TOP TEN
What makes a great classic? It used to be simple: it was a car that stood out from either ordinary or lowly models for its engineering excellence, great performance, impressive styling or good old-fashioned desirability. The very finest - a convenient example is the Jaguar E-type - qualified on all counts.
Deciding which of today's cars will become classics is far less easy. This year around 90 million new cars will hit the road, and by most measures they're all very good. And the numbers keep rising. Even Ferrari, which once swore never to make more than 4000 cars a year, now builds more than 10,000 units, and that number is destined to climb because the marque will soon launch its first SUV.
Modern design and engineering are now more exacting as legislation becomes more prescriptive. Conformity is a necessity, so individuality and rarity sa is, well, rare. Yet despite all this, modern cars remain desirable. Our sister magazine Autocar (126 years old and counting) reports continued huge interest whenever a new Land Rover Defender, Volkswagen Golf GTI, Tesla or BMW 3 Series arrives. There's real excitement about the growing crop of electric cars, such as VW's ID Buzz (Microbus) and the three-model Jaguar EV range for 2025.
So which of today's cars will become classics? Aside from the expensive and fast candidates, which mainstream models stand out? Autocar recently launched a project with the National Motor Museum, asking readers and visitors to choose their candidates. After collating thousands of responses, here are the worthy winners in order.
10 Ford Fiesta ST
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة April 2022 من Classic & Sports Car.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة April 2022 من Classic & Sports Car.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
RAY HILLIER
Double-chevron oddity proves a break from the norm for this Crewe specialist
SHORT BACK & GLIDES
Eccentric enthusiast Captain RG McLeod's series of Manx-tailed Bentley Specials reached its zenith with this unique S2 Continental.
People's choice
The diminutive but multi-million-selling Fiat 850 packed a remarkable diversity of form and function into its compact footprint
PLASTIC BREAKS FROM THE NORM
Glassfibre revolutionised niche car-body production, but just occasionally strayed into the mainstream.
A SENSIBLE SUPERCAR
The cleverly conceived four-seater Elite secured Lotus a place at the big players' table, but has it been unfairly maligned since then?
"I had a habit of grabbing second place from the jaws of victory"
From dreams of yachting glory to the Le Mans podium, via a stint at the top of the motorsport tree, Howden Ganley had quite the career
Still going strong
Herbert Engineering staked its reputation on the five-year warranty that came with its cars. A century on, this Two Litre hasn't made a claim
One for the kids
General Motors was aiming squarely at the youth market with the launch of the Pontiac GTO 60 years ago, and its runaway success popularised the muscle-car movement
A NEW BREED OF HERO
Launched at the turn of the millennium, the GT3 badge has already earned a place alongside RS, CS and turbo in Porsche lore.
Brits with SIX appeal
The straight-six engine is synonymous with a decades-long legacy of great British sports cars. Six variations on the sextet theme convene for comparison
