![\"In](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers.jpg\" "\\"In")
<\/a><\/p>\nAutocar names the car from every major car-maker that it thinks is the most important – and why<\/p>\n
In the motoring world, the word \u2018iconic\u2019 can mean almost anything you want it to.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
It could describe a car which encapsulates the history and ethos<\/strong> of its maker, or an outstanding model<\/strong> with no relation to anything else wearing the same badge. Or it could refer to something else entirely.<\/p>\n Whatever the definition, we believe that 50 manufacturers have produced cars which could be considered iconic in one way or another, such as their wider cultural impact, or the way they represent the values of their maker. Here they are, in alphabetical order, and as voted for by Autocar staff members. You\u2019re welcome to disagree<\/strong> with our choices, but we hope you\u2019ll be satisfied with at least some of them.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a lot more to AC than just the Cobra, but this is by far its most famous model. It was devised by Carroll Shelby, who felt that there was nothing wrong with AC\u2019s Ace sports car<\/strong> that couldn\u2019t be fixed by making a small-block Ford Windsor V8<\/strong> engine (or, later, a big-block FE<\/strong>) fit under the bonnet.<\/p>\n The resulting Cobra was both a thunderous road car and an exceptionally successful racer. Production, which began in 1962, has proceeded in fits and starts over the decades, but a new Cobra<\/strong> (pictured) is due to go on sale later in 2023.<\/p>\n The original A110 started out in the 1960s as an attractive but not particularly fast sports car with Renault<\/strong> components. Within a decade, it had become the most successful rally car on the planet, demolishing both Fiat<\/strong> and Ford<\/strong> on its way to winning the 1973 World Rally Championship.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a case for saying that this is the iconic Alpine, but we\u2019ve gone instead for the similar-looking but technically unrelated<\/strong> car of the same name introduced in 2017. We called it \u201criotously rewarding\u201d, and described it as having \u201cwhat must be one of the most forgiving, exploitable and brilliantly immersive chassis that the sports car market has produced in decades\u201d. Even the old A110, great as it was, never received such high praise.<\/p>\n The GTAm was the most exciting derivative of the GTA<\/strong>, itself the smart-looking coupe version of the much boxier 1960s Giulia saloon<\/strong>. Initially known as the 1750 GTAm (but, despite the name, powered by a 2.0-litre<\/strong> twin-spark engine), it was built in very small numbers by Autodelta<\/strong> as a homologation special, devised simply to allow Alfa Romeo to use it in Touring Car racing.<\/p>\n For its day, it was one of the finest cars of that type, winning the 1970 European championship in the hands of Dutch driver Toine Hezemans<\/strong> (born 1943). An even quicker version called the 2000 GTAm, with 240bhp rather than the previous 210bhp, earned Alfa Romeo the European Manufacturers\u2019 title the following year.<\/p>\n Goodness knows Austin produced some memorable cars over the years, but if we had to pick one – which we literally just did – it would have to be the Seven. In a sense, this was a smaller, British equivalent of the Ford Model T<\/strong> \u2013 a cheap and simple but \u2018proper\u2019 car which was within the means of buyers who might previously have had to make do with a far less appealing cyclecar<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Built under licence in Germany, the Seven was the first car produced by BMW<\/strong>. It was also, despite its humble station in life, very tunable, and performed exceptionally well in both racing and record breaking. Production ended in 1939, but the Seven remains popular (as both a road and a competition car) among classic enthusiasts to this day.<\/p>\n The 3000 was the last and greatest of the \u2018big Healeys\u2019 co-developed by BMC<\/strong> and the Healey sports car company. Derived from earlier 100-series models, it was fitted with a 2.9-litre<\/strong> version of the BMC C-Series<\/strong> engine more commonly found in large saloons.<\/p>\n As well as being the epitome of the \u2018hairy-chested sports car\u2019 in road-going form, the 3000 was one of the most formidable rally cars of the early 1960s, and performed well (if less successfully) in long-distance sports car races.<\/p>\n If one car represents the entire history of the Bentley marque, it\u2019s the Arnage. It was named after a corner at the Le Mans circuit, where Bentley won the 24-hour race five times between 1924 and 1930, and was mostly powered by a development of the 6.75-litre L-Series V8<\/strong> engine which dated back to 1959.