American V8 under the hood. Prices depend on the engine, trim level and condition, but an example in great shape will set you back over $100k.
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Although it isn’t as popular as its successor, the DB5 Bond car, most people can’t even tell the difference between the two visually. The DB4 isn’t just a great looker though. It was a genuinely exciting car to drive for its time, and it still remains an incredible driving experience. Values have skyrocketed in the last couple of years, with prices for preserved examples hovering around the half a million dollar mark. A project car in need of some serious restoration can fetch $250,000, and the Zagato version is a mind-blowing $8,000,000 and up.
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Forget the M1 and the subsequent E30 M3, if you want a truly rare motor, get yourself a BMW 2002. A predecessor to the 3-Series Coupe and the 4-Series, the 2002 is everything you want from a small coupe. Light, nimble, decently quick, and as we’re sure you’ll agree, staggeringly gorgeous. The 2002 is pretty rare nowadays, but with numbers decreasing exponentially, prices will soon skyrocket into six-figure territory.
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The 507 was one of BMW’s worst financial decisions they ever made. While the small Isetta was struggling to keep the company in profit and in business, the 507 gave it all trying to shut BMW down. To say the sale figures were abysmal would be an overstatement. Thing is, the 507 looked and drove better than most of its rivals back in the day. Why did it fail then? Because of Mercedes’ 300SL. It was worse in almost every aspect, but that doesn’t stop us from wanting one badly. It’s a real wonder that something which was on the brink of bankrupting BMW can be worth over $2,500,000 today.
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This is it, the car which started it all for Lamborghini. Considered to be the world’s first mid-engined super car, the Miura essentially put Lamborghini on the map. Every subsequent model they’ve launched owes its life to this very car. The 3.9-liter V12 was completely bespoke, making 350 horsepower and a lot of torque. Just 764 Miuras were ever built, all of them assembled completely by hand.
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Succeeding the legendary Lamborghini Miura is by no means an easy task. Widely regarded as one of the best mid-engined super cars, as well as the car which started it all for Lamborghini, many people thought building a successor would be neigh-on impossible. What Lamborghini came up with however, was truly out of this world. The weird, futuristic styling looks just as good today as the day Lamborghini first unveiled the car. It’s timeless, managing to look even crazier today than it did back in the 1970s. The large V12 likes to scream, and the car is hard to control in the corners. You have to manhandle it, but that’s why many enthusiasts the world over like it so much. It was the definitive poster car in the late 1970s, 1980s and even early 1990s.
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Not really a ‘car’ as per se, but it’s definitely “the car” of the 1970s. As far as racing machines go, this just might be our favorite one. The Lotus engine produced 450 horsepower and it was the first F1 car to properly utilize airflow. Plus, the massive rear wing at the back looks cool, doesn’t it? The John Player Special livery was the icing on the cake.
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Enzo Ferrari, Ferrari’s founder himself, claimed the Jaguar E-Type is the most beautiful car ever made. Officially introduced in 1961, the first Jaguars were known as XK-Es. Only later did the E-Type name come about. Under the hood, a 3.8-liter inline-six provided propulsion, with three SU carburetors. The top speed? Just north of 150 mph. Simply absurd for 1961.
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The Pantera was, essentially, a GT40 disguised in middle-class trim. The Ford V8 made well over 400 horsepower, sending power to the rear wheels via a five-speed ZF-sourced gearbox. In recent years it’s gained a lot more popularity then it did when De Tomaso launched it.
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What Classic Car is This?
The Mustang probably adores the largest fan base out of any car model out there. Most people love the original, Mark I Mustang though, as well as the newest GT and GT350R iterations. The second-gen Mustang is quite possibly the most forgotten car on the planet, with both its predecessor and successor enjoying two or even three times more popularity. The reason is quite simple: it shared a chassis with the Pinto, and you couldn’t get it with a V8 for the entire first year of production. That said, it did give name to the legendary Mustang “5.0” moniker, and that has to count for something, right?
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