Monday, February 22, 2010

Top Designers Voted Citroen DS Most Beautiful Car Of All Time



A panel of well-known car designers recently voted on what they thought was the most beautiful car of all time. While Ferrari garnered the most votes as a brand, the Citroen DS received the most votes as an individual car.

The Citroen DS is a beautiful car regarded as a technical masterpiece in addition to winning praise for its sculpted exterior. The DS’s self-leveling suspension, power steering, and amazing clutch and brake feel (compared to cars of the time) helped the car achieve its status as a technical wonder and a mechanic’s nightmare. The car’s exterior was styled by Italian sculptor Flaminio Bertoni and became an instant classic.

Classic & Sports Car magazine brought together the judging panel that consisted of well-known designers including Ian Callum, Gordon Murray, Peter Stevens, and Giorgetto Giugiaro. The designers were asked to submit their favorite three cars and nominate the one example of their work they are most proud of.

In nominating personal designs, Gordon Murray chose his McLaren F1 of course, but Ian Callum chose his Jaguar XF somewhat surprisingly. The XF is a gorgeous car, but it rests among Callum’s work on the new XK and several Aston Martins. “It is the biggest challenge I’ve faced, but I think we pulled it off. I don’t think people appreciate how well proportioned it is, given that it’s a five-seater,” commented Callum on the XF.

Classic & Sports Cars magazine lists all the nominees in addition to the top vote. As the list is rather extensive, we’ll give you the top ten:
1. Citroen DS
2. Jaguar XK120
2. Ferrari 275GTB
4. Cord 810/812
4. Ferrari 250GT Lusso
4. Ferrari 250GT Short-wheelbase
4. Jaguar E-type

Source