Now, before you go screaming about how much of a cop-out this is, let me defend my position a little bit. First off, yes, it is a bit of me 'taking the easy way out' rather than having to narrow down so many great cars (my short list for the decade was at 32) to a lone Top 10 list. But I'm ok with that. There's no hard and fast rules when it comes to list making, and even if there were, I'd probably be the one making those rules, seeing as how it's my blog and all (hurray for self-entitlement!).
Secondly, the decade really was vastly different at the beginning than it was at the end. A lot of changes - both stylistically and philosophically - happened over this period of time in the industry. Where the beginning was a lot like the 50's before it, by the time the pony cars hit big, followed by the full-on muscle car revolution, well, the automobile landscape was a very different place, and it actually kind of makes sense to split this list into two parts.
Really, all I've done is made more work for myself, so why are you complaining? Are you even complaining? Did I just spend the last 250 words preaching to the choir? Well, either way, here's part one:
1963 Mini Cooper S
Layout: Front Engine, Front Wheel Drive
Engine: 1.1 L Inline-4
Horsepower: 70 bhp
Torque: 62 ft lbs
Curb Weight: 1250 lbs
Top Speed: 90 mph
Zero to Sixty: 13 seconds
Bigger isn't always better (at least that's what I keep trying to tell the ladies), and a prime example of this is the Mini Cooper. Comically small, seemingly underpowered, but undeniably iconic. That's right, the Mini was no joke. It was a force to be reckoned with in Group 2 Rally Racing, and flat-out influenced an entire generation of automobiles. In fact, I'd put it right up there with the Model T Ford (assembly line production), Citroën DS (innovation) and Volkswagen Beetle (quality car for the masses) in terms of historical significance. Why, you ask? Well, does your current car have front wheel drive? There you go. Sure, they weren't the first, but they perfected and popularized it with their innovative transverse mounting configuration that was so good that it is still the standard to this day.
1961 Maserati 3500 GTi
Layout: Front Engine, Rear Wheel Drive
Engine: 3.5 L Inline-6
Horsepower: 235 bhp
Torque: 254 ft lbs
Curb Weight: 3175 lbs
Top Speed: 143 mph
Zero to Sixty: 7.6 seconds
I love these early model cars that were dead sexy, super-classy, yet all about performance. Granted, these weren't pure-bred racers, they did come equipped with plenty of luxury and comfort, but you get what I'm saying, right? In today's day and age, a fast car is made to look like a fast car, plain and simple. There are very few cars that pack a punch but don't look the part. It's not that the Maserati didn't look fast (especially in roadster trim), but you didn't see it from across the street and think 'that thing would eat my Thunderbird for lunch...'
Layout: Front Engine, Rear Wheel Drive
Engine: 4.2 L Inline-6
Horsepower: 265 bhp
Torque: 283 ft lbs
Curb Weight: 2770 lbs
Top Speed: 150 mph
Zero to Sixty: 7.0 seconds
There are very few cars that have graced the road over the years that have been this beautiful. This is flat-out one of the sexiest vehicles ever produced, and, based on today's safety standards and regulations, chances are we'll never see anything this gorgeous ever again. It doesn't hurt matters that it was pretty decent under the hood as well. Granted, the coupe (especially the 2+2) doesn't have nearly the appeal or good looks of the roadster, but that shouldn't count against the car, but rather the people foolish enough to have chosen to pay perfectly good money for the fixed-roof version, when this sexy roadster was sitting right beside it in the showroom.
Layout: Front Engine, Rear Wheel Drive
Engine: 4.0 L Inline-6
Horsepower: 314 bhp
Torque: 288 ft lbs
Curb Weight: 3233 lbs
Top Speed: 145 mph
Zero to Sixty: 6.4 seconds
Come on, who doesn't want to be James Bond? The man's taste in fashion and women alone should be enough to make that question rhetorical. Throw in the DB5, and there's not a hot-blooded man alive that, in a heartbeat, wouldn't trade his cubical and 2004 Dell computer in for the tuxedo and a license to kill. In fact, forget the Walther PPK and Pussy Galore, just give me the DB5, and I would die a very happy man.
