Then this unique Ferrari 330GT Nembo Spyder would epitomise it. So says Malcolm Thorne after sampling a car due to be auctioned to raise money for the East Anglian Air Ambulance.
Beauty is a particularly subjective matter, and yet you could argue that there are certain givens out there that can be universally acknowledged for the magnificence of their aesthetic. Would anyone really argue that Michel angelo’s masterful depiction of David is anything other than awe-inspiringly beautiful? Or that the cathedral in Florence is anything but spectacular? Or that a misty sunrise over the hills of Tuscany is anything but sublime? If we are in agreement that such things – however finite in number – can be universally exalted, that nobody could ever turn a creased brow and mutter words to the effect of “well, it’s nothing special”, then I would add another candidate to the list: the Ferrari 330 Nembo Spyder.
Before reading any further, just pause a moment, look at the pictures and drink it in. Was there ever a more convincing amalgam of hunched-up muscles and gracefully flowing curves? The basic profile is absolutely spot on, with not a wrong angle anywhere to be seen; it is those rolling Tuscan hills transformed into hand-beaten aluminium. But what is the vista of that landscape without the mist or extraordinary light of early morning, the subtleties that elevate the merely pretty to the truly divine? For the Ferrari to make it onto our list of Unequivocal Beauty requires more than just a well-considered profile, but the Nembo pulls it off. Gloriously.
Denne historien er fra March 2017-utgaven av Classic & Sports Car.
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Denne historien er fra March 2017-utgaven av Classic & Sports Car.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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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