Over the past few years, there have been some great cars from Britain. From nimble and often underrated sports cars to huge luxury cars you could consider land yachts, the UK has built some spectacular machines.
Granted, some of them aren't among the most reliable cars ever made, but either way, we love them, and we are so appreciative of these top cars made by this little great island in the Atlantic. These cars are the pride of Britain, some even the pride of the motoring world.
9 Jaguar E-Type
Regarded by Enzo Ferrari as the most beautiful car in the world, the E-Type is a rather special car that has a lot of character. Available in coupe or cabriolet form, the E-Type was the very essence of a stylish classy car. It may not be the most reliable car ever made, with both its 6-cylinder and 12-cylinder engines experiencing troublesome issues, overheating being just one of them.
By far one of the best English cars ever made and a car that is extremely iconic. Easily the most iconic Jaguar car ever made. It is beautiful in every single way and a car that Britain really should be proud of.
8 Range Rover
The Range Rover started out as a utilitarian vehicle and as a 3-door but nowadays it still is a utilitarian vehicle with a lot of luxury. In fact, the SV Autobiography model is one of the most expensive SUVs on sale today. The Range Rover has always been a great off-roader, and it still is today. It is a fine car that really is the pinnacle of luxury.
The original Range Rover was a handsome beast. It was rugged, and it led a legacy in which today there are four models. The Range Rover has sold in masses worldwide, with many celebrities and royalty being among the proud owners.
7 Rolls-Royce Phantom
Since 1925, Rolls-Royce has made their flagship Phantom, a car really reserved for the elite. This is the same story with the latest Phantom models being the VI and the VII. The Phantom has always been an elite car and even under BMW's rule, this $500,000 upwards luxury sedan can be purchased for the same price new as all of these cars.
The Phantom nowadays is reserved for royalty, celebrities, the richest, athletes, etc. This is the same as it was in the 1930s then. It is a car that everyone loves, and it attracts attention everywhere it goes.
6 Land Rover Series/Defender
The Land Rover Series/Defender is a great car that has seen production since 1948. It is a solid car that was originally made for the Army and is still in great use today. Unfortunately, it left US shores in 1997 due to safety issues, but it is back for 2021, and we're excited about it. It is a car that truly is brilliant. It's simple, lightweight, and fun.
It is a brilliant off-roader that really is a tough nut. Reliability is brilliant, and it is ever so simple to repair. Sure, it may not be the most luxurious car, but it sure is one of the most iconic.
5 Lotus Elise
The Elise is a car that really did make Lotus quite famous and mainstream. Before the Elise, Lotus was in a crisis. The FWD Elan M100 was a great car, being one of the most underrated British sports cars ever made however, it was nothing compared to the RWD Mazda MX-5 and it was even more expensive.
The Elise took Lotus back to its roots as established by founder Colin Chapman. It was light, it had a small, but perky engine, and it was fun. The Elise was a special car, and it was very unique in every single way. It had no luxury whatsoever, as it was always meant to be a full-on sports car.
4 Mini
The Mini is an ingenious car that has been made since 1959. It was the perfect car for Britain as it was small, cheap and very practical. Nowadays it is a very fashionable car that is loved by many and has a huge cult following. The Mini is small, cute, fast, and nowadays pretty fast.
It is a fantastic little car that truly was one of the best cars ever made. It was perfect for the masses and in the UK at least, it truly was the people's car.
3 McLaren F1
The McLaren F1 was one of the best drivers' cars from the 1990s, and it is easy to see why. The development was headed by the legendary Gordon Murray and the criteria were to make the ultimate road car. It was a mid-engined V12 supercar capable of a top speed of 248 mph, the world's fastest car at the time, and still the world's fastest naturally aspirated car to this very day.
It is a beautiful car however, it isn't easy to drive. Both Elon Musk and Rowan Atkinson crashed theirs. It's not cheap either, with some second-hand models auctioning for over $25 million. How insane is that?
2 Aston Martin DB5
The Aston Martin DB5 is a legendary car that was made famous in the James Bond 007 books and films. It is a stylish GT that is loved by many. By far one of the best Bond cars ever created. The DB5 really is a beautiful car, and it really did become the backbone for future Aston Martin models and gave them a brilliant brand identity.
Because of this car, modern Aston Martins were deemed cooler than cool. It was the car that everyone dreamed of, and it gave Aston Martin that sex appeal. The spy's car. It was so classy and so elegant, yet it was just so naughty.
1 Bentley Continental GT
In 2003, Bentley made a car that would revolutionize their brand. Previously, Bentley was considered a brand for mainly the old rich. Those who were mainly a lot older. Bentley was in a crisis because they needed younger buyers with new money. This meant they had to create something that was a bit more modern and something that had a lot more excitement.
The Continental GT was the VW-Audi Group's first proper indigenous Bentley designed and made by them. The Continental GT has been one of the best GT cars ever. It is fast, comfortable, and it holds so much presence. It is a true work of art.