20 Most Beautiful Cars of the 1960s (Design Icons)
From the breathtaking Jaguar E-Type to the ground-breaking Lamborghini Miura, these classics define the look, sound, and spirit of the 1960s.
The 1960s delivered some of the most timeless automotive designs ever created. Below you’ll find twenty standout models, each with a short design note and image description you can use for alt text. For deeper reading, we’ve added helpful links and related posts like our GTO guide.
1) 1961 Jaguar E-Type
With its impossibly long bonnet and elegant curves, the E-Type balanced beauty with performance. Inline-six (later V12), disc brakes, and a monocoque tub made it as advanced as it looked. Learn more on Wikipedia.
2) 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO
The 250 GTO pairs a Colombo V12 with wind-tunnel-informed lines. Scarce, fast, and impossibly collectible. Details: Ferrari 250 GTO.
3) 1966 Lamborghini Miura
Marcello Gandini’s masterpiece—low, wide, and mid-engined V12—reset design expectations overnight. Read more: Lamborghini Miura.
4) 1964 Aston Martin DB5
Aluminum bodywork by Touring, straight-six power, and refined British elegance. Learn more: DB5.
5) 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray (C2)
All-new chassis, independent rear suspension, and iconic split rear window (’63 only). More: C2 Corvette.
6) 1964 Porsche 911
Air-cooled flat-six, teardrop profile, and communicative handling set the template for decades. Details: Porsche 911.
7) 1967 Toyota 2000GT
Yamaha-built DOHC inline-six, lightweight construction, and jewel-like detailing. Read: 2000GT.
8) 1967 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
Only ~18 built; Franco Scaglione’s design blends biology and speed. More: 33 Stradale.
9) 1963 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL “Pagoda” (W113)
Elegant proportions and smooth inline-six cruising. Learn more: W113.
10) 1965 Shelby Cobra 427
AC chassis plus Ford big-block V8 equals legend. Read: Cobra.
11) 1962 Lotus Elan
Fiberglass body, backbone chassis, twin-cam zing. More: Elan.
12) 1961 Lincoln Continental (Suicide Doors)
Clean slab sides, pillarless grace, and iconic rear-hinged doors. Read: Continental.
13) 1967 Citroën DS 21 Pallas
Avant-garde styling, self-leveling suspension, and supreme comfort. More: Citroën DS.
14) 1967 Mazda Cosmo Sport 110S
Wankel rotary engine and jet-age styling make a unique pairing. Read: Mazda Cosmo.
15) 1966 Alfa Romeo Spider “Duetto”
Pininfarina’s boat-tail roadster became a cultural icon. More: Spider.
16) 1969 Ferrari Dino 246 GT
V6 sweetness and lightweight balance. Learn more: Dino 246.
17) 1967 Pontiac GTO
Clean coke-bottle lines and big-block presence. See our dedicated post: 1967 Pontiac GTO.
18) 1968 Iso Grifo
Giorgetto Giugiaro design over a Corvette-sourced V8. More: Iso Grifo.
19) 1966 Bizzarrini 5300 GT
Ex-Ferrari engineer Giotto Bizzarrini’s dramatic GT with Chevy V8. Read: 5300 GT.
20) 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastback (“Bullitt”)
The sixties’ everyman icon with a timeless fastback profile. More: First-gen Mustang.
Final Thoughts
From British elegance to Italian exotica and American muscle, the 1960s produced shapes we still celebrate today. If you love classics, don’t miss our feature on the 1967 Pontiac GTO and our growing library of 60s icons.