Once called "the most beautiful car ever made" by Enzo Ferrari, the 1960s Jaguar E-Type is a classic sports car mainstay. "If you only choose one car from this list to drive, this is the one," says McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty, the world's largest provider of collector vehicle insurance. This staple of British motoring history still has verve–it can perform up to 150 m.p.h. and brakes better than most cars from its era. Visit the Jaguar Heritage Driving Experience program in Kenilworth, U.K., where you can pay for a day of driving the marque's classics.
The emblem of Big Three muscle cars, the Chevy Corvette is the most collected vehicle in America. The second generation, which spanned 1963 to 1967, is "the most iconic American car ever made," says Keith Martin, publisher of Sports Car Market. "It's still breathtaking and fresh today." Early generation Corvettes remain plentiful in the U.S., so you can scour auctions, collector car dealers, and websites like classiccars.com for deals.
Considered by some to be the sexiest car ever built, the Miura debuted in 1966 as a sleek mid-engine speedster designed to challenge Ferrari. "Piloting the Miura transcends driving experience to become a life experience," Hagerty says. "If the sound of six carburetors feeding a thirsty, vibrating V-12 moored right behind your head isn't enough, it's also arguably the most beautiful car ever produced." To buy one, contact the Lamborghini Club America or an auction house like RM Sotheby's or Gooding & Co. They're usually in the know about the cars before they reach the general market.
The Porsche 911 represents vintage driving at its best—particularly during the golden era before the car's 1974 redesign. "There's magic in the early 911," Hagerty says. "It's an amazingly well-built machine that delivers one of the most honest driving experiences of any sports car ever built." Even by today's standards, first-generation 911s still have plenty of horsepower and can hold their own on the track. You can find one, even in mint condition, on eBay.
Based on the first full-size car Rolls-Royce made after the war, the original Silver Dawn drophead launched in 1949 and retired in 1954. The name was intended to mark the dawn of a new era for the world and Rolls-Royce's place in it. Slightly smaller than pre-war cars, the Dawn helped the British bespoke carmaker reintroduce motoring craftsmanship while bringing the company into the modern age. They're extremely rare: only three of the original 28 dropheads remain in the U.S., and those are owned by private collectors. Happily, the carmaker is introducing a successor model after a 60-year hiatus.
Among the first sports cars of the post-war era, the Mercedes SL 300 Gullwing was the fastest production car of its time when it was introduced in 1954. As the first direct fuel injection series production car, the SL 300 could travel at an eye-popping 160 miles per hour. "Nobody expected something like that from Mercedes," says Constantin von Kageneck, a specialist in classic car marketing at the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Irvine, CA. Though about three-quarters of the original SL 300's survive today, many still belong to their original owners. To see one, visit the Classic Center or an automotive museum like the Petersen in Los Angeles.
Ferrari made just 39 of these elegant race cars between 1962 and 1964, so they are extremely rare. "The 250 GTO is probably the holy grail in terms of value and recognition, but the reality is only a handful of people in the world will ever have the chance to legitimately drive one," Hagerty says. An early model fetched $38 million at Bonhams' Quail Lodge auction at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance two years ago. If that's too pricey, know that any 1960s Prancing Horse with a V12 engine is worthy of making the list.
Also known as the Cobra, this high-performance descendant of the Ford Mustang was a darling of the late 1960s. With Ford's V8 engine, the Shelby GT350 was a legitimate racecar for the street. "When you get into it and turn the key, the car doesn't only rumble audibly, it also actually shimmies side-to-side and up-and-down, just a bit," Hagerty says. "And that's while it's still parked. When you get on the gas it leaps and roars." You will quickly see why designer Carroll Shelby is lauded as a 20th-century motoring genius. To drive a vintage Cobra, visit a high-end classic car auction house, dealer, or specialized broker.
Produced from 1908 to 1927, this is the car that birthed the American automotive industry. Affordable by mass market standards, the Model T begat car culture and road trips. "Everyone needs to know where they came from," Hagerty says. "When it comes to American motoring, that starting place is the Model T." With a volatile hand-crank engine and two-speed transmission (not including the reverse gear), the Model T isn't easy to drive, even if you can get your hands on one. But rest assured–27 mph will never feel so thrilling.
The quirky Volvo P1800 was stylish enough for Roger Moore to drive one in the spy thriller TV series The Saint. This two-seater sports car is durable: one surviving model has clocked more than three million miles. Its brethren belong to private owners, but check with the Volvo Owners Clubs if you'd like to find one for sale or make an owner an offer.
If you watched television in the 1980s, you will likely remember Thomas Magnum, played by Tom Selleck, tooling around Hawaii in one of these targa tops on Magnum, P.I. Produced from 1975 to 1985, the two-seater V8 Ferrari 308 GTS represented elegance and adventure. The originals used on set were auctioned when the series ended, but you might find one on display at attractions such as the Cars of the Stars Motor Museum in Cumbria, England, or Universal Studios Hollywood.
