It was the opposite of the Beetle, big rather than tiny, though it shared some similarities, including a rear-mounted air-cooled engine and rear-wheel drive. Though maybe not as popular as its progenitor the Mustang, the Chevrolet Camaro is still a very iconic car, from the ‘60s and onward. The style of the car is called a “coke bottle” style, and it’s one of the most successful stylings in that vein ever created. Though not as popular as the Corvette or Camaro during their heydays, the Chevelle was still a highly sought-after vehicle. The Chevelle is a muscle car that deserves to be listed among the other top muscle cars of the day. Find out as we take a look at the very best cars of the 1960s. Today, these five cars (001-005) are owned by private owners and are among the most coveted and valuable Corvettes ever built. Plymouth even managed to cut a deal with Warner Brothers to use their Roadrunner character design for the logo on the car. These cars continuously pushed the envelope in terms of style and performance, and they have since the second half of the 20th century. The Miura received periodic updates and remained in production until 1973, where it was Lamborghini’s flagship model. The Ford GT40 was a high-performance race car that was produced between 1964 and 1969. The car became the quintessential sports car that celebrities had to own, in its day, from members of the Rat Pack to Rod Stewart. Home Pop Culture Transport Cars in the 1960s. We think we’ve thought up and put to paper 20 such cars—cars that defined the ‘60s in one way or another, and here they are. Back in America, Mercury released their first pony car and became 1967’s Motor Trend's Car of the Year in 1967. Brand new markets and niches were created as car manufacturers worked overtime to pump out new and exciting rides. The DB5 is considered the car of the James Bond franchise. He asked top designer, Alec Issigonis, to design a car that was smaller than the Morris Minor, but nevertheless could seat four people in comfort. This car was a trendsetter with features like a full-width divided grille and hidden headlamps. The Vietnam war began, President Kennedy was assassinated, the Cold War, and the space race were just the tip of the iceberg of events throughout this decade. Here are 20 cars that defined the ‘60s in one way or another. During the 1960s, motoring took on a new outlook as the Freeway system (in the US) and the Motorway system (in the UK) spread. Then, there are these cars. Here’s our list of the top cars from the 1960s. The Diplomat was Dodge’s sister car to the Plymouth Gran Fury. Turbo wouldn’t come until the ‘70s, but by that time, the 911 was already legendary. For being the car of choice in a film franchise that defined an era, the DB5 deserves to be on this list. It was stunningly gorgeous, was based on a proper racing frame, and the chassis was top-notch. Its handling alone made the car able to defeat more powerful cars on the track, earning a great reputation among fans, and plenty of wins. Once the program was handed over to Shelby, though, the 427 V8 GT40 started beating down all the competition. The Mini was one of the first tiny cars that gained huge popularity throughout the ‘60s. A big American V8 engine dropped into a tiny British sports car that became ingrained in car culture. Most known for its gorgeous wrap-around curved window was a strong competitor in the muscle car market. The Beautiful 1966 Pontiac GTO. The GTO came about after the recent ban on factory-backed racing, when Pontiac had to come up with something new to their lineup. Movies, music and pop culture glamorized the '60s car scene. Legends, some of which, have survived even to this day and are still considered among the best. Even though it was 15 inches shorter then the Mark V, it was still heavier and longer than its Cadillac or Imperial counterparts. In 2014, Shelby America announced a limited production run on 50 cars for the 50th anniversary of the original 427 Shelby Cobra. The Fairlane was a nice car, but it didn’t resonate quite as much with muscle car buyers as competitors. The 1964 model debuted with a lukewarm 220-hp V8, but once Pontiac released the GTO, the proverbial gloves came off, and the 327 Chevelle was added mid-year. Buyer's Guide. Now, 1960s car songs… I own way too many, and it seems half are by The Beach Boys or Jan & Dean. Afterward, it just kind of stuck after that. The “People’s Car” has existed since mass-produced cars came around, and the Beetle would live on past the dark days of WWII and its creators. From all across the globe new icons revved to life, and we’ve compiled a list of the best of the best. The Swinger 340 became a popular, hefty muscle machine that rounded out the ‘60s muscle car era. The 250GT came with a 3-L V12 engine that could pump out 296hp. The Series 1 were by far the most valuable of the cars, and the 4.2-liter “became the most desirable version of the famous E-Type due to their increased power and usability while retaining the same outward appearance as the earlier cars,” according to Supercars.net. Commonly known as the bug, this little car easily has one of the longest lifespans of any car in history. Originally dubbed the 365 GTB/4, this classic car became known as the Daytona after Ferrari swept the podium at the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona. The 1960s were full of influential platforms that paved the way for the vehicles of today, but Alfa... Aston Martin DB5. Considered the first muscle car by many, the GTO led the pack. Sales declined in the U.S. by two-thirds from the previous year, and today the Chicken Tax still remains in effect. The idea was to drop a big American V8 engine into a small British sports car, and the resulting car was instantly ingrained in car culture forever. 