Earlier this week the Alfa Romeo Giulia won the Golden Steering Award for the “Most Beautiful Car” and as it’s coming towards the end of 2016 I thought it was an appropriate time to provide some of my car design highlights for this year. I warn you though, you may need a bib to read this as some of these cars are so gorgeous they may induce dribbling.
Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato
We start with a car which is not only the best looking of 2016, but one of the best looking cars to come this decade – the Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato. What’s Zagato? Zagato is an Italian designhouse which has created a multitude of elegant and beautiful cars throughout the years and this is not the first time it’s worked with Aston Martin either.
Finished in that divine red, the Vanquish Zagato packs a 6.0 litre V12 under the hood and is good for 592 bhp, making it one of the fastest pieces of art money can buy. Speaking of buying, this is far from cheap and will set you back an eye-watering £500,000. That’s academic though as only 99 were made and they sold out like hot cakes – with good reason.
Mercedes AMG GTR
We continue with another supercar, this time from ze Germans. Painted in this bold ‘Green Hell Magno’ finish, it’s safe to say the AMG GTR is not a shrinking violet, especially with that massive Panamericana grille. This car is stunning as it is beastly and when I first saw it in the flesh it really drew me in. It’s powered by 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8 which is able to produce 577 bhp and plenty of thunder.
This car is simply menacing and it’s about as imposing as a lion sat amongst cats. Unlike the Vanquish Zagato, the AMG GTR is a car which is a bit more obtainable – there are no limited numbers and although the price is yet to be announced but it’s likely to be a fair bit cheaper though.
Renault Megane Grand Coupe
Ok. Let’s look at something a bit…cheaper. The Renault Megane has some produced some nice shapes in the past but I think the new model is the best yet. The Grand Coupe is a fine example of what I mean, thanks to its elegant and svelte lines.
It’s a fancy looking car and the C-shaped LED running lights are a distinct feature on the front end. There’s also a panoramic roof that extends from the windscreen to the rear window, making it appear as if it’s one big piece of glass which is not only classy but also gives an airy feel to the comfortable cabin.
Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta
This car may have a silly name but the LaFerrari one of the most advanced cars (a lot) of money can buy. However, let’s say you happen to be in the market for one but want to have the wind in your hair as you cruise along. Well you’re in luck, as earlier this year pictures were released of the new LaFerrari Aperta which is stunning as it’s bound to be expensive.
It may have lost a fixed roof but it still has scissor doors and the same underpinnings as the coupe. This means 950bhp providing the power but a few changes have been made to the aerodynamics to accommodate for the loss of roof. Personally I think it looks better without the roof.
Alfa Romeo Giulia
I suppose it’s only fair that we end with the car that kicked off this article – the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Having gone on sale only recently, it will go against cars like the 3 Series which is a fine looking car but it will take a brave man to go straight to the BMW dealership without exploring the Italian option first.
It’s bound to stand out in the car amongst its German rivals so that alone could be enough to make buyers hand their hard-earned cash to Alfa Romeo, even though it’s a bit more to buy than a 3 Series. They say money can’t buy style, well in this case I think they’re wrong…
