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Chevrolet Corvette: A Loveseat You’ll Never Want to Leave
It’s easy to recognize the Corvette as an icon of design. The tough part is figuring out just where to start—early, late or somewhere in between? Each iteration of this American classic has its adherents, but be careful you don’t get sucked into the “everything perfect and original” game.
Each model reflects an era, from the parts-bin specials of the early years to the exquisitely engineered exclusivity of what is currently available. Considering GM’s current status, it could well be that we’ll never again see the mass production of a really high-performance automobile. Trust me: There isn’t a better long-term investment than a modern Z06.
If finances require looking at an older model, a good dividing line may be the Corvette’s introduction of disc brakes. Remember that great cars are meant to be driven, not placed on a pedestal in the garage surrounded by votive candles. The American V8 produces one of the loveliest mechanical concertos ever conceived. Use it.
Mini Cooper: Motoring at Your Mostest
Originally created by Alec Issigonis in 1959, the Austin Mini Minor shocked the world with its space-saving layout, transverse-mounted engine and front-wheel drive—features that are still the basis for almost every minimalist sedan produced today. World Champion F1 constructor John Cooper introduced his modified version of the Mini soon after, and the car’s incredible performance on the race track soon made it a legend.
More than 5.5 million original Minis were produced before production ceased in 2000. Since so many Mini variants were made all over the world in its four-decade production run, it’s impossible to select a favorite. However, this is the one car that will probably hold the title of “world’s most influential design since the introduction of the Model T Ford.”
The name may still be with us, but modern BMW-built MINIs aren’t really mini when compared to the originals; they’ll never have the cachet and presence of an original either. A really spiff Mini Cooper is as cool today—in any setting—as it was in London in the swingin’ ’60s.
BMW 2002: The Giant-Killer
This is the car that saved BMW from extinction. Had it not been for the German public’s immediate acceptance back in 1962 of this now-popular sedan, we would have never seen any of the great BMWs that followed. The 2002’s immediate success made it an instant classic, so it’s a no-brainer in this collection.
The real importance of the 2002 was its influence on the rest of the automotive world, especially the Japanese manufacturers. Look at what was being produced in Japan at that time: really bad, licensed copies of French and English rubbish.
Jaguar E-Type: Grace…Space…Pace
Sir William Lyons proved he had an exceptional eye for design with the introduction of the original XK 120. This was a pretty rare quality for the chief executive in charge of an English automobile company.
The E-type would make him even more famous. Nothing produced in quantity anywhere in the world has ever matched the stunning visual impact of the Series 1 E-type. While unusual for a good roadster design, Sir William’s coupe version was just as impressive—and luxuriously comfortable, too!
A handful of exquisite D- and E-type production racing variants gave Jaguar a still-impressive racing history at Le Mans. Somehow Jaguar’s planners and decision makers never learned from others’ past mistakes. Good as the later E-types and V12s were, none ever quite matched the svelte beauty of the original.