6. Citroen DS – 133 votes

The search for a definitive answer to the question “What is the most iconic car of all time?” concludes here, as Footman James reveals the final six cars from our shortlist – the previous six of our top dozen cars is available to read here.

After more than 1,300 voters picked their top three most iconic models from a shortlist of 50, below are your top six most iconic cars:

1. Citroen DS – 133 votes

There are few cars ever produced that have proven as revolutionary as Citroen’s DS. The ‘goddess’ still looks fresh today, but was introduced in the mid-Fifties, with aerodynamic styling, a host of clever features, and suspension so comfortable that it would inspire luxury cars from the likes of Rolls-Royce and Mercedes-Benz for decades.

With almost 1.5 million made over the course of 20 years in production, the DS is far more than a ‘pretty face’. Citroen added disc brakes, which were unusual for a production model at the time, as well as power steering and a semi-automatic transmission, and that’s ignoring the Citroen’s most famous feature – the self-levelling hydropneumatic suspension. Oozing French flair and style, the DS truly deserves its icon status.

Why do you love it? Here's what you had to say...

• “One of the most beautiful cars ever made. It doesn't shout 'look at me, look at me' - the car simply exudes quiet dignity”
• “The DS is a saloon of beauty and magically advanced engineering and today it remains enigmatic, graceful and beautiful”
• “A car way ahead of its time and still puts modern cars to shame with its ride comfort, styling and looks”

1. Porsche 911 – 166 votes

The world’s most successful sportscar, Porsche’s 911 lineage goes back to 1964, and recognisably so. Porsche’s engineers clearly believing in evolution over revolution when it comes to styling. The rear-engine layout has remained throughout, but Porsche has refined and honed the 911 into a handling superstar, as well as seeing a host of developments boost power and performance.

But despite the turbo models, those with wider track, and others stripped out for lightweight GT models, the base 911 is still of one of the most impressive all-rounders money can buy – a trait that was established with the first-generation model. The term ‘daily sportscar’ is regularly thrown about, but no car manages it as successfully as the 911 has over the years.

Your thoughts were...

• “Where else can one point to a car so iconic that its manufacturer has just kept making it, decade after decade, and managing to make it still seem contemporary?”
• “The 911 has been going for years and has always retained its iconic lines. An all-round beautiful car of which not a bad model has ever been made. A worthy contender”
• “It had individual styling that has ensured, unmistakable on the road. In early form, it brought a level of capability and fun at an affordable price”

1. Land Rover Series 1 – 179 votes

A go-anywhere star, the simplicity of the Land Rover goes back even to the original design. Famously ‘sketched’ out in the sand of Anglesey’s Red Wharf Bay by Maurice Wilks in 1947, the Land Rover was one of the first all-terrain vehicles. Inspired by the military Jeep, the Land Rover Series I was an inspired solution for rural drivers and agricultural needs.

Development was carried out at pace, and the Land Rover went into production in 1948, the Land Rover was not only thought of as a UK-based model – but also for export. Making good use of left over supplies from WWII, the Land Rover used an alloy for the bodywork, and was available in a single 80-inch wheelbase specification, a four-speed manual gearbox with two-speed transfer box, and four-wheel drive system with freewheel unit. It laid the foundations for Land Rover’s considerable success over the years, and a shape that is instantly recognisable.

Some of the reasons you picked it as your number 4 slot were...

• “The best 4x4xfar. What’s not to love, the simple design built to work in the toughest environments and has conquered 70% of the globe. It is the obvious choice”
• “It’s rugged, versatile, ageless and classless. Completely at home anywhere in the world and on any driveway”
• “Classless workhorse. Able to ‘fit in’ in any scenario from being parked at Balmoral Castle to a hill farm in Wales. Looks as good all shiny or covered in mud”

1. Aston Martin DB5 – 301 votes

The DB5’s iconic status is not exclusively down to James Bond, but its appearance in Goldfinger and many other 007 films has certainly helped. Few will see the DB5 and not think of Sean Connery’s Bond – but that combination of a star status from both actor and manufacturer mean that few will be surprised at the DB5’s presence here in the top three of all time iconic cars.

The styling alone will is a sweet-spot for Aston Martin, coming along at a time when British sports cars were up there with the best in the world. Like all the best cars, it’s far more than style over substance however, with the lightweight ‘Superleggera’ bodywork, sonorous 4.0-litre straight six, and availability as wither coupe GT or convertible shape, the DB5 remains the Grand Tourer for most.