1961 Jaguar E-Type The 1961 Jaguar E-type was part of the first series of the model’s road production. The ‘coke bottle’ look with kicked up rear fenders on the 1966 model was a major hit among GTO buyers. Ford wasn’t just catering to the muscle car trend, and the insanely successful Thunderbird luxury car is proof of that. The movie (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) uses a 250GT California SWB Spider, which was a watered down version of the LWB Competizione. The Camaro emerged while the country was smack dab in the middle of muscle car craze, and it offered big block power right from the start. In 2010, a DB5 that appeared in both Goldfinger and Thunderball was put up for auction by RM Auctions. It’s always been a rear-engined classic with a rear-mounted boxer engine and all around independent suspension. The car was eventually phased out and stopped production in 1974. A year later, the extreme Countach was introduced. Launched in early 1966, this successor to the Giulia Spider remained in production for almost three decades with only minor changes across that time. The 1964 Pontiac GTO lead the muscle car pack and is regarded by many as the first American muscle car. In 1994, BMW acquired the Rover Group (formerly British Leyland), but retained the rights to build the car under the MINI name. The Chevrolet Chevelle is one of these. Some of these cars were made famous by appearing in films, like the Lamborgini Miura, the Aston Martin DB5, and the Toyota 2000GT. Surprisingly, founder Ferruccio Lamborghini was not a fan of the Miura. Ford experienced a resurgence with its Mustang. The GTO was one of the most iconic GT cars of the era, introduced for homologation (the approval process to allow a car to race) into the FIA’s Group 3 Grand Touring Car category. 1960s The 1960s was an interesting decade for both technical advancement and design. It wouldn't be the 1960s if you didn't see a bright red Ford Mustang barreling down the many streets and highways of the United States. Alot Auto Introduced in 1967, the Firebirds coke bottle design was an instant hit among buyers. Remember The Dodge Stealth? It initially relied on its super light weight and excellent handling to be a fun car, as it only had 108 horsepower in the engine upon release. 1. Hudson cars were very popular in NASCAR in the early 1950s, in particular the Hudson Hornet, now known as well for its prominence in the 2006 Pixar animated movie, Cars. Turns out, the Javelin was a worthy competitor to many of the big muscle cars of the time. Ferdinand was looking for a larger, more powerful car to take over for his first model, the 356. The Vega generated interest at the time, but had meager power, European looks, and a high cost. The car that most people associate with the sixties, the Mini, was actually a product of the late fifties. This car was designed solely to compete against the Ford Mustang in the insanely competitive muscle car market of the ‘60s. The Elan was initially offered just as a roadster, as an unapologetic sports car that only seated two. The Austin/Morris 1100 was the best-selling car of the 1960s The two best-selling cars of the 1960s were the Ford Cortina and the Austin/Morris 1100. It was first introduced in 1938, pre-WWII, and would go on in production until 2003. Strong, fast, and mean, the GTO was a massive hit during the muscle car craze and is still highly sought-after by collectors today. This was the fastest production car on the planet when it came out in 1966. One of the coolest cars in auto history, the Shelby Cobra is the culmination of Carroll Shelby’s dream. The 1960s was a time of great change. Previous Next. 30 Most Iconic Cars of the 1960s. 30 Memorable American Cars Produced In The 1960s By Vukasin Herbez. New engines were being introduced; new designs were made; competition in the automotive world soared. Previously, it had been a concept car that had two iterations, the E1A and E2A. This little car single-handedly changed the auto world’s opinion on Japan as the two showed off that Japan could produce a sports car that was easily on the same level as those made elsewhere. It’s still a pretty common sight on roads around the world, even though the 1964 U.S. Chicken Tax directly curtailed importation of the German-built Type 2s that qualified them as “light trucks,” or commercial vans. Our very own Danielle Bagnall has homed in on just a handful of best-selling cars from the swinging 1960s. Together with the rigorous post-build inspection of each vehicle, and the solid construction of the car, the Continental reflected Ford’s corporate management commitment to making the finest mass-produced domestic automobile of its time—and that reputation was achieved. Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire (motor car) ARO M461; Aston Martin DB4; Aston Martin DP212; Aston Martin DP214; Audi 100 Coupé S; Ausper; Austin A35; Austin A40 Farina; Austin Cambridge; Austin Freeway; Austin Maxi; Austin Westminster; Austin-Healey; Austin-Healey 3000; Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite; Austin-Healey Sprite; Auto Union 1000; Auto Union 1000 Sp; Autobianchi Bianchina BMC Chairman, Leonard Lord was disgusted by the appearance of bubble cars on British roads as a result of petrol rationing following the Suez Crisis in 1957. It was a small, cheap, reliable air-cooled car, and it paved the way for much more expensive German fair, like BMW and Mercedes. The chassis was designed by Gian Paolo Dallara, who would go on to form his own race car engineering company, one that makes Indy cars to this day. Though this car will forever live in infamy as the car that President Kennedy was assassinated in back in 1963. This marked the third generation of the Impalas, which received Chevy’s largest engines. Tiny cars were a big thing in the ‘60s between the Mini and the VW Beetle, and both became icons for the era. In 1958, the Thunderbird gained a second row of seats, and the car became larger and larger throughout the ‘60s, until it was downsized in 1977. The Shelby Cobra came about in a dream, literally. Nowadays, the car is the most expensive on the planet: a recent 250 GTO sold at auction in 2013 for $38 million, making it the most expensive car ever sold at auction, until even more recently one sold for $55 million, breaking its own record. Share Share Tweet Email Comment. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. The Mini came third. It may not have been the fastest or the strongest car, but it’s easily memorable, which lands it on this list. Here you go. The car had a space-saving transverse engine and front-wheel drive layout, so that almost 80% of the interior could be used for passengers and luggage. Others were made famous by appearing in races across the world, and winning them. One of the most well-known and recognizable muscle cars of all time, the Mustang is hailed as the single most iconic American car of the ‘60s. The Volkswagen Beetle has one of the longest lifespans of any car in history. The Type 2 became the stereotypical hippie van and was the symbol of the rebellious hippie movement in the ‘60s. The 1961 Impala was Chevy’s full-size styling debut for the new decade, with cleaner lines on their cars and a “bubble back” roof. The car sported a 3.0-liter V12 engine, giving it 300 hp, and helping it dominate race tracks around the world. These accomplishments are what makes it so iconic. Perhaps more than anything, what helped stamp this car as one that defined the 1960s was the fact that it was made world-famous for being James Bond’s car in the 1964 film Goldfinger. The Ferrari Daytona is the originator of the F/R GT cars that the company is known for. The Type 2 was a forward control panel van introduced in 1950 by Volkswagen, but it really came into prosperity during the ‘60s, when it became the archetypal “hippie van,” and a symbol of the counterculture movement. The ‘60s saw the creation of icons that have stuck with car fans for generations. Probably the single most iconic ’60s car in America, the 1964 Mustang started a revolution. The Mustang was also the first car to win the Tiffany Gold Medal for Excellence in American Design. During its time, the Chevelle was one of Chevy’s most successful nameplates. Though these cars began selling at affordable prices, these days a big block C2 regularly sells for over six figures. Never before or since has one society endured such vast social, technical, and cultural changes in such a short period of time. Ford Capri. Think we’ll ever get more cars named after cartoon characters? Even when it debuted in 1963, it looked expensive and flashy, arguably as flashy as the over-the-top Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing. The car was sold between 1962 and 1967, and went through multiple updates and upgrades during those five years. The Best American Muscle Cars of the 1960s 1964 Pontiac GTO. The Barracuda actually launched two weeks before the Mustang, as a coupe version of the popular Plymouth Variant. The design was attractive and minimalist—much different than American cars of the time, which were lavish and over-the-top—and it was low, curvy, and extremely popular with speed enthusiasts. Initially released in 1963, the Aston Martin DB5 is a British luxury grand tourer that is the most recognized James Bond car. The engine on the car, the “Lotus TwinCam,” was based on the Ford Kent Pre-Crossflow four-cylinder 1,498 cc engine. I have an entire album by The Beach Boys from 1964 which is virtually all just car songs. Partly due to negative press from Ralph Nader’s book, Unsafe at Any speed, Chevy realized their small compact sports car, the Corvair, wouldn’t be able to compete with the Mustang’s sales numbers, so Chevy went after the design of the Mustang and mimicked it as closely as possible. 