Five Modern Cars with Classic and Timeless Designs. (2024)

Cars, as we all know, come in various forms, sizes, and designs.

If we look back to the time when motoring vehicles first appeared, they all sported forms and designs resembling horse carts/carriages because we indeed were using carts and carriages being pulled by horses to travel around.

Then, of course, as the automotive industry began evolving to the industry iteration that we know today, forms and designs on cars have also developed.

Over the decades, we have also been graced with cars that have evolved in design and attained the status of being classic and timeless.

“Classic” and “timeless”?

Aren’t they similar in definition?

Yes, they have a similar definition, and you will find these two adjectives used interchangeably. However, they possess a different connotation in the actual context of things.

We can find the definition of “classic” to describe an object with a recognized value or an object serving a standard of excellence. Meanwhile, the definition of an object being “timeless” refers to how it has managed to stand against the test of time.

Some cars’ designs are classic but could be more modern. On the other hand, some designs are timeless but only sometimes hold excellent value.

However, there are examples of cars that fit both descriptions. Here are the five examples:

• McLaren F1 (1992–1998)

The first on the list is an excellent example of where form, function, and design have all met harmoniously to make one iconic package.

It’s the classic Gordon Murray-designed masterpiece of a supercar, an example of a budget-no-object project, as it was built using predominantly exotic materials such as carbon fiber, titanium, and magnesium to keep the curb weight as minimal as possible. Even the V12 BMW-sourced engine compartment is lined with pure gold to help with heat dissipation!

And when it comes to the design, the McLaren F1 was and is a beauty even today. It’s wedge-shaped like every other supercar we are familiar with, accentuated with strakes and lines that do wonders for its aerodynamic purpose.

But overall, it still looks clean and straightforward, devoid of towering rear wings usually present in a supercar’s design language. The clean and minimal look highlights its compact size, simultaneously disguising its revolutionary interior packaging.

Also, it held the record of having the highest top speed for a road car, where the F1 ran to 242 mph or 395 km/h, a stunning feat of achievement for a car with a naturally aspirated V12 engine of the late 90s.

• Honda NSX (1990–2005)

The second car on this list is the one bold example that revolutionized how we look at a Japanese car manufacturer, particularly during the early 90s. On top of that, the Honda NSX, short for New Sportscar eXperimental, was considered one of the motoring industry’s greatest surprises.

That’s despite Japan having also produced other great sportscar examples of the ’90s, such as the Nissan GT-R and Toyota Supra. Unlike those other two, however, the NSX could come for the throats of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche in offering maximum performance thrills while costing much less.

Aside from providing affordable driving thrills, the NSX was also built to be a practical sportscar with interior space and amenities that provide maximum daily driving comfort. Its low-slung and arrow-shaped form, paired with clean lines for an overall straightforward design penned by Honda’s collaboration with Pininfarina, has given the NSX a classic and timeless look.

The NSX’s ethos in offering enormous performance with vast practicality inspired Gordon Murray to engineer the McLaren F1 mentioned above.

• Ferrari F40 (1987–1992)

This is the car that Ferrari created to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

The F40 was built from 1987 to 1992, with an initial production allocation of no more than 500 units. However, the F40 proved to be an extraordinarily viral and highly desirable creation upon which Ferrari’s Maranello production plant produced 1,311 examples.

When you see the F40 with your own eyes, or even just through the photo attached, you will understand why the F40 has gained extreme popularity. It is shaped like a race car, starting from the low and tapered front section that gradually meets the sharp rear-end, complete with a full-width rear wing, penned by Pininfarina.

The F40’s classic and timeless exterior design is complimented by the vast use of composite materials such as aluminum, carbon fiber, and Kevlar for the body panels, giving it a low curb weight of under 1.4 tons.

This then gave it an exhilarating performance courtesy of its 2.9L twin-turbocharged V8 producing 478 hp that offers a 0–62 mph (0–100 km/h) acceleration time of 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 199 mph (322 km/h).

At the time of launch in 1987, the F40 was given a retail price of $ 400,000. Considering its ongoing high desirability and its classic and timeless status, you will need at least $ 2 million to purchase one today.

• Porsche 911 (1963 — present)

Porsche’s venerable 911 sportscar should be the King of this list when you think of one of the long-running classic and timeless cars.

Look at its production timeline stretching six decades from the 901 generation to the current 992 generation. You will see how the 911 has used the same physical design formula: an engine at its very rear end and a tear-drop-shaped body complete with rounded headlights.

If there has to be a pick on which 911 generation looks the most classic and timeless, one can easily choose the early iterations, such as the original 911, the 930, and the 964.

Take the 964 generation 911, for example, and look at the restored creations by boutique manufacturers like Singer Vehicle Design and Ruf Automobile.

These two names have been churning out excellent restoration examples primarily based on the 964 generation 911 for the past decade. And if you own your very own 964 unit as well as the pocket for the restoration work, you could have your modernized and personalized 964 generation 911, too!

• Maserati Gran Turismo [1st Generation] (2007–2019)

Rounding up the list of cars with classic and timeless designs, the Maserati Gran Turismo should also take the honorable mention.

Compared to the other four vehicles, the Gran Turismo might not be fit to hold the classic and timeless status. I, however, beg to differ.

Yes, the Gran Turismo is the youngest example of the bunch. But considering that we are now at the end of 2023, the first-generation Gran Turismo is now 16 years old when counted from the year it was first unveiled.

Furthermore, the first Gran Turismo has exterior lines and an overall design that still looks as sumptuous today as back then.

It has muscular front and rear wheel arches, a long tapering engine hood, an extended glass house, and an instantly recognizable rear-wheel drive stance penned by, you guessed it, Pininfarina. To complement the glorious form, it also has a Ferrari-built naturally aspirated V8 engine with a choice of a 4.2L or a 4.7L flavor. Both engines sound appropriately musical to the ears, too.

Then, befitting its namesake, it has ample interior space for four full-sized passengers and an equally sufficient luggage space. Compared to the other four-seater grand tourers like the Jaguar XK and the F06 BMW 6-Series, the Maserati Gran Turismo came first place in terms of looks.

Very recently, Maserati unveiled the second generation of the Gran Turismo. From what I have seen, the current iteration will become another classic and timeless example in the next decade.

There you have it, folks: my choice of five cars with classic and timeless designs.

What are your top five picks for this category?