Photo by Author Isaiah Cox - No Rights Reserved
What are the six best and worst looking classic cars in the world? Is there a question that could possibly be more based on personal taste and nation of upbringing? Well, I hope my opinions spark some comments; I'm always jealous of the bloggers that write about controversial current events and receive a passionate comment section. I imagine this is the most controversial concept in cars and I hope you voice your opinion in response!
Those of you that follow my blogs know that I've been trying to abide by photo copyright laws even though this is simply a hobby and I'm not making any money writing these. Well this week I've discovered 3 news sources of photos available for non-commercial bloggers and you'll see I fully explored their potential; kudos to Getty Images for opening 25 million of their photos to bloggers for use!
#6 Best Looking Car in the World - Mercedes 500
Photo by Author Isaiah Cox - No Rights Reserved
A beautiful stately car. Images of German castles seem to pop into mind just by looking at the car. The flowing body lines put the car into perpetually graceful motion. And for those of us that are a little simpler, there's a lot of shiny chrome. "Oooo.... shiny!"
Photo by Author Isaiah Cox - No Rights Reserved
Photo Taken from Wikimedia - Open for Free Use
Photo by Author Isaiah Cox - No Rights Reserved
Photo Taken from Wikimedia - Open for Free Use
#6 Worst Looking Car in the World - Mercedes 500
Why yes, that is Adolf Hitler checking his directions next to his car of choice, the ominous black Mercedes. I'm throwing a kicker at you but based on this car's historical relevance I'd say it's equally as ugly as it is beautiful. One could argue it's a perfect time piece for it's generation. Nations banded together in a fight for good and evil to a scale possibly never seen before and in that you'll find some of the greatest stories of mankind as well as some of the worst. The Mercedes too shows how grand man's creation can be, but it also speaks volumes to the depths of evil man will fall in their pursuit of grandeur.
And as a side note, there is nothing uglier than an 80's Excalibur replica of the classic Mercedes; it's a pitiful attempt at recreating a world class car. Much like an awkward youth trying to wear the clothes of a famous star in an effort to recreate their "look", it's just not the same.
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer KayVee
#5 Worst Looking Car in the World - US Spec Rubber Bumper MGB
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer hz536n/George Thomas
This one hits close to home because I used to own the one pictured below. But that's also why I hate the late MGBs. US safety rules had required that the front springs be extended to increase the front bumper height drastically affecting the stance. The chrome bumpers were removed for "safer" rubber bumpers that looked hideous. Giant marker lights were added to the side of the body breaking up the clean lines. The leather and metal interior in the early 60's MGBs was replaced with plastic and vinyl. A 3rd windshield wiper was added to the windshield to meet US spec wiper coverage laws.
In 20 years MG had made a progressively worse car, which was mirrored across British Leyland. Not only is this car ugly but it represents an national sports car industry crumbling!
Photo by Author Isaiah Cox - No Rights Reserved
#5 Best Looking Car in the World - Auburn Boattail Speedster
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Jim's Photos
What can be said? Just look at it! It's magnificent. From every angle it's just a little prettier, smoother and cleaner than the Mercedes. The choice of the rich and famous! And it wasn't just pretty, the supercharger made it fast! And seeing all four pipes out the sides... it's like it's saying, "I'm pretty but I'm also strong and will beat on you a little if you try and mess with me".
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Andre Ritzinger
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Glen Bowman
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Glen Bowman
#4 Worst Looking Car in the World - VW Beetle/Porsche 911
They're just not pretty. That wasn't their point. They were to be the cars for the masses designed by a despot. They eventually were called the beetle/bug and a more appropriate name couldn't be found. They look like a stink bug puckering up it's rear end getting ready for an expulsion of stink. And ironically, thanks to loose tolerances and low compression, often they did send stink out the tailpipe. And as they aged they only became fatter and less utilitarian.
But I'd take an early one. It's ugliness works for it. I love the oval window and flip up traffic signals that come out of the door to signal for turns.
But then again I might not drive one even if it was given to me. I also count the fact that you're supposed to embrace some culture of peace and free love against the bug. Ironic that Hitler was heavily involved with the development of the little stinker.
And then there's the Porsche 911... it's the same car with things just stretched out a little! And although there's a purity in design for some of the early ones, what in the world happened in the 80s? Why would anyone want a fast stretched out VW bug, with a whale tail on the back, rubber bumpers, and a targa top?! Oh, and throw in some classy 80's colors like violet!
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Alexandre Prevot
#4 Best Looking Car in the World - 1957 Chevy Bel Air
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Roadside Pictures
It's as American as a cheeseburger or Ronald Reagan. It's iconic and represents a generation that came before the cultural revolution of the 60's and 70's. There's never been a better looking piece of chrome than it's side panel. It could be made into a hot rod with relative ease, and pictures of youth surrounding it at drive-ins came to represent an entire decade. And it looks good stock or as a custom. It is the pen-ultimate 1950's design. I may buy a reproduction of the chrome just to hang on my garage wall. The 57 Chevy is American car culture at it's best.