<\/p>\n Yet it was also a thoroughly modern car, introduced near the end of the 20th century and surviving for the first decade of the 21st. Its spirit lived on in the later Mulsanne<\/strong>, and still does in today\u2019s Flying Spur<\/strong>.<\/p>\n At least historically, if not financially, the Mini was the crowning achievement of the British Motor Corporation<\/strong>. In fact, it was never branded BMC (because nothing was) but instead wore the badges of Austin<\/strong>, Morris<\/strong>, Innocenti<\/strong>, Authi<\/strong> and, in three-box saloon form, Riley<\/strong> and Wolseley<\/strong>, though it was eventually sold simply as Mini.<\/p>\n Less than a decade into its production life, which began in 1959, it was three things at once: everyday family transport (that was much more comfortable and safer than the microcars it largely supplanted), a car celebrities wanted to be seen in and a ferocious competitor in racing, rallying and almost every other form of motorsport. It was already seriously dated by 1980, but was so well loved that it remained on sale for a further 20 years, finally disappearing shortly after it was placed second behind the Ford Model T<\/strong> in the one-off Car of the Century list.<\/p>\n BMW has been producing M3 performance saloons since 1986, and they have all been magnificent in their way, but there\u2019s a magic to the original E30 model which, we think, has never quite been captured since. It was the only one in the series with a four-cylinder engine (of either 2.3<\/strong> or 2.5 litres<\/strong>), and if you think that\u2019s disappointing you probably haven\u2019t heard one screaming away at full throttle.<\/p>\n Fabulously nimble even in road-going form, it was also a brilliant racer, winning Touring Car championships right up to World level, and one of the most exciting (and best-sounding) rally cars of the late 1980s and early 1990s.<\/p>\n Buick first used the Riviera name for the two-door hardtop version of the Roadmaster in the 1949 model year before applying it to a separate model over eight generations<\/strong>. As with the BMW M3<\/strong>, the first of these is the one which floats our boat most effortlessly. It doesn\u2019t hurt that the smaller of the two available Nailhead V8<\/strong> engines measured 6.6 litres<\/strong> (the larger was a 7.0<\/strong>), but it\u2019s mostly about the styling, courtesy of GM design chief Bill Mitchell. It could easily have been a Cadillac, where indeed it was originally destined.<\/p>\n For a mainstream car introduced in late 1962, it looked incredibly modern, and might still have seemed reasonably fresh if it had been on sale a decade later. From the W-shaped nose (as seen from above) to the sharply angled C pillar<\/strong>, it was very distinctive, and as American as apple pie with popcorn and a large Coca-Cola.<\/p>\n There are many reasons to recoil at the idea of Cadillac being represented by the Escalade on this list. You might feel it doesn\u2019t bear comparison with a 1950s Eldorado<\/strong> or a 1930s V-16<\/strong>, or maybe you feel uncomfortable about a vehicle favoured by LA-based celebrities, or perhaps you detest enormous SUVs<\/strong>. But there\u2019s no doubt that it has been the GM luxury brand\u2019s great success story of the 21st century so far.<\/p>\n Sales of the Escalade (in both standard and long-wheelbase ESV<\/strong> forms) bombed during 2022 because production was severely limited by supply chain issues \u2013 and yet, despite that, it was still easily the most popular Caddy of all in the US, and the leader of the full-size luxury SUV category by an even greater margin.<\/p>\n There is simply no argument about this one. The first-generation Corvette might have been a slow-seller to begin with, but it took off when Chevy made its new small-block V8<\/strong> engine available in 1955, and it has been at the top of the game ever since. Claims that it is the world\u2019s most successful sports car in automotive history are as solid as the Rockies.<\/p>\n Today\u2019s Corvette, the first with a mid- rather than front-mounted engine, is as much of a triumph as any of its predecessors. In its home country, it\u2019s up against 11 other models in the premium sports car sector, including two Porsches<\/strong>. In 2022, it outsold all of them put together.<\/p>\n Chrysler produced a great many cars called 300 in the 20th century, most of them in either the \u2018letter<\/strong>\u2019 or \u2018non-letter<\/strong>\u2019 series. Our choice isn\u2019t one of those. Instead, we\u2019ve gone for the much more recent 300 (sold in Europe as the 300C, though this was applied only to lower-spec versions in North America) which has been produced in two generations since the 2005 model year, and was also briefly marketed as the Lancia Thema<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The 300 re-established Chrysler\u2019s discontinued tradition of building large, rear-wheel drive saloon cars, often powered by a mighty V8<\/strong> engine (in this case, the latest in the Hemi<\/strong> series with capacities of up to 6.4 litres<\/strong>). As such, it more or less stands alone among Chrysler products of the past few years, and can be considered iconic for that reason, as well as being a representative of icons from another era.