It’s the age-old pub debate – what is the best car of all time? Ask twenty people that question and its likely they’ll all give you a different answer. Cars are, after all, deeply personal things and we all have differing opinions on what makes them ‘great’.
You may prefer style over speed, or an abundance of gadgets over decent looks. You perhaps like the new breed of futuristic hybrid cars and the promise they offer of a petrol-free future.
Whatever type of car you’re into, let’s just agree that we’ll all have to disagree on this fascinating topic.
We all have our favourites, though, and below, we’ve listed what we believe to be the top 10 best cars of all time.
10. Caterham Seven
It may seem rather odd to start with a car that features barely any creature comforts, but the Caterham Seven absolutely defines the joy that can be had behind the wheel of a motorcar. Minimalism at its best, this car proves you don’t need 800bhp to have fun.
9. Jaguar E-Type
Arguably the prettiest car ever built, the E-Type was relatively affordable when it first hit the showrooms and quickly turned into a style icon. Compared with the absurdly expensive Ferraris and Aston Martins of its time, it was (and still is), quite simply, stunning.
8. Bugatti Veyron
Audi reportedly made a loss on every Veyron they sold, but that wasn’t the point – they wanted to develop a car that produced 1,000bhp without exploding and that was as simple to drive as a family hatchback. And they succeeded, big time.
7. McLaren F1
It’s certainly no longer the fastest car on the block, but it once was and the reason the McLaren F1 makes this list is because it effectively defined what it takes to be a modern hypercar. A gold-lined engine bay typified the minute attention to detail employed by the team at McLaren.
6. Ford Mustang
This list wouldn’t be complete without a raw hunk of American muscle car and they come no better than in the shape of the Ford Mustang. Not what you’d call technically perfect or refined, the original Mustang offered the US market the ultimate blend of speed, looks and a bargain price. And, boy did it sound good.
5. Porsche 911
Say what you like about the minor updates to the 911’s styling over the years – this german icon remains one of the most popular sports cars today and proves that placing the engine at the rear of the chassis is no bad thing at all. There’s also a version to suit every preference (if not every wallet).
4. Audi Quattro
Believed by many to be the greatest rally car of all time, the Quattro demonstrated that it was entirely possible to build a road-going version of the near-lethal rally machines of the time and spawned classics such as the Impreza WRX and Mitsubishi Evo.
3. Ferrari F40
Despite the wealth of choice, there was only one Ferrari that could make this list. In the eyes of many a small boy, this car beat the Lamborghinis hands down when it came to bedroom wall material and was also the first supercar to break the 200mph barrier. Today, it remains bonkers fast and just as striking.
2. Mini (original)
The original Mini is the best British car ever made and BMW’s modern ode to a vehicle that combined value with ‘take-me-home-now’ looks and a brilliant driving experience is proof of its timeless qualities.
1. Mazda MX-5
If you haven’t driven an MX-5, you may question why this seemingly nondescript sports car comes first in our top 10 cars of all time, but driving is believing and there is simply nothing out there that beats the little Mazda for pure pleasure behind the wheel. It is the ultimate expression of a driving machine and, unlike most of the cars in this list, accessible to virtually everyone.
Summary
If we’ve got you nodding or hot under the collar with our choices above, we’ll consider this a job well done. What’s your favourite car of all time? We’d love to hear – get in touch today!
