What is the most iconic car of all time? It’s far from a simple question, with plenty of discussion… and probably arguments too. But surely, with the help of FJ client’s and online audience, we should be able to get to settle the debate. So that’s what we did, polling a fanbase who are experts in classics, to find out once and for all.
From a shortlist of 50 models and over 1,300 votes cast, below we reveal spots 12-7:
12. Ford Escort MkI – 97 votes
Ford’s Escort MkI was a success story that the badge up for an additional five generations. Offered with a variety of engines, it was Ford’s work with both Cosworth and Lotus that really put the Escort on the international scene, having arrived at the end of 1967.
A rallying legend, Ford’s compact family car looked fantastic, and has arguably only improved with age. You can get an Escort MkI in four-door saloon, three-door estate, or even a van, but for most, it’s the two-door saloon that is thought of when discussing the model, either parked outside their family home, or very sideways along a gravel track in the middle of a forest.
Why do you love it? Here's what you had to say...
- “Classic design, but this time it was within the reach of the ordinary man at the time. Even in the base models the everyday driver could feel like he was a rally or racing driver”
- “Broke the mould for family car/ boy racer/ club rally and saloon racer. Handling, gear change and ease of maintenance. The biggest step ever in saloon car development”
- “Mass-market everyday driver with the DNA to achieve massive success in rallying”
11. Lamborghini Miura - 103 votes
Widely regarded as the first supercar, Lamborghini definitely got the formula right straight from the off. A mid-engined two-seater, with V12 power and rear-wheel drive, it ticks all the boxes for a supercar. And then there’s the styling... even today it looks frankly sensational.
Arriving in 1966, the Miura firmly put Lamborghini on the map, from taking on the nearby Ferrari powerhouse, to starring in the opening sequence of The Italian Job, the Miura’s low-slung style was perfectly suited to Italy’s Sixties successes. Fewer than 800 were built, before the Miura was replaced, with the rarity value only helping its iconic status.
Your thoughts were...
- “Simply the most beautiful car to come out of Italy. It was very fast and I fell in love with it when I saw one being used in the opening sequence of The Italian Job in 1969”
- “The Miura is 'the' supercar. Being the first supercar ever made, it’s paved the way for not only Lamborghini, but meant the whole car industry to a new world of fast and magnificent looking cars for enthusiasts to enjoy”
- “Maybe not the best handling car but was the first true super car, it is stunningly beautiful from every angle and simply artistic perfection”
10. Morris Minor - 109 votes
There can surely be few greater juxtapositions in the classic car world than a Morris Minor following a Lamborghini Miura. But that’s the great thing about this debate; each model is taken on its own merit, not on how fast it is, or practical etc. As such, according to the voting public, a Morris Minor is (slightly) more iconic than a supercar from Lamborghini.
The vehicle credited with helping Britain get back on the road after the Second World War, its low cost, practicality, and variety of body options meant it proved popular with a variety of buyers. With Alec Issigonis part of the design team, the importance of a good driving experience was instilled early on in the development, meaning the Morris Minor is surprisingly fun to drive.
Some of the reasons you picked it as your number 10 slot were...
- “Car for all classes, backgrounds, cheap to buy and run, with impeccable style”
- “The Morris Minor set the stage for post-war motoring, despite petrol rationing still being in place in the UK when it was released”
- “People above a certain age will remember either going on a family holiday in one, taking their driving test in one or having one as their first car. Sometimes all 3!”
9. AC Cobra - 110 votes
A perfect combination of British sportscar handling and American brute power, the AC Cobra is one of the most popular classics both sides of the Atlantic. Run off an idea from American racer Carroll Shelby, British manufacturer AC shipped rolling cars – minus engine and transmission – to the US where they were fitted with a 4.3-litre Ford V8, and later a 4.7-litre unit.