<\/p>\n It could have been the 2CV<\/strong>, but no \u2013 we went instead for the much grander DS range. While the 2CV had contemporary rivals, the DS was the car the rest of the motor industry took a long time to catch up with, to the extent that it did at all. From the start, it had hydropneumatic suspension<\/strong> and high-level rear indicators<\/strong>. In 1967, 12 years into its life, these were joined by directional headlights<\/strong>, which made the DS even more exotic than it had been originally.<\/p>\n And it looked just amazing. French Philosopher Roland Barthes<\/strong> (1915-1980) wrote in 1957 that it \u201chas fallen from the sky inasmuch as it appears at first sight as a superlative object\u201d. Of what other mainstream car, with a production run of well over a million, could that ever have been said?<\/p>\n Known in Japan as the Nissan Fairlady Z<\/strong>, this was the first in a long series of high-performance coupes with increasingly large numbers in their titles to reflect the rise in the capacities of their (always six-cylinder<\/strong>) engines \u2013 at least until the current model, known simply as the Nissan Z<\/strong>, came along in 2022.<\/p>\n They form a proud tradition, but it was the 240Z which first showed that Nissan \u2013 not known before 1970 for anything like this \u2013 could create such a car, and do it so well.<\/p>\n The Pantera was by far the most successful model from the small Italian company founded in 1959 by Alejandro de Tomaso<\/strong> (1928-2003). It was preceded by the Vallelunga<\/strong>, which had a 1.5-litre pre-crossflow Ford Kent<\/strong> engine, and by the much more powerful V8 Mangusta<\/strong>, which was rather tail-heavy and reportedly quite a handful to drive.<\/p>\n These were relatively short-lived cars, which could not be said of the Pantera. With lots of power, and stability to go with it, it remained in production for over two decades, all the way from 1971 to 1992. If there is a single model car to remember De Tomaso by, it\u2019s this one.<\/p>\n Dodge has produced three Charger Daytonas, but there\u2019s no doubt that the first was the most spectacular of them all. It was one of the Winged Warriors<\/strong>, a subset of the Aero Warriors<\/strong> built for sale to the public in just enough numbers for them to be eligible for NASCAR<\/strong> racing. A regular Charger<\/strong> in most respects, it had an aerodynamic nose to reduce drag and an enormous rear wing to increase downforce.<\/p>\n As well as looking extraordinary, it had a fantastic competition record, at least until the rules were altered to slow all the Warriors drastically. Bobby Isaac<\/strong> (1932-1977) won the NASCAR championship in 1970 in a Daytona, while Buddy Baker<\/strong> (1941-2015) used his to become the first driver in series history to record an average lap speed of over 200mph<\/strong> (at the Talladega Superspeedway) in the same year.<\/p>\n The F40 was the last Ferrari road car to enter production during the lifetime of Enzo Ferrari<\/strong> (1898-1988), and was named for the fact that it was announced during the 40th anniversary year of the company building its first car under its own name.<\/p>\n To a limited extent, it was a descendant of the 1970s Ferrari 308<\/strong>, but it looked almost completely different, like a racing car adapted for the road (even though that process actually happened the other way round). For 1987, the turbocharged F40 was almost shocking, and had something of the \u201cfallen from the sky\u201d aura which Roland Barthes had seen in the Citro\u00ebn DS<\/strong> three decades before.<\/p>\n Fiat has created several models called 500 (or cinquecento<\/em>, which means the same thing in Italian), but the most celebrated of them all is the second in the line. It manufactured from 1957 to 1975, and was known originally as the Nuova, or \u2018new\u2019, 500 to distinguish it from the pre-War version usually referred to as the Topolino<\/strong>.<\/p>\n This 500 \u2013 the only one with a rear-mounted engine<\/strong> \u2013 was austere and functional, and designed for Italian motorists who could barely afford anything else. There\u2019s nothing at all glamorous about that, but the 500 wormed its way into people\u2019s hearts, partly because it was so familiar, partly because it was one of the most charming mass-production cars ever devised, and partly \u2013 with four million made \u2013 it was the car that properly put its home nation on four wheels, often for the first time in its owner\u2019s life.