The Best-Looking Sports Cars Ever Made

While several aspects of a car, like performance, comfort, and tech, are all important in their own way, design is what makes a car stand out and creates the crucial first impression. A car’s looks can make or break its place in automotive history, with the very best-looking models earning the status of design icons. Some cars are beautiful enough to make the jump from car enthusiast culture to mainstream culture, becoming instantly recognizable even to people who don’t have an interest in cars.

Sports cars are a category that naturally lends itself well to striking, beautiful models, thanks to the emphasis on good looks as well as performance. Here are some of the best-looking sports cars produced throughout automotive history.

Chevrolet Corvette

(data refers to second generation)

An icon of American motoring with a history that goes back to the early 1950s, the Corvette has carved itself a place in the public’s collective imagination. While the model’s design cues have changed a lot over the years, with early ‘Vettes looking completely different from the ones of today, some have gained the status of icons thanks to their striking design. The Corvette’s second generation (produced between 1963 and 1967), with its sharp lines and dynamic silhouette that gave the illusion of speed even when the car was stationary, is one of them; this generation is also responsible for introducing the Sting Ray nameplate to the model.

Mercedes-Benz 300SL

Gullwing doors are one automotive feature that’s always sure to catch the eye. Projecting an image of luxury and performance, they are a far from common sight on the roads; the Mercedes-Benz 300SL (Super Light) is one of the most famous classic cars in history to sport them. The 300SL’s design takes direct inspiration from the world of motorsport: the car was initially designed as an endurance racer, with the cockpit enclosed by a metal structure that made installing traditional doors impossible. When the time came to translate what was then called the W194 into a production car, Mercedes’ engineers kept the gullwing-style doors instead, and an icon was born.

Jaguar E-Type

The next entry of the list was referred to as “the most beautiful car ever made” by none other than Enzo Ferrari; an endorsement that should be enough to earn it a place on the list with no further explanation. The E-Type, first released in 1961, was inspired by the D-Type race car that earned three consecutive Le Mans victories in the mid-1950s. With its long, sleek silhouette and gentle rounded lines, the E-Type was quite unlike anything else on the roads, and combined good looks with a number of mechanical and technological innovations (such as disc brakes and an independent front and rear suspension, all innovative features for the time).

Ferrari 250 GTO

Even amongst Ferrari’s decades-long catalogue of four-wheeled works of art, the 250 GTO stands out for its striking silhouette that made it an automotive icon of the 60s and beyond (the Italian government even legally ruled it as a work of art).With its soft, rounded lines and distinctive headlights, the 250 GTO was built for both the road and the track, embodying elements of motorsport-inspired design and serving as a race car as well as a road car. Today, the 250 GTO is a rare and highly coveted model, with deep-pocketed car enthusiasts all over the world hoping to add one to their collection. One 250 GTO even gained the title of most expensive Ferrari in the world (and most expensive car ever sold at auction), after being sold for $70 million in a private sale.

Porsche 911

(data refers to current generation)

Porsche’s most famous model, which has ended up becoming a household name even amongst non-gearheads, the 911 has a history that stretches back six decades, with eight generations and countless variants of the car being produced over the years. Although the 911’s design has undergone modifications through the decades, some core elements have retained their character, such as the distinctive rounded headlights and the roofline. Porsche’s consistency in their use of the 911’s design language has made it possible to trace a line between 911s of the past and today’s models, creating a visual connection that remains unbroken across the years.

Caterham Seven

(data refers to the final edition of the Seven 458, the last naturally aspirated Seven)

Based on a kit car originally built by Lotus before the brand decided to go for a more up-market image, this quirky British icon is a symbol of fun, roofless motoring. With a simple, bare-bones structure that recalls race cars from motorsport’s early days, the Seven was made for the track, enjoying a successful career in motorsport (and its own dedicated racing series in the UK). The Caterham Seven prioritizes function over form, but retains a classy, vintage element that beautifully blends old and new. Despite its racing credentials, the Seven is also perfectly road-legal, and if you venture out for a drive around England’s roads on a sunny day, chances are you might spot one being taken out for a spin. This year, Caterham is saying goodbye to the combustion-powered Seven with two special editions, before embarking on an electrification journey.

Mazda Miata

(data refers to NA model)

One of the most famous entry-level sports cars on the market, the Mazda Miata has given countless car enthusiasts an entry point into affordable, fun motoring over the course of nearly four decades, partly thanks to its simple but good-looking design that helped make it such a popular model. Although all Miatas, from early ones to modern ones, can be considered beautiful, one generation in particular stands out due to its iconic design: the first-gen NA model, sporting the pop-up headlights that became a trademark of the model. Although they were removed in later generations, the pop-up headlights are still considered one of the Miata’s signature features, and NA models in good condition are highly coveted on the used market.

Aston Martin DB9

This list would not be complete without at least one Aston Martin, and even though it’s not easy to choose from the iconic British marque’s lineup, the DB9 is definitely worthy of a spot. Making its debut in 2003 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the DB9 was available in both coupe and convertible form (with the convertible known as the “Volante”). Its sleek, minimalistic design was ahead of its time, and remains fresh and modern-looking even two decades after its introduction. The DB9 remained in production for 12 years, during which it received several updates to its design including reworked headlights, taillights and a new front fascia.

Morgan Aeromax

Now, a slightly more left-field entry, and one that might not be instantly known or recognizable to many: the Morgan Aeromax was one of several models based on the Aero chassis. Created by a 21-year-old design student who used the existing Aero 8 as a springboard, the Aeromax takes vintage styling cues and adapts them to the modern era, with a unique, retro-futuristic design that draws inspiration from classic Morgans of the past. It was initially designed as a one-off bespoke car for a customer in Geneva, and later turned into a limited-production model to celebrate Morgan’s centenary. A total of 100 units were built between 2008 and 2009, including one owned by Richard Hammond.

Alfa Romeo 4C

Alfa Romeo has a long and illustrious history in the automotive world, and part of the reason why is its reputation for building beautiful cars with an eye-catching design. The 4C, produced between 2014 and 2020, is one of the most recent members of the Alfa family to embody that principle: its stunning looks incorporate core elements of the Alfa design language, such as the small triangular grille and rounded but dynamic lines. With its small, agile shape, the 4C earned itself a place in Alfa’s roster of cars that are easy on the eyes, first in coupe form and, a couple of years after its initial release, in drop-top Spider form as well.

Sources: Porsche, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Morgan, Mercedes-Benz, Caterham, Jaguar, Mazda, Aston Martin, Chevrolet