Carmakers operate in a congested market; churning out models non-stop to satisfy the feeding frenzy of the consumer market. Every once in a while, though, they hit a winning formula and create that special automobile that stands a notch above the rest. A true masterpiece that goes on to establish its reputation as a legend in the car community. In some of these cases, it is down to the car’s styling or revolutionary design. However, there are others that earned the right to iconic status due to exceptional handling and driving performance paired with their popularity.
Some of these cars are classic cars that existed many years ago but the fond memories remain fresh and their reputation stays untarnished. Others are relatively modern and took the world by storm when they were first released. Nevertheless, all of these cars managed to single-handedly thrust their brands into relevance and helped them carve a coveted niche in a marketplace that’s packed full of various players.
In this article, we explore a few of these standout performers, cars that debuted and rapidly went on to define standards for their era.
15 Ferrari – 250 GTO
The 250 GTO is quite simply, the greatest classic car out there today. Any collector, worth his salt, will agree to that statement without a doubt. Only 36 of these racecars were built. The car went on to cement its legendary status during the 1962 – 1965 racing seasons. It is also the current record holder for the most expensive car ever sold at auction - $48.4 million. Yes, let that sink in.
14 Mercedes Benz – 300SL Gullwing
The magnificent gullwing Mercedes was produced between 1954 and 1957. It was powered by a 3.0-liter engine that could get the car to a top speed of about 160 mph. However, more than the speed performance, the car endeared itself to generations of car fandom with its sleek lines, design and those iconic gullwing doors
13 McLaren – F1
The 28-year old F1 remains one of the most legendary hypercars out there today. It debuted in 1992 and incorporated so much revolutionary technology that simply blew its competition out of the water. There was just no answer to the Formula One-inspired hypercar. Even today, it remains one of the fastest naturally aspirated production cars ever built.
12 Toyota – 2002 Supra
In 2019, Toyota revived the Supra name with a sporty fifth-generation model that did not have a problem slotting into an already congested car segment. However, the foundation for that success was laid by Supras of earlier years, particularly the fourth generation that ended production in 2002. The car handled like a charm with its inline-six engine setup. Then there was the added popularity it enjoyed when it featured prominently in the early Fast and Furious movies.
11 Ford – Mustang
The Mustang is arguably the most iconic Ford brand to wear the blue oval logo. The Pony car debuted in 1964 and had sold 2 million units by the end of 1966. The car continues to endear itself to the public with a fluid combination of performance and practicability. In 2018, Ford announced that the 10 millionth unit had been produced. That’s quite an accomplishment.
10 Koenigsegg – Agera RS
Every car made by Mr. Christian von Koenigsegg is unique in its own way but the Agera RS is one special machine. The winged hypercar is a slightly dialed back version of the One:1 and has gone on to set a number of speed records. One of the more notable ones is the title of the world’s fastest production car when it achieved an average speed of 278 mph on a closed public highway.
9 Dodge – 1969 Charger
Who can forget the iconic ’69 Charger of the General Lee fame? Dodge redefined the muscle car genre with this legend. It was a beast and quite a challenge to handle; its engine alone weighed in at over half a ton yet that did not stop the car from growing to become an acclaimed pop-culture icon. It is one of the most successful Dodge models till date – almost 90,000 units were produced in that model year.
8 BMW – E46 M3
The M Division of BMW has churned out some masterpieces over the years but there is little doubt that the E46 M3 remains a fan favorite and one of the best BMWs ever produced. It was manufactured from 2000 to 2006 and truly exemplified what a sports sedan meant for its era. Power output was rated at over 330 hp and it could sprint from 0 – 60 mph in less than 5 seconds.
7 Chevrolet – 2014 Camaro Z/28
The 2014 Camaro Z/28 was a tribute to the legendary 70s Camaro of the same name, and what a tribute the car proved to be. The 500-hp track beast garnered a lot of positive reviews with the way it harnessed all that power from its V8 engine and laid it all on the tarmac for a truly engaging driving experience.
6 Cadillac – Eldorado
Cadillac has been around for almost 120 years. There have been many successful models in that time but it would be hard to discount the Eldorado as one of the most iconic ones. The car had a production run that lasted 50 years, from 1952 to 2002 and spanned 12 generations. The early generation Eldorados stood out with their distinctive styling that included covered rear-wheel arches and pointed ‘tailfins’.
5 Ford – F150
The F-Series truck came to life in 1948 but it was not until the 1970s that the F150 designation was adopted. A decade later, the F150 had risen to become America’s bestselling vehicle and it continues to be the number one pick-up option even today. There have been over 10 generations of the F150 and on current evidence, many more will yet follow.
4 Ferrari – LaFerrari
Ferrari certainly wasn’t mucking around when they decided to name their hybrid hypercar ‘LaFerrari.’ That simply translates to ‘The Ferrari.’ It’s as bold as it gets really but then you can’t blame the lads at the Maranello plant. The LaFerrari is, by some distance, the best modern Ferrari ever made and fully deserving of its place on this list.
3 Lamborghini – Miura P400 SV
This car was once described as the ‘Godfather of all Supercars.’ There are many arguments in its favor to support that statement. The Miura defined its era and was the car that really brought popularity to the mid-engine configuration for supercars. The P400 SV was powered by a monster 4.0-liter V12 engine that put out 380hp – and that was almost 5 decades ago.
2 Porsche – 911 Series
The German carmaker is well known for its range of exceptional cars. The 911 series, though, lies a notch above the rest. It’s been around for more than 5 decades now and judging by its current 8th generation line-up, it isn’t going anywhere soon. There are over 20 variations of the 911 series, each with its own individual character.
1 Bugatti – Chiron Super Sport 300+
In 2019, Bugatti did something no one had never done before – smashed the mythical 300-mph barrier with their hypercar. This was no ordinary feat of automotive engineering. At that speed, for example, the car was traveling at more than the length of a football field every second; in defiance to the laws of physics. The Chiron Super Sport 300+ is the best Bugatti right now and it will take something really special to knock it off its perch.