Perhaps the most famous version however is the Cobra 427, using a Mk III chassis, springs all-round, and Ford’s 7.0-litre V8, it made for a monster; and proved successful on the track too. Becoming more famous than the Ace on which it was based, the Cobra was only produced for five years, but made quite an impact on the world in that time.
What did you think of the AC Cobra?
- “The unmistakable outline of the car is impossible to confuse with any other. The lines flow beautifully, and the sound and power of the engine are unmatched. The fact that it is British, when people often mistake it for American, is a delightful surprise”
- “Brutal, fast and furious no compromising sports car. One of the only cars which won the admiration of motorcyclists wherever I drove”
- “Test of time has proved this to be a road and race car and a tribute to AC Cars and Carroll Shelby”
9. Audi Quattro - 110 votes
Few cars rewrite the rulebook as the Quattro from Audi did. The original – the Ur-Quattro – went on to become the name for all of Audi’s four-wheel drive models, and also revolutionised rallying. Loosely based on a coupe-version of the Audi 80 of the time, the Quattro came about when chassis engineer Jörg Bensinger realised that even low performance all-wheel drive military vehicles could out-perform two-wheel drive models in the snow.
By creating a high-performance all-wheel drive car, Audi paired a turbocharged 2.1-litre five-cylinder engine initially, with Audi’s four-wheel drive system. Over the years, the engine capacity was increased, a Sport version was created, and the coupe destroyed rivals in anything other than dry roads… and that’s all the production car version. The rally machine saw manufacturers scrabbling to catch up, with the top level of the sport featuring all-wheel drive ever since.
A few of your thoughts were...
- “Defines the word ‘iconic’ 4wd and turbo combined, what’s not to love!”
- “Game changer to motor sport, with everyone else having to adopt to audi's turbo and 4 wheel drive combination. Setting the bench standard to present day”
- “One of the original rally weapons set the standard and the future for four-wheel-drive cars on the road and in the mainstream"
8. Volkswagen Beetle - 114 votes
VW’s Beetle remains one of the most popular models in history, with more than 21 million produced over a 65-year production period. The distinctive styling and rear-mounted air-cooled engine, gave it a character that endeared it to literally millions, with the Beetle regularly appearing as a star of screens both large and small.
Designed pre-WWII, the Beetle – and Volkswagen – owes its success to a British Army Major, Ivan Hurst, who was given responsibility for determining what to do with VW’s Wolfsburg plant. He decided to build a few Beetles, primarily for military use, and the rest is history. Even the Beetle’s ‘successor’, the Golf, couldn’t actually shift it from the production line, and the Beetle went on to become a global icon.
The Volkswagen Beetle was voted for by you because...
- “Iconic means known, recognisable. Put all these cars in silhouette and the one that would be recognised by most in the world would be the Beetle”
- “Brought the whole VW scene on the map. Peace and festival culture and everyone having fun, an amazing history and still a big following today. Iconic”
- “In production for a long time without much change which proves what a fantastic design and brilliant engineering”
7. Austin-Healey 300 - 126 votes
The most famous ‘big Healey’ from the firm, the 3000 was an open-top two-seater or 2+2 in the classic British sportscar style. Over the years, Austin-Healey developed the model to become closer to a grand tourer, differentiating it from the likes of the MGB, the 3.0-litre roadster might have become a British classic, but its success was actually in the United States.
Introduced in 1959, within a five years, more than nine in ten built were exported to the United States. The 3000 became an important part of the British automotive industry’s resurrection post war, and it had the style and performance to tempt in buyers used to larger, more ‘comfortable’ models Stateside.
Your thoughts on the Austin-Healey 300...
- “Sleek, fast and exhilarating to drive. British engineering at its best"
- “Classic British engineering. That straight six engine and those lines. Beautiful two tone designed car”
- “An amazingly exciting car to drive, beautiful curving body, (every panel is multi-curved), a sonorous exhaust note and good for long-distance journeys”
Stay tuned as next week we’ll be revealing the final 6 spots taking us to our winning Iconic Car for 2024!
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