<\/p>\n The most iconic Ford? The Model T might be the most iconic car, full stop. It was intended to put Americans (and to some extent people in other parts of the world) on the road and, for better or worse, it did. With the help of the industry\u2019s first moving assembly line<\/strong>, Ford built around 15 million examples, a very high figure now and quite astonishing for the period from 1908 to 1927.<\/p>\n In 1999, the Model T was named Car of the Century. It may, in time, be hailed as the car of every century. It changed the world<\/strong> in a way that no automobile ever will again.<\/p>\n The Imp was as out of character for Hillman as a two-seater sports car would be today for Dacia<\/strong>. Introduced in 1963, in the decade when the brand\u2019s line-up included the very conventional Minx<\/strong> and Hunter<\/strong>, it was by far the smallest Hillman (a direct rival to the Mini<\/strong>), and the only one with a rear-mounted engine<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The engine in question was an all-alloy overhead-cam<\/strong> unit designed by Coventry Climax<\/strong> and capable of producing enormous power for its size when appropriately tuned. Imps and their derivatives (including several kitcars and single-seaters) were therefore extremely successful in competition, helped by their excellent handling. Unfortunately, the road-going version never achieved the popularity of the Mini, but what a car it was.<\/p>\n Motorists who live far from India have little reason to know much about Hindustan Motors<\/strong>. If they do, it\u2019s almost certainly because of the extraordinary Ambassador. This started out in 1957 as a locally-built third-generation Morris Oxford<\/strong> but was gradually developed over the years, latterly being powered by Isuzu<\/strong> engines.<\/p>\n For most of its life, the Ambassador would hardly have been considered a great car in the west, but it suited the Indian market perfectly, being robust, reliable and roomy. Remarkably, Hindustan persevered with it for more than half a century, making the Ambassador one of the longest-lived cars<\/strong> in history. Around 900,000 were made until production ended in 2014.<\/p>\n Australians are very fond of high-performance, saloon-based pickup trucks<\/strong> known locally as \u2018utes<\/strong>\u2019. One of the most famous is the Maloo, which was based on several generations of the Commodore<\/strong>, and is our favourite Holden.<\/p>\n It was available in the UK for a few years, wearing Vauxhall<\/strong> badges. Testing a \u00a351,500 example with a 6.2-litre V8<\/strong> engine in 2012, we suspected that it wouldn\u2019t sell well here (it didn\u2019t), but concluded: \u201cIf somebody wants a Maloo, they\u2019ll just want one, so go with what makes you happy.\u201d<\/p>\n Yes, of course we know about the NSX<\/strong>, but it\u2019s the hot hatch<\/strong> version of Honda\u2019s mid-sized hatchback<\/strong> that gets our vote. The little monster is now in its sixth generation, having made its debut in 1997 with a high-revving and very powerful 1.6-litre<\/strong> engine.<\/p>\n From 2001, Type Rs have had a 2.0-litre<\/strong> motor which originally revved to 9000rpm<\/strong> and usually produced at least 200bhp<\/strong>. A major change occurred in 2015, when the new Type R went on sale with a turbocharged<\/strong> version of the same unit. The rev limit was substantially lowered, and the engine note was far less arresting, but the power output jumped by 50 percent. The current model produces 324bhp<\/strong> and can accelerate from 0-62mph<\/strong> in 5.4 seconds<\/strong>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s possible to look critically at every Hummer, even the relatively small H3<\/strong> or the current Pickup<\/strong> EV<\/strong> which, though colossal, is at least powered by electric motors rather than a heavily polluting internal combustion engine. However, no Hummer has ever been viewed with such a polarised mixture of admiration and horror as the original H1, which is why we think it\u2019s the most iconic.<\/p>\n The H1 (a name adopted when GM<\/strong> bought the rights in 1999) was the civilian version of the military Humvee<\/strong> developed by AM General<\/strong>. Absolutely no one needed such a thing, which is partly why it was so sought after. As the behavioural economists will tell you, being able to afford something very expensive and completely useless is one of the most powerful status signals you can send to other people.<\/p>\n Known officially in North America as the XK-E<\/strong>, the E-Type was introduced in 1961 as the latest in a line of two-seat Jaguar sports cars<\/strong>. It was technically innovative, it was powered by a proven six-cylinder<\/strong> engine (later joined by a V12<\/strong>) and it was competitively priced.