We like to think our cars are good-looking, and some of them really are. However, there's a big difference between a pretty car and a timeless design that transcends mere automotive beauty to be considered a work of art. With that in mind, we combed through history to identify the 15 most beautiful American cars. You'll notice that only one late-model car makes this list. We wanted to include newer cars as well, but cars of the past few decades didn't measure up, and today's cars have yet to pass the test of time. Take a look and let us know if we missed any.
1935 Duesenberg SJ Short-Wheelbase Roadster
It's hard to pick just one Duesenberg for this list, but the short-wheelbase SJ roadsters of 1935 are classically beautiful and have well-documented pedigrees. Also known as the SSJs, only two of these cars were built. One was owned by Gary Cooper, and the other was loaned to Clark Gable. The short wheelbase helped balance their proportions and create a sporty look to go with Duesenberg's already stately design. The bold chrome grille, wire wheels, external exhaust and flowing lines made these cars prime examples of the best of 1930s design.
1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow
The 1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow was a car ahead of its time. In fact, the company claimed "it gives you in 1933 the car of 1940." Without front pontoon fenders, Phil Wright's wind tunnel-influenced design hinted at the envelope-body look that wouldn't take full effect until the late 1940s. The faired-in headlights and lack of running boards were also a nod to the future, and the laid-back, V-shaped radiator was especially sleek. Priced at an exorbitant $10,000, only five models of this dream car were produced.
1935 Auburn 851 Speedster
Designer Gordon Buehrig had a shoestring budget to update the 1935 Auburn lineup, and he did an amazing job with it. A slick new grille complemented the pontoon fenders, and prominent exhaust pipes belied the supercharged straight-8 engine that lurked beneath a bold hood. Part of the Supercharged Eight lineup, the Speedster was at the top of the range, with a price of $2,245. It featured classic sports car proportions, with a miles-long hood and a short deck that sported a new boattail design.
1940 Lincoln Zephyr Continental Convertible
Conceived by Edsel Ford and drawn up by stylist E.T. Gregorie, the Continental started life as a customized Lincoln Zephyr that Edsel drove while on vacation. A production model soon followed. It was also based on the Zephyr, but it had no running boards and was chopped and channeled, resulting in a long, low look. Coupe and convertible body styles were offered, both with an external rear tire that would come to be known as a "continental spare." The Continentals of 1940 and '41 were the most attractive, thanks to their split-wing grilles and rounded fenders.
1940 Packard Darrin Super Eight One-Eighty Victoria Convertible
In the 1930s, Howard "Dutch" Darrin made a splash customizing Packards for Hollywood stars, and in 1940 Packard made his creations part of the official production lineup. A 4-door convertible Victoria and a 2-door convertible sedan were offered, but the Victoria, with its signature "Darrin dip" at the trailing edge of the doors and cut-down windshield, was more sculpted. A lack of running boards also created a clean look. The Victoria sold for $4,593 — almost twice the price of the Club Sedan from the same model series.
1953 Buick Skylark
The 1953 Buick Skylark was a luxury 4-seat convertible designed by General Motors design chief Harley Earl. The windshield and convertible cloth top sat four inches lower than other Buick convertibles, giving it a low and elegant look. Exaggerated character lines along the sides hinted at the pontoon fenders of a decade before, and the whole look was set off by the coolest rolling stock of the time: Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels on wide whitewall tires.
1953 Studebaker Starliner Coupe
Studebaker redesigned its lineup for 1953, putting the pontoon fender look in the rearview mirror for good. In fact, the new Studebakers' low, lean, envelope body design was years ahead of its time. The range included six coupes, but the best-looking of the bunch was the pillarless Regal Starliner. Known as the "Loewy coupes" for Studebaker design chief Raymond Loewy, the cars were actually designed by Bob Bourke, but Loewy championed the design to management. The '53 Studebakers are widely considered among the best designs of the decade.