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Ruud Onos
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer PreciousBytes
I felt like I couldn't even talk about the Bel Air without putting a picture of a drive-in in the blog.
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Kenjiys
#3 Worst Looking Car in the World - 1969-72 Mustang
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Lasard
Like the MGB and the Bug, the Mustang got a few years under it's belt and gained weight. Hey, quite a few of us have been there so it's hard to hold just that against it but it didn't gain weight gracefully. It didn't gain weight proportionally. Look at the photos. The motor area is the same size as the original motor but the cabin and rear end are huge! Basically, it's rear end got awkwardly large.
And on top of that, Ford and/or the owners began embellishing them with all sorts of cheap plasticky bits. Why would anyone want louvres on their rear window, cowl induction that faces the wrong way, or spoilers that provide little to no downward force.
And as the years went by it only got worse. It barely even resembled a mustang by the mid-70s. Too much plastic surgery can be disastrous if done without regard to taste.
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer P1R
#3 Best Looking Car in the World - Shelby Daytona
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer PMillera4
This car was built with a purpose - it had to be aerodynamic enough to beat the Ferraris. Yet as often happens when something is built with aesthetic abandonment while working towards a strictly functional goal of epic proportion, the end result is gorgeous. There isn't a car in the world, to this day, that looks better screaming around a track. And beat the Ferrari team it did. It's easy to love a winner, and when it's the Daytona Coupe it becomes one of the best looking cars in the world.
.jpg)
Photo Taken from Wikimedia - Open for Free Use
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer elstro_88
#2 Worst Looking Car in the World - The (Two Word) Sting Ray Corvette
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Clicheshots
Yes, the Corvette was always plastic (made out of fiberglass and resin) but it's as though Chevy decided to highlight it. In 1970 they came out with a Corvette that looked so plastic that cheap is the only word that can be used to described it. None of the curves work for it. The rear end looked terrible. The snout looked too long. And it's sort of a targa?! Couple appalling looks with one of the heaviest most underpowered American motors ever produced and you have one of the ugliest cars ever made.
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Georg Sander
#2 Best Looking Car in the World - Any Bentley from 1925-31
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Automotive Rhythms
How many of you read the Wind in the Willows as a child? In the story there's a rich toad who lives in Toad Manor, who has few socially redeeming qualities and is madly in love with the automobile to the extent he disregards all his friends in pursuit of his hobby. And the car that's parked in front of Toad Manor, as imagined by almost every young boy, is an iconic Bentley produced in the late 1920's.
These Bentley's are the ultimate British sports car. Everything else in the period was simply trying to be a Bentley. They are not swoopy or aerodynamic per se, but what they lack in grace they make up in brute strength. Combine that British Resolve with British Racing Green paint and you have one of the most iconic and best looking cars ever made.
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Adamnsinger
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer BoyBentley
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Charliepr1
Photo by Author Isaiah Cox - No Rights Reserved
Photo by Author Isaiah Cox - No Rights Reserved
Photo by Author Isaiah Cox - No Rights Reserved
#1 Worst Looking Car in the World - Citroen DS
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Viteez
It's so bizarre it's cool. Only the French could come up with it. It bears no resemblance to anything, and in no way hints at any strength. It is an amorphous blog that moves down the road floating on air. It would look perfect parked in front of a French bakery picking up pastries. It is a pastry of a car. Round, soft, bulging.
Open the door and you'll see that the car is also somewhat bulimic. It appears to be throwing up it's steering wheel.
I can't think of any uglier car, but it's so ugly and awkward it's cool.
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Georg Sander
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Pilot_Micha
Photo by Author Isaiah Cox - No Rights Reserved
#1 Best Looking Car in the World - Ferrari 250 California
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Speed Hunter XxX
Yes, as record sale prices reach tens of million dollars, I end with a safe choice. But even if they were as cheap as an early MGB, I'd still love the Ferrari. It screams 1950s/60s racer but with an extremely dignified split personality. This car looks as good tearing up a track as it does sitting on the golf course at the Pebble Beach Concourse d'Elegance.
And why the California? It's as simple as this - I love the added swish to the body line behind the door. It breaks the car up and makes it look better than the standard GT250.
And it looks amazing in Rosso Corsa (Ferrari's red of choice).
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Speed Hunter XxX
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Alex Fearn
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Dry Heat Panzer
Photo License Flickr Creative Commons - Photographer Delta HF
What do you think? Leave some feedback! Thanks for reading!
0 comments:
Post a Comment