<\/p>\n None of this explains why it represents Jaguar on this list. It\u2019s here because it was simply beautiful \u2013 more so, you might say, than anything else the company has ever built, and perhaps more than anything anyone else has built either. Yes, cars are functional, mechanical objects<\/strong>, but some of them transcend that simply because they look so satisfying. Few have ever done this as effectively as the E-Type.<\/p>\n We haven\u2019t actually researched this, but it seems likely that the Countach featured on more posters on car-loving children\u2019s bedroom walls in the 1970s than any other Lamborghini. For its day, it looked incredible, with its low, wide, wedge-shaped<\/strong> body and the amazing feature of scissor doors<\/strong>. When it was launched in 1974, there was simply nothing like it on sale.<\/p>\n Of course, it didn\u2019t matter to the kids that the rear visibility was terrible, and adult fans didn\u2019t seem to mind this either. Aesthetically speaking, things just got better when Lamborghini added a big rear wing<\/strong>. Eventually, the shape dated, as shapes do, but Countach production continued until 1990 \u2013 an impressive run for a supercar<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In the early 1970s, Lancia did well in international rallying with the Fulvia HF<\/strong>, a front-wheel drive coupe<\/strong> with a 1.6-litre V4<\/strong> engine, but the sport was developing so rapidly that something else would clearly be required soon. The Stratos, introduced in 1974, represented an almost unbelievable leap forward. It was vastly more modern than the Fulvia, and had a Ferrari Dino V6<\/strong> engine mounted between the rear wheels.<\/p>\n It was also devastatingly effective. Lancia won the World Rally Championship (open at the time only to manufacturers, not drivers) three times in a row from 1974 to 1976, and although production stopped in 1978 the Stratos won its 18th and last WRC round three years after that. Nearly half a century after its first appearance, it remains one of the most exciting rally cars ever devised.<\/p>\n The Continental of this decade was one of the grandest US luxury cars<\/strong>, and in a way represented the end of this type of vehicle as it had previously been understood. To some extent, it was also a step backwards. From 1958 to 1969, Continentals had featured unibody<\/strong> construction, by then the obvious way to build a car, but for 1970 Lincoln reverted to the old-fashioned body-on-frame<\/strong> method.<\/p>\n As rival brands downsized their largest models, the Continental actually grew, partly because of legislation requiring more substantial front and rear bumpers. At its peak, it measured 5918mm<\/strong> (233.0in<\/strong>), which made it the longest car in North America and one of the longest in the world. The 1980 Continental which replaced it was more than a foot shorter.<\/p>\n If Lotus fans had been given a vote here, there would have been a lot of support for the Seven<\/strong>, the original Elite<\/strong> and the first-generation Elan<\/strong>, and there\u2019s a strong case to be made for all of them. However, we\u2019ve gone for the Elise, which is certainly the most iconic Lotus of the modern era, and arguably of the company\u2019s long history.<\/p>\n In each of its three generations, the Elise followed the old Lotus principle of being fast not because it was especially powerful (though outputs did increase over the years) but because it was light. The lack of weight was also a major factor in its superb handling. If founder Colin Chapman<\/strong> (1928-1982), who died long before it went into development, had still been around, we think he would have been very pleased with it.<\/p>\n The small, open two-seater sports car<\/strong> with a front-mounted engine<\/strong> and rear-wheel drive<\/strong>, of which so many had been produced earlier in the century, was almost extinct when Mazda launched the MX-5 (or Miata<\/strong> or Eunos<\/strong>, depending on where it was sold) in 1989. The Japanese company therefore had this sector of the market almost to itself, but that was no guarantee of success.<\/p>\n What made the MX-5 an instant hit wasn\u2019t that the fact that it had much power. It actually had very little in the early days, but it was outstandingly good in every other area, and wonderful to drive. Mazda has kept the basic concept going for four generations, and was rewarded in 2016 by reaching a production milestone of one million units<\/strong>. No other car of the same type has ever come remotely close to this.<\/p>\n The 300 SL was an outlier in the Mercedes line-up of the 1950s, and was not originally planned as a road car at all. It started out as a not very powerful, but exceptionally light and aerodynamic, sports racer<\/strong> which finished first and second in both the Le Mans 24 Hours and Mexico\u2019s Carrera Panamericana in 1952.