1966 also saw a complete restyle of the car, with a frame that now included smooth contours, a broad new grille and bumper treatment, and curved side windows. Another muscle car, but a little more unusual than the others on this list. I don't have comparable statistics for the whole decade, but the top ten best-selling cars from 1965 to 1969 were as follows: A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. So, here are the 30 most iconic cars of the 1960s. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. The 1964 Porsche 911 was known more for its beauty and great handling than it was for its powerful engine. This sleek, high-performance fastback demonstrated Japanese automakers could produce sports cars to rival European marques. Larger and more powerful than the Porsche 356, the 911 went on to become an automotive legend and icon. The Elan is single-handedly responsible for raising the reputation of Lotus worldwide. The Lamborghini Miura today is considered the first supercar with a rear mid-engined, two-seat layout. Transport; Cars in the 1960s. A 1999 international poll deciding the Car of the Century (the same one with the Mini) pronounced the 911 fifth. This was also a time of great change in the automotive industry. The Thunderbird was similar in concept, but it was more American in style, which allowed it to have a higher cost without much complaint, and it was more luxurious and less sport-oriented. Take a look under the hood of 1960s classic Ford cars. Enzo Ferrari even called the E-Type the most beautiful car he’d ever seen, which is saying something. I'm giving this special mention because in my … Hundreds of car designs were shown, but many of them died out without making a blip on the radar. Even more than the Chevrolet Corvette, the single most iconic car in America during the 1960s would have to be the Ford Mustang. The C2, second-generation Corvette is generally recognized as the one that defined the ‘60s. The ‘60s saw the birth of pony cars, muscle cars, and personal luxury vehicles, just to name a few of the freshly-created markets. Not to mention the car found a spot in movie history in Steve McQueen’s Bullitt, being a part of one of the most memorable car chase scenes ever. The Thunderbird created a whole new market niche that we now know as the “personal luxury car.” Cars like the Buick Riviera and Cadillac Eldorado rose to compete, but never quite reached the same level as the Thunderbird. That made this car a drag racing warrior. The second-generation Barracuda, from 1967 to 1969, was heavily redesigned, and available as a fastback, hardtop coupe, and convertible. Here's 10 Things You Didn't Know, 7 Cool Cars (And 3 Bikes) Owned By F1 Champ Sebastian Vettel, We've Totally Forgotten About These Badass American Classics, Everyone's Glad These American Concepts Never Hit The Roads, We Stay Away From These 10 American Sedans, 10 Classic Sports Cars Rendered As New Models, 8 Cool Facts We Never Knew About Stealth Aircraft, These Modified Sleeper Cars Pack A Punch Powerful Enough To Beat Supercars, 10 Modern Sports Cars Whose Classic Versions Were Cooler, 10 Cool Concept Motorcycles With Zero Chance Of Making It Into Production, 5 Coolest Truck Mods You Should Absolutely Get (5 To Stay Away From), Ranking The Best Performance-For-The-Dollar Sports Cars On The Used Market, These American Classics Are Ridiculously Fun On The Track, 10 Times BMW Built Incredible Sports Cars, Check Out These Badass Photos Of Muscle Cars Rendered As Pickups, 10 Incredible Facts Gearheads Should Know About The New McLaren Artura, 22 Surprising Facts About Danny Koker And Counting Cars, 8 Things We Just Learned About KITT From Knight Rider, 5 German Cars Built To Last (5 That Are In Constant Need Of Repairs). This car is in some ways considered the British equivalent of its German contemporary the Volkswagen Beetle, or the Italian Fiat 500. It might be too early to call the Chevy Corvette the most iconic American sports car of all time, as there might be others on this list that’ll give the ‘Vette a run for its money. This car looked fast even when it was parked thanks to its steep windshield and rounded out nose. The 1966 win was the first victory for an American manufacturer at a major European race since 1921. Its early popularity was due to its sleek design, low center of gravity and excellent handling, but it failed to keep up with rest of the industry by mid-decade. Powerful and lightweight, the Cobra debuted in 1962 and became a legend in the automotive industry. The Type 2 was in competition with the 1947-81 Citroen H Van, the 1959-80 Renault Estafette, and the 1953-65 FR Layout Ford Transit. The GT40 famously won the 24 Hours of Le Mans four consecutive years, from 1966 to 1969, instantly cementing its legendary status in automotive history. That made it highly desirable, and what made it even more desirable was when it was called “the most beautiful car I’ve ever seen” … by Enzo Ferrari!