Iconic Models
How Did the Shelby Cobra Marry an American Engine with British Refinement?
The Shelby Cobra is a sports car born in 1962 when an American Ford V8 engine was fitted into the body of the British AC Cars' AC Ace ; it was produced both in England and the USA between 1962 and 1967. The simple yet brilliant idea conceived by Carr…
Read MoreHow the Ford Model T Put the World on Wheels?
The Ford Model T, which entered production in 1908 and, with more than 15 million units built, became one of the most-produced automobiles in history, was the car that ushered in the modern automobile era through mass production. Reaching a price tha…
Read MoreHow Was the American Ford GT40 That Won Le Mans Born?
The Ford GT40 is an American race car born as Henry Ford II's revenge project after Enzo Ferrari canceled a buyout deal at the last minute in 1963, and it went down in history by winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times in a row from 1966 to 1969. …
Read MoreThe Story of the Citroën 2CV, the Car That Put France on the Roads
The Citroën 2CV is the people's car that French manufacturer Citroën produced for a full 42 years between 1948 and 1990, and that truly put post-war France on the road. Its name comes from the French "deux chevaux", meaning "two horses"; this is a re…
Read MoreHow Was the Lamborghini Miura, the Mother of Supercars, Born?
The Lamborghini Miura, introduced in Geneva in 1966, is considered the world's first supercar. It placed its V12 engine transversely behind the driver and was the first to apply today's super sports car formula (mid-engine, low body, radical design).…
Read MoreWhy Has the Chevrolet Corvette Held the Title of 'America's Sports Car' for 70 Years?
The Chevrolet Corvette is an American sports car that has been produced continuously since 1953 and has evolved through eight generations, known for its fiberglass body, distinctive style, and performance. And it doesn't carry this title as an empty …
Read MoreWhy Was the Tucker 48 Only Produced in 51 Units?
Why did the Tucker 48 end up with only 51 units ever made? Because Preston Tucker's dream challenged the most powerful automotive giants of the era and the strict scrutiny of the US government at the same time; an SEC investigation, a fraud trial, an…
Read MoreWould the DeLorean DMC-12 Be Remembered If It Hadn't Been a Time Machine?
No, it most likely would not have been remembered. The DeLorean DMC-12 doesn't resemble any car on our list: It owes its icon status not to its engineering or sales figures, but to a single film and a commercial disaster. Only about 8,975 units of th…
Read MoreMini: How a British Icon Born from Shortage Became a Cult
Mini, August 1959 is a car drawn by Alec Issigonis in a Britain squeezed by fuel shortages, one that radically changed small car design with its transversely mounted engine and front-wheel drive. With rally victories, 1960s pop culture, and BMW's lat…
Read MoreHow Did the Ford Mustang Give Birth to 'Pony Car' Culture?
When the Ford Mustang was introduced at the New York World's Fair on April 17, 1964, it was not just a new car - it created an entirely new category of automobile: sporty coupes with long hoods, short trunks, four seats and affordable prices - in oth…
Read MoreMercedes 300SL: The Winged Legend Born from the Race Track
The Mercedes 300SL is the road-going adaptation of the W194 race car that won the 1952 Le Mans; with its tubular spaceframe chassis, mechanical direct-injection engine, and "gullwing" doors hinged to the roof, it is one of the most legendary sports c…
Read MoreVW Beetle: How Did a Dictator's Project Become the World's Best-Selling Car?
The VW Beetle, officially the Volkswagen Type 1, produced between 1938 and 2003, became the world's best-selling car on a single platform, with 21.5 million units built. Designed as an ordinary family car, this little bug leaped across classes and bo…
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