<\/p>\n A road-going version was suggested by US importer Max Hoffman<\/strong> (1904-1981) in September 1953. Mercedes had one on display \u2013 still with the gullwing doors and direct fuel injection of the racer \u2013\u00a0 at the New York International Motor Sports Show just five months later, and offered it for sale from then until 1957. It was replaced by a mechanically similar roadster<\/strong> which remained on the market for six years. The roadster was a beautiful car, but we prefer the Gullwing.<\/p>\n The MGB was the first road-going MG sports car<\/strong> with unibody<\/strong> construction rather than a body bolted on to a chassis. It was available as both a roadster<\/strong> and a coupe<\/strong>, the latter known as the MGB GT<\/strong>, and had a very production run from 1962 to 1980. In that time, it became the first MG to reach sales of 500,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Within the MGB range, the most iconic model is surely the 3.5-litre Rover-engined GT V8<\/strong>. Despite its fame, it was on the market for less than four years, and only 2591<\/strong> were built. It was relaunched much later as the RV8<\/strong> (with a 3.9-litre<\/strong> version of the same engine), which was manufactured from 1992 to 1995.<\/p>\n In each of its ten generations, the Evolution derivative of the Mitsubishi Lancer<\/strong> was a four-door saloon with four-wheel drive<\/strong> and a turbocharged 2.0-litre<\/strong> petrol engine. In 2014, Mitsubishi UK, celebrating its 40th anniversary, built 40 examples of the Evo X FQ-440 MR<\/strong>, which produced, as its name suggested, 440bhp<\/strong>. At 220.2bhp<\/strong> per litre, this is the highest specific output of any four-cylinder road car, and second overall only to the Koenigsegg Jesko<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Evos were fabulous high-performance road cars, but their greatest value was the publicity they gained for Mitsubishi due to their success in international rallying. Tommi M\u00e4kinen<\/strong> (born 1964) won the World Rally Championship for Drivers every year from 1996 to 1999 in these cars, and Mitsubishi won the Manufacturers\u2019 title in 1997.<\/p>\n Like the Datsun 240Z<\/strong> mentioned earlier, the Skyline GT-R is an outlier in the Nissan range. It\u2019s almost unbelievable that the company which produced the Micra<\/strong>, the Qashqai<\/strong> and the Sunny<\/strong> could also come up with something like this.<\/p>\n There have been Skyline GT-Rs in six generations since 1969 (though with a 16-year gap), and the legacy has been carried over to the current GT-R<\/strong>, which no longer bears the Skyline name. All versions produced since 1989 have been outstanding and, we think, worthy of the icon title.<\/p>\n For a mainstream manufacturer, Opel has built some astonishing cars, including the enormous 24\/110 Regent<\/strong> luxury model of the late 1920s and the beautiful little two-seater GT<\/strong> of 1968-1973. But if we\u2019re going to name the brand\u2019s iconic model, it has to be the Manta.<\/p>\n By this we mean not the first-generation Manta, produced in the first half of the 1970s, but its replacement, which had a 13-year production run starting in 1975. It was simply a restyled version of the contemporary Opel Ascona<\/strong>\/Vauxhall Cavalier<\/strong>, but it looked wonderful. The most celebrated version is the Manta 400, which Opel used in international rallying during the Group B<\/strong> era. At the top level, it was demolished by the four-wheel drive opposition, but it still looked fantastic, especially when driven by the likes of Russell Brookes<\/strong> and Jim McRae<\/strong>.<\/p>\n By the 1980s, Peugeot had developed a reputation for producing good but unadventurous cars. That changed dramatically in 1983 when the company\u2019s 104<\/strong> was replaced by the 205. This was immediately hailed as one of the finest European superminis<\/strong>, and it is still thought of in similar terms four decades later.<\/p>\n The most exciting 205 was the mid-engined<\/strong>, turbocharged<\/strong>, four-wheel drive T16<\/strong>, but only enough of these were built to allow Peugeot to use modified derivatives in Group B<\/strong> rallying. The front-wheel drive GTI, available with either a 1.6-litre<\/strong> or later a 1.9-litre<\/strong> engine, was the iconic model, not only within the range but in all of Peugeot history. It was quick, it was beautiful, it was affordable and it was an absolute riot to drive. Peugeot has arguably never built a hot hatch to match it since, but then who has?<\/p>\n
\nAC Cobra<\/h2>\n
![\"AC](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-1.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nAlpine A110<\/h2>\n
![\"Alpine](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-2.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nAlfa Romeo GTAm<\/h2>\n
![\"Alfa](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-3.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nAustin Seven<\/h2>\n