Layout: Front Engine, Rear Wheel Drive
Engine: 6.5 L V8
Horsepower: 425 bhp
Torque: 415 ft lbs
Curb Weight: 3150 lbs
Top Speed: 143 mph
Zero to Sixty: 5.7 seconds
The second generation Corvette is easily the greatest ever produced. Sure, they'd be a small fleck in the rear view mirror of a modern Vette if the two were ever put in a race together, but in terms of style and a pure visceral experience, I don't think the 60's Vettes will ever be topped. Give me a convertible with side exhaust, and the smile would never leave my face.
Layout: Front Engine, Rear Wheel Drive
Engine: 4.7 L V8
Horsepower: 385 bhp
Torque: 340 ft lbs
Curb Weight: 2299 lbs
Top Speed: 190 mph
Zero to Sixty: 4.0 seconds
Carroll Shelby could do no wrong in the 60's, seeing that he was fully or at least partially responsible for four of the cars that will appear on the two lists that make up this decade. And what better place to start then with this striking example. Sure, it was never a production car (only six were ever made) but I mean, just look at the thing. Tell me it doesn't belong on this list. I would step over my own grandmother to spend five minutes behind the wheel of this car. And I like my grandmother.
Layout: Front Engine, Rear Wheel Drive
Engine: 6.2 L V8
Horsepower: 550 bhp
Torque: unknown
Curb Weight: 1984 lbs
Top Speed: unknown
Zero to Sixty: unknown
Here is another car that was designed for the sole purpose of racing. And if you thought the decision to include the Shelby Daytona was bad, seeing that it wasn't a road car and only six were ever made, then you'll hate that they only produced five of these, and that they never even saw the light of day in an actual race (at least the Shelby had a very storied and successful racing history). But it's still glorious. Well, except for the row of tail lights that I'm not too fond of, but that's like complaining about Cindy Crawford because she has a mole.
Layout: Front Engine, Rear Wheel Drive
Engine: 3.0 L V12
Horsepower: 277 bhp
Torque: 203 ft lbs
Curb Weight: 3040 lbs
Top Speed: 145 mph
Zero to Sixty: 8.0 seconds
In 2008, British Radio DJ Chris Evans bought a version of this car, previously owned by James Coburn for £5.6 million. And I can't blame him one bit. Obviously, the car is most famous for it's appearance in Ferris Bueller's Day Off but even without it's Hollywood resume, it would still be near the top of this list. Wait... radio DJ's make enough to spend 9 million dollars on a car?!
Layout: Front Engine, Rear Wheel Drive
Engine: 3.0 L V12
Horsepower: 302 bhp
Torque: 246 ft lbs
Curb Weight: 2299 lbs
Top Speed: 174 mph
Zero to Sixty: 5.8 seconds
Chris Evans (yes, the same as above) just bought one of these as well. With only 36 having ever been made, this car is thought by many to not only be the greatest Ferrari, but perhaps even the greatest car ever made. Maybe that's why he had to pay £12 million to get it into his garage. 12 million... Pounds(!). I thought radio was a dying medium, but apparently I need to get my resume down to the local station as soon as possible. There's no denying it though, this car is easily worth the cash. Just look at it. Stunning.
Layout: Front Engine, Rear Wheel Drive
Engine: 7.0 L V8
Horsepower: 485 bhp
Torque: 462 ft lbs
Curb Weight: 2150 lbs
Top Speed: 185 mph
Zero to Sixty: 4.5 seconds
Here is entry number two this decade from Shelby, and it's a doozy. It would take an awful lot to surpass the Ferrari GTO as not only the top car of the 60's, but also for the coveted honour of being my favourite car of all time. And if any car could do it, it's the Cobra. The philosophy is simple: take the lightest car possible and stuff the biggest engine that you can under the hood. It doesn't hurt matters that the body they used was ridiculously sexy as well. This is a car at it's most pure: four tires, a V8 and a gas pedal. It just doesn't get any better than this.
Honourable Mentions:
1960 MG A 1600 Mark II
1962 Triumph Spitfire
1964 Honda S600
Wow Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport is so pretty. I was looking at 60s cars the other day and was amazed to know their looks were same as of today’s cars. I liked all of them but Chevrolet Corvette is far ahead of others.
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