Throughout the history of the automobile, there have been some genuinely brilliant vehicles, from pioneers such as the Ford Model T to the latest and greatest, such as the Chevrolet C8 Corvette.
It is difficult to identify the most iconic cars ever made, but we think we have narrowed the field to a select few in this list.
These are some of the most iconic cars in automotive history. We have selected these based on their performance, their looks, and the legacies they have left.
First-Generation Ford Mustang
The first-generation Ford Mustang is the one that started it all. Arguably, the first Mustang was the muscle car that kick-started the segment, and the Mustang is still in production today as it enters a whole new generation.
Production of the first-generation Mustang commenced in 1964, and its styling with the long hood and short deck was instantly popular. Base models had inline-six power under the hood, but the Mustang’s most famous form was when Ford placed its small and big block V8s. The most potent 1964 Mustang was the 289 HiPo “K-code” equipped car with 271 hp and 312 lb-ft of torque.
Chevrolet C5 Corvette
The fifth-generation Chevrolet Corvette launched in 1997, and the Bow Tie produced the sports car until 2004. The C5 was a slick evolution of the previous C4, featuring a large 5.7-liter LS1 V8 under the hood, with the LS6 under the hood of the 2001-2004 C4 Z06/
The LS1 produced 345 hp, which increased to 350 hp in 2001. Its sleek styling and streamlined shape were a neat design. It was the last Corvette to feature pop-up headlights. Despite their popularity, C5 Corvettes are not the most expensive on the used market, and you can pick them up for as little as $15,000.
Ferrari F40
For many, the F40 is still the ultimate Ferrari, even over 30 years after it debuted. The F40 holds a special emotional place in Ferrari’s heart, as it was the last car that Ferrari founder Enzo Ferrari personally approved before his death.
At the time, it was the fastest, most powerful, and most expensive Ferrari. The factory’s MSRP was around $400,000; under the hood, it had a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged Tipo V8. US market F40s produced 477 hp, and the top speed was 196 mph. The F40 remains one of the rawest and most natural supercars ever made.
Original Range Rover
The original Range Rover also referred to as the Range Rover Classic was the “car for all reasons” when it debuted in 1970. It has also left a long-standing legacy, as subsequent Range Rovers have all shared the same basic design principles and DNA.
The successor to the Range Rover, the Land Rover Discovery, was also heavily based on the original Range Rover’s chassis. For the first time, it blended a luxury SUV with off-road performance, and various engines were available, including three versions of the Rover V8 and four turbocharged inline-four diesels.
Audi Quattro
The Audi Quattro was the first car to showcase the benefits of four-wheel drive. Audi produced the Quattro from 1980 to 1991, having extensively tested its systems in the years prior.
The Quattro didn’t take long to make a name for itself. It did this thanks to its exploits in the World Rally Championship, taking on the likes of the Lancia 037 and winning the famous Pikes Peak hill climb. It has become one of the most iconic symbols of the 1980s, and it is not unheard of for Quattros to fetch big money at auctions. The record sale for an Audi Quattro came in 2021 when the last 1991 production Quattro sold for a staggering $200,0000 +.
Lancia 037
The Quattro’s main rival, the Lancia 037, deserves a mention. It is a car that shows just how good Italian sports cars can be, mainly what a household name Lancia was in the world of automobiles. The Lancia 037 was the last two-wheel-drive car to win a WRC title, somehow beating the Quattro in 1983 in a David vs. Goliath battle.
The 037 wasn’t confined to the rally stage either. Lancia produced a batch of 037s for the road, each with a 2.0-liter supercharged inline-four under the hood producing 205 hp and 167 lb-ft of torque. The 037 has also spawned a remarkable restomod version by Kimera Automobili, the Kimera Evo 37.
McLaren F1
If ever a car was to sum up how good supercars can be, it is the McLaren F1. British Formula 1 team McLaren gave its designer Gordon Murray the chance to design the supercar of his dreams. While current F1 engine supplier Honda wouldn’t supply an engine, BMW did, and the F1 would have a 6.1-liter BMW S70/2 V12 under the hood.
This exceptional engine produced 618 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. With a top speed of 240 mph, the F1 was the fastest production car in the world when it launched in 1992. It remains the fastest naturally-aspirated production car in the world, too, as everything that has beaten it has had either turbocharging or supercharging. McLaren built just 106 F1s, now worth up to $20 million.
Fiat 500
This isn’t the modern version of the Fiat 500 we are talking about. But the original classic that became one of the most famous small cars in the world. Fiat produced the little city car from 1957 to 1975, and it became trendy thanks to its practicality and large sales in Europe.
Power came from three versions of a Fiat inline-two engine, ranging from 479 ccs to 499 ccs and 594 ccs. The transmission was a standard four-speed manual. The 500 was also cheap, and its well-proportioned design was a big hit with customers. The design is still trendy, and in 2006, Top Gear Magazine voted the Fiat 500 as “the world’s sexiest car.”
Ford Model T
While not the world’s first automobile and not even the best at the time, the Ford Model T is often regarded as the world’s first mass-affordable automobile. It helped to make car travel available to middle-class Americans, whereas before, it was purely a pursuit of the rich and famous.
Thanks to Ford’s assembly line production and fabrication, they could price the Model T much lower than cars from their rivals. Mass production helped the price of the Model T drop from $780 to $290. In 2023, that was the equivalent of $5,156. Ford sold a staggering $15 million Model Ts, and it is now one of the most recognizable cars in automotive history.
Bentley Continental GT
In the early 2000s, Bentley was now under Volkswagen ownership, and the British company badly needed a revival. Enter the 2003 Continental GT, the first Bentley to employ mass-production manufacturing techniques and the car that put the company back on the map.
The Continental GT was cheaper than previous Bentleys, yet it didn’t skimp on quality. A massive 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12 delivered exceptional performance. The W12 produced 552 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque, and backing up all that power was a stunning luxury interior, with much of the interior hand-built. Since the launch of the Continental GT, Bentley has never looked back.
Lamborghini Miura
The Lamborghini Miura is one of the most important cars in automotive history. Its huge V12 engine and rear mid-engined layout introduced the world to the supercar concept, the first automobile to feature such a layout. The sleek Marcello Gandini design won vast praise when the Miura launched at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show.
The V12 under the hood was a 3.9-liter L406 engine, producing 345 hp in early P400 form. Lamborghini increased the power for later versions of the Miura, up to 380 hp in the P400SV, while the P400 S had 365 hp. The most a Miura has ever sold for at auction was a Miura SV that sold in 2021 for $3.9 million.
Lotus Elan
If you wanted a vehicle that summed up how fun lightweight sports cars could be, look no further than the Lotus Elan. It is the quintessential lightweight sports car, straight from the factory and mind of Lotus founder Colin Chapman.
The Elan had a lightweight fiberglass body and steel backbone chassis, enabling the driver to throw it around in the corners. Under the hood was a small 1.6-liter engine that produced up to 108 hp and 108 lb-ft of torque in early versions of the Elan. The Elan Series 1 weighed just 1,500 lbs, making it exceptionally agile and nimble.