![\"Austin](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-4.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nAustin-Healey 3000<\/h2>\n
![\"Austin-Healey](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-5.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nBentley Arnage<\/h2>\n
![\"Bentley](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-6.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nBMC Mini<\/h2>\n
![\"BMC](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-7.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nBMW M3 E30<\/h2>\n
![\"BMW](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-8.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nBuick Riviera (first generation)<\/h2>\n
![\"Buick](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-9.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nCadillac Escalade<\/h2>\n
![\"Cadillac](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-10.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nChevrolet Corvette<\/h2>\n
![\"Chevrolet](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-11.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nChrysler 300<\/h2>\n
![\"Chrysler](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-12.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nCitro\u00ebn DS<\/h2>\n
![\"Citro\u00ebn](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-13.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nDatsun 240Z<\/h2>\n
![\"Datsun](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-14.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nDe Tomaso Pantera<\/h2>\n
![\"De](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-15.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nDodge Charger Daytona<\/h2>\n
![\"Dodge](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-16.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nFerrari F40<\/h2>\n
![\"Ferrari](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-17.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nFiat Nuova 500<\/h2>\n
![\"Fiat](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-18.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nFord Model T<\/h2>\n
![\"Ford](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-19.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nHillman Imp<\/h2>\n
![\"Hillman](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-20.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nHindustan Ambassador<\/h2>\n
![\"Hindustan](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-21.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nHolden Maloo<\/h2>\n
![\"Holden](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-22.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nHonda Civic Type R<\/h2>\n
![\"Honda](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-23.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nHummer H1<\/h2>\n
![\"Hummer](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-24.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nJaguar E-Type<\/h2>\n
![\"Jaguar](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-25.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nLamborghini Countach<\/h2>\n
![\"Lamborghini](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-26.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nLancia Stratos<\/h2>\n
![\"Lancia](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-27.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nLincoln Continental (1970s)<\/h2>\n
![\"Lincoln](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-28.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nLotus Elise<\/h2>\n
![\"Lotus](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-29.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nMazda MX-5<\/h2>\n
![\"Mazda](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-30.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nMercedes 300 SL Gullwing<\/h2>\n
![\"Mercedes](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-31.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nMG MGB<\/h2>\n
![\"MG](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-32.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nMitsubishi Evo<\/h2>\n
![\"Mitsubishi](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-33.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nNissan Skyline GT-R<\/h2>\n
![\"Nissan](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-34.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nOpel Manta<\/h2>\n
![\"Opel](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-35.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nPeugeot 205 GTI<\/h2>\n
![\"Peugeot](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/iconic-cars-as-cultural-and-engineering-milestones-how-signature-models-define-major-manufacturers-36.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n