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Iconic Classic Cars

If I had to narrow down the one thing that I love the most about classic cars, it would undoubtedly be the stories behind them. Certain cars don't become classics by accident; instead, they become the iconic cars they are today with good reason. It might be because a car went into limited production or because decades later, the look, feel, and style of it just proves to be timeless.

When it comes to iconic cars, everyone has their favorites for one reason or another. These are my top 10 favorite iconic cars. What are yours?

1. 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic
   It's the oldest of my favorite classic cars, and most would consider it iconic for the sheet metal alone. The hood on it is classic in itself, as in my opinion, it has never really been replicated to perfection like that since, and here we are almost 100 years later. The car looked like nothing else from its time and was definitely a luxury vehicle that I wouldn't mind driving even today. It's one of those cars that remains a timeless classic and would look incredible if it was cruising on the road today. It's powerful and looks great, and it's now widely considered to be one of the most expensive cars in the world, having sold at auction for more than $30,000,000.
2. 1948 Tucker Torpedo
   This wouldn't be a list of iconic cars without the 1948 Tucker Torpedo. It was created by Preston Tucker and was created with a host of innovations at the time, including a four-wheel independent suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, and a rear-mounted flat six aluminum engine. While there were only 51 of them ever made, unfortunately, it's an iconic car because the features on it were truly groundbreaking at the time. These have even sold at auction for as much as $1.2 million!
3. 1960 Ashton Martin DB4 GT Zagato
   This is undoubtedly one of the best-looking cars ever and one that you've definitely seen in a classic James Bond film or two. It wasn't as famous or well-known as the DB5, but it's got an incredible hood and grill, unrivaled wire wheels, and that iconic British touch. There were only 20 versions of this car ever made, and it's sold for as high as a million dollars at auction. Something that makes this car such a classic is that at the time, going from 0-60 in only 6 seconds at 314 horsepower was as innovative as it got.
4. 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Coupe
   It's also known as the C2, but this iconic version of the Corvette is one that will never be forgotten. It was a complete redesign from years prior and featured the innovative (for the time) flip-up headlights, much better handling, and the sheer look that stood out among all cars at the time. It would go on to be produced for 20 years and will always be a true American classic.
5. 1967 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
   This iconic vehicle will always have a special place in my heart, if only because it was my father's favorite vehicle ever made. The 1967 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is an iconic car because it hit 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds and could top out at a blazing 160 mph. Unfortunately, only 18 of them were ever made.
6. 1967 Pontiac GTO
   Also known as "the Judge," the 1967 Pontiac GTO is a timeless classic. With a 335-horsepower V8 engine, the GTO was worth every penny both then and now. It was named after Ferrari's 250 GTO (short for Gran Turismo Omologato) and is one of my top three favorite cars of all time.
7. 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280L Roadster
   With nearly 20,000 of these sold in America, it defines what an American roadster should look like. This iconic car was not only beautiful, but it was the perfect mix of a sports convertible and a luxury grand tourer.
8. 1981 DeLorean DMC-12
   Who could ever forget the DeLorean DMC-12? Sure, it's iconic because it's synonymous with the popular Back to the Future films, but just looking at it makes you want to drive it around town, even if it was considered to be a failure by most standards in the automotive world.
9. Rolls-Royce Phantom
   It's known as the original British luxury car, and it was groundbreaking in 1925. The car has been owned by household names like John Lennon, and it has been known for both its power and size. With seven generations of the car, its mix of power, performance, and sophistication remain unmatched even today, in my opinion.
10. Toyota 2000GT
    Here's another incredible car that you may recognize from a James Bond film, this one from You Only Live Twice. It was made in the late 1960s by Toyota in cooperation with Yamaha, and it's considered to be Japan's first supercar. One big reason it's an iconic car is that Japan showed the world that they could build a truly exotic sports car. Even today, most compare it to the Porsche 911.

Want to learn more about some of the most iconic cars out there? Check out these sites:

• The History of the Automobile Industry
• 12 of the Rarest and Fastest American Muscle Cars
• The First Automobile
• The Automobile and the Environment in American History
• The Classic Car Collection: Over 200 Classic Cars in Nebraska
• The Golden Age of Muscle Cars: 1964-73
• The Classic Muscle Car Era: Clemson University
• The Invention of the American Automobile (1914-32)
• Hemmings Classic Car Blog
• The History of the Automobile
• AutoWeek: Classic Cars

These are some cool car clubs I like

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