1956 Continental Mark II
Ford separated Continental from Lincoln in 1956 in an effort to make it the company's top division. The lineup consisted of just one car, the sensuous Continental Mark II. Developed by the Special Projects Division headed by William Clay Ford, the Mark II used a "cowbelly" chassis that draped the body over the axles, keeping the roofline low and creating a sleek, sexy look. The Mark II sold for a then-astronomical $10,000, but Ford lost money on every one. Fewer than 3,000 were sold in 1956 and '57, and Continental rejoined Lincoln for 1959.
1957 Chrysler 300C
The low, wide and unadorned design of the "Forward Look" 1957 Chryslers designed by styling guru Virgil Exner sent Ford and GM designers back to their drawing boards to update their 1959 models. The best of the bunch was the 1957 Chrysler 300C, with its prominent fins and strong, simple grille. At a time when cars bristled with chrome and used two- and three-tone paint as part of the design, the 300C had little chrome and wore its design well with a monotone look.
1961 Lincoln Continental
The work of seven designers, including Lincoln styling boss Eugene Bordinat, the 1961 Continental earned a design award from the Industrial Design Institute — a rare honor for an automobile. The slab-sided look was elegantly simple, and it would attract the attention of President John Kennedy, who used them for his transportation. Four-door sedan and convertible body styles were offered, both with suicide-style rear doors that opened at the front. The look caught on. More than 25,000 Continentals were sold in 1961, pushing Lincoln ahead of Chrysler's high-end brand, Imperial.
1963 Buick Riviera
Originally conceived as a Cadillac by GM design chief William L. Mitchell, the Riviera became a Buick, bringing a sense of style to what had become a stodgy brand. Mitchell borrowed the sharp roofline from custom English bodywork of the 1950s, but the entirety of the design was unique and a definite departure from the chromed, finned beasts of the '50s. Touted as a personal luxury coupe, the Riviera sold all of its allotted 40,000 units in its first year.
1963 Chevrolet Corvette
Among the seven generations of Corvette, the C2 generation of 1963 to 1967 is widely regarded as the best-looking. The first of the Sting Rays, the 1963 Corvette was the work of Bill Mitchell, GM's vice president of design. The car was offered as both a coupe and a roadster, but the split-window coupe is one of automotive history's greatest designs. The split rear window was part of a boattail-style rear end that borrowed from the past while looking thoroughly modern. The center bar intruded upon rear visibility so it was eliminated after one year, making the '63 coupes highly collectible.
1966 Pontiac GTO
The GTO is one of America's favorite muscle cars, and its stunning good looks are one reason why. Several model years were attractive, but the '66 was the best of the bunch. A 1966 redesign gave the car a Coke bottle look, a classic automotive styling cue. The '66 "Goat" was offered as a hardtop coupe, a post coupe and a convertible, and the coupes featured an attractive flying buttress rear roof line. While the 1967 GTO had the same basic look, we prefer the '66 for its louvered taillights.
1970 1/2 Chevrolet Camaro
The 1969 model may be the most iconic Camaro, but the '70 1/2 featured the most inspired design. The swoopy lines and fastback roof were influenced by European cars — specifically, the Ferrari GTO — giving Camaro the profile of the sporty coupe it was always meant to be. The details were also outstanding. The Ferrari-inspired taillights worked well with the design, and the Jaguar-inspired rectangular grille opening looked especially good on the Camaro RS, which featured a split bumper.
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2012 Fisker Karma
Crash standards and aerodynamic considerations have homogenized the look of most modern cars, but the Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid stands out for its unique appearance. Although a 4-door sedan, it has the long hood, short deck and wheels-to-the-corners stance of a classic sporty coupe. Designed by former BMW and Aston Martin stylist and company namesake Henrik Fisker, the Karma was named 2012 Design of the Year by Automobile magazine. Unfortunately, Fisker is on the verge of bankruptcy and we will likely never see another Karma.