What did you think of the Aston Martin DB5?

• “Few in the world would not be able to identify this car. There are many better, faster and sleeker cars but nothing gets within a mile of this as an icon”
• “Less is more, sophistication at its prime. A car I could fall asleep next too in a cold garage and wake up totally rejuvenated”
• “Super rare, super collectible, a super valuable classic…James Bond's car. This oozes classic elegance and cool factor!”

1. Mini Cooper – 314 votes

Compact, stylish, and with the handling of a go-kart, the Mini has been popular for generations. A masterpiece of industrial design, the Mini Cooper was the result of a combination of two of Britain’s most forward-thinking engineers of the time – Alec Issigonis and John Cooper. The two had become friends thanks to grass-roots motor racing, and applying Cooper’s punchy 1.0-litre engine, short ratio gearbox, and front disc brakes, to the Mini’s already famous handling made it a giant-killer.

On the road, there was nothing that could hold so many people and their luggage in such a small amount of space. And on the track, its performance humbled many supposedly faster cars. The sight of Minis and Ford Mustangs racing side-by-side is one of the most interesting in motor racing. And then there’s the rallying success, thanks to BMC and Paddy Hopkirk’s Monte Carlo exploits. Remaining in production until 2000, the combination of Mini and Cooper were so intrinsically linked that they remain with the ‘new’ Mini.

A few of your thoughts were...

• “They are completely unmistakeable, all over the world people know what they are. They fit every genre, fashion, youth, motor sport, family and they have conquered TV and film. Everyone has had one, knows someone who has or can tell a story about one.”
• “A successful family car for the masses as well as a successful rally car, built over many decades with an ever-popular following today, and immortalised in the original Italian Job film"
• “Had one, icon of design, great fun, always cheered you up. Very British. Did so much so well - motorsport from budget grass track racer to world rally championships and everything in between”

1. Jaguar E-Type – 369 votes

Undoubtedly one of the most famous cars of all time, Jaguar’s E-Type does not only rely on its styling and performance to cement its place at the top of this iconic cars list. It also has a series of tales that only add to its desirability. That’s over and above the undoubtedly stunning design, a shape so right that legend says Mr Ferrari himself described it as ‘the most beautiful car in the world’.

Like many of Enzo’s creations, the E-Type came from racing developments. Jaguar applied many parts to the E-Type that were developed from the manufacturer’s Le Mans-conquering D-Type racers.

Before its launch at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show, a prototype E-Type had been quietly lent to a handful of journalists in the UK, which meant that Jaguar’s only working vehicle was in Coventry the day before its planned unveiling. It was driven through the night from Britain to Switzerland, arriving with only 20 minutes to spare before being unveiled. The story goes that the bonnet was still warm to the touch, despite being washed down before being rolled onto the stand.

The Series 1 came in both convertible two-seater roadster, and fixed-head coupe configurations, with a longer-wheelbase 2+2 coupe introduced in 1966. Launched with Jaguar’s 3.8-litre XK straight six, in 1965 this was upgraded to a 4.2-litre version of the same engine, boosting power. Lasting 15 years in production, the E-Type has gone down as a truly iconic car, picked by more than one in four of you in this vote.

The Jaguar E-Type was voted for by you as your winner because...

• “They are completely unmistakeable, all over the world people know what they are. They fit every genre, fashion, youth, motor sport, family and they have conquered TV and film. Everyone has had one, knows someone who has or can tell a story about one.”
• “A successful family car for the masses as well as a successful rally car, built over many decades with an ever-popular following today, and immortalised in the original Italian Job film"
• “Had one, icon of design, great fun, always cheered you up. Very British. Did so much so well - motorsport from budget grass track racer to world rally championships and everything in between”

Thank you to everyone who got involved in this poll, with plenty of interesting ideas and votes placed. Of the 50 models on our shortlist, every single car got at least one vote. There has been plenty of feedback too, with comments praising styling, performance, practicality, and impact (depending on the model). If you missed models 12-7, catch-up by reading the results here.

In the end, the top three were clearly ahead of the rest of the pack, with a distinctly British angle to the results – the Jaguar E-Type was a clear victor, and few could reasonably argue against its iconic status.