The Most Elegant Car Ever?

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Trans_Maro wrote:

wlkelley3 wrote: Also, why is it that it seems when talking about "elegant" cars we automatically think of cars from the 30's through very early 60's and not much modern stuff.

Because that's the time when automakers cared about their product and their image. They made automobiles. Now, they're run by bean counters that make appliances for the masses. Tha Packard I posted above has amazing attention-to-detail. The simplest things on the car are done in the most detailed yet functional manner. This isn't done on modern cars. The exhaust manifold on that car is coated with porcelain, it keeps the heat down but also puts a gorgeous, gloss black, glass smooth finish on the part. I'm sure paint would function just nicely and last longer but that's not what the car is about. The round cans on the ends of the bumpers have a big weight inside them that is suspended by springs and runs in an oil bath. It dampens out road vibrations for a smoother ride. The lever shocks are adjustable on the fly, from the driver's compartment. They have four settings from firm to soft. The car has an automatic lubrication system. When the engine is shut down it sends one squirt of oil to every shackle bushing, brake bellcrank and even the throwout bearing. I'm sure it would have been simpler to have "your man" lube the car as part of his daily duties but this is a fine automobile. The Packard even had an optional radio and optional dictagraph available in 1934! Like the slogan says "ask the man who owns one" The Lincoln is more stylish than the Packard but the subtlety and attention to detail that comes with the Packard is downright amazing. To give you an idea, a 1934 Ford was roughly $600.00 new. That Packard was $2700.00 new. That's with the Packard body, the Deitrich and LeBaron bodied cars cost even more. Deusenbergs of the same era could get into the tens of thousands. So, call a Honda elegant if you want. I feel the appropriate term for the Honda should be "purposeful". Shawn

Yeah, kinda figured it was something like that. And I agree. Just found it interesting that a bunch of modern car guys will go with old stuff when talking elegant. I'm guilty of it too. Duesies, Auberns, Cords, Caddies and some of the higher end Chryslers and Lincolns along with RR, and some other European classy stuff is the epitome of elegance.

I find all these thirties cars far too busy... like Baroque styling. It's just too rich for me.

Once a week on Sundays, they are fine, like Baroque, but I want a simpler, cleaner look on the other six days a week.

Fletch1 wrote:

You are the first person I've found to conflate elegance and mud-caked to cars.

Not that that is a bad thing!

or

This is the uber-rare GTS/4 variant:

I always liked this.

Something about a Big Healey makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Shaun wrote:

I never considered the automotive equivolent of a bloated dog tick elegant.

Porsche 917L. long, sweeping lines, purposeful, raw, brutal, unforgiving, but beautiful at the same time. the fact that the 917L could manage 250 down the Mulsanne doesn't exactly hurt, either, especially considering it took manufacturers another 30 years to break the 250mph barrier in a car that could still be used on the road (somewhat). the 917K doesn't have quite the same appeal from the rear, due to the exposed gearbox and suspension, it's interesting from a technical standpoint and makes quite a bit of sense from an aerodynamic sense, but not quite elegant.

Ferrari 330 P3/4. if your knees don't get a little bit weak looking at it, then you no longer have a pulse. many of the same reasons as the 917L, except for the fact the P3/4 won't break 250

Zomby woof wrote: I can't believe it hasn't been posted yet.

I didn't know we were talking '70's elegance. If you include that, you also need to include this:

For the reasons noted by PinchValve; sumptuous, opulent, impractical and in most cases a teaching tool for engineers and designers for decades.

All this talk about cars... what about pickup trucks? How about a 3rd gen or 5th gen Ford F-Series:

The 8th gen isn't bad either:

The most elegant truck I can thing of right now.

Some are confusing elegant with cool, beautiful, etc... IMHO, and I love trucks, but trucks by nature aren't elegant. And that's okay.

For modern cars, the Alfa Romeo 8C has got to be the most beautiful car I've ever seen in person, and driving it just made me love it even more. Sounds. In. Cred. I. Ble.