There is an uglification trend in car design currently. I do not know the origin of this. Perhaps it’s the transition to electric cars and having to come up with new designs for those. Maybe it’s car manufacturers trying to appeal to new markets. SUVs are also not helping.
So to celebrate the people who can still draw well, I’ve collected the most beautiful cars from all major manufacturers and then eliminated the ugliest of the bunch one by one until I was left with the top 10. Of course this is entirely objective. This is ranking strictly exterior looks, with no bias from interiors or technical capability. Let’s start:
1) Mercedes E Coupe
Looking through the current Mercedes range it’s easy to filter them down to the top few models. All their electrics are out, SUVs are also out. Then you notice that the coupes look better than the limousines, so you’re left with the E and C coupes as the top two. I think the E is the better looking one. The new SL is okay too but it loses pointsfor being a cabriolet and for the unnecessarily aggressive lights.
2) Jaguar F-Type
It’s very easy to tell that the F-type is their best looking car. It looked good from the first iteration but the added touch of aggression in the last generation also suits it well.
3) Audi E-Tron GT
In Audi’s current range there aren’t a lot of stunners so in the end you’re left with the R8 and the E-Tron. I think this is better, more current. I wish they made the Taycan look as good as this but sadly Porsche couldn’t. I think this is the best looking electric car currently.
4) Mazda 6 Sedan
Mazda have been doing some heavy lifting design-wise lately, their cars look better than much more expensive counterparts. But if picking the best looking one, you’re left with the 3, the 6, and the MX-5 as options. The 6 wins, it has better proportions than the MX-5, and has a better, more elaborate shape than the 3. The front is very good looking in person. Their red color is also a hit.
5) Alfa Romeo Giulia
It’s quite an old design at this point but it has managed to stay relevant and still looks amazing.
6) Bentley Continental GT
I’ve never liked Bentleys until this one came along, they nailed the design. The new flying spur is also gorgeous, but looks-wise it’s overshadowed by this.
7) Porsche Cayman
This will sound like blasphemy to Porsche fans but the 718 looks better than the 911. The proportions, more aggressive headlights, and the little ducktail spoiler make it feel more cohesive than the current 992 as far as exterior design goes.
8) Aston Martin DBS
This was the hardest one to pick. If Aston Martin do something well, it’s exterior looks. The Vantage, DB11, and DBS all look great. I gave this the win because it’s like a DB11 with a more sculpted shape. The grille is oversized but still has the distinctive shape and looks good.
9) Ferrari 296 GTB
Ferrari might have the best looking line-up currently. I had to pick one between the SF90, F8 and 296 and chose this because of the cleaner, more traditional lines.
10) McLaren 720s
Ok I cheated here because my heart said to leave either the Vantage or another Ferrari on the list, but I didn’t want to have two cars from the same brand. This is a bit garish compared to other more elegant options, but out of their offering it still looks the best compared to the Artura and 765LT. I prefer their slightly strange sweeping lines to the angularity of a Lamborghini.
