Every now and again, something spectacular happens in the world of cars. Very rarely, a timeless car design is born from a moment of pure genius, a real eureka moment. A car design that will continue to be used and adapted for decades to come. A car that looks as though it had been plucked straight from the future.

Today, we’re bringing you 5 of these genius moments that left us cars that have matured like a well-aged whiskey and have done more than just stand the test of time.

Jeep Wrangler

Here is a more ordinary and affordable entry for our list, the Jeep Wrangler. This particular model was released in 1987 and was produced up until 1995. Thanks to Jeep barely changing the Wrangler design over the last 30 years, the older models, such as this one, still look current and contemporary. In fact, as the years have passed, demand has not dropped as you would expect it to either, with this car still having a large following and prices holding at £5,000 and upwards. Apart from the square headlights, that were not received well by the Jeep community, the rest of the instantly-recognisable design is mostly the same today.

Ford Mustang

Next up is John Wick’s favourite car, the Ford Mustang. This particular model being from 1968, this car is about half a century old which is absolutely amazing considering how modern and current it looks. The Mustang has been through many iterations and changes over the years but this particular model was a pure, timeless masterpiece. With it’s hefty body featuring a hood scoop, stripes and tail-mounted wing and chin spoilers, this car is a classic that ignores the rules of time. It’s clear to see why there is still an army of ’68 Mustang enthusiasts, fan clubs and businesses based around the auto.

Lotus Seven (Third generation)

Non car enthusiasts would struggle to guess this tiny two seater’s very surprising release year. With Caterham still making cars of the same design today, this timeless design has barely been altered. Unbelievably, the first model of the Lotus Seven was released in 1957, back when a top speed of 120 mph was considered as pretty good. As you can see from the image above of a 3rd gen model (made back in 1968/1969), it still looks incredibly modern with a fresh lick of paint and some new alloy wheels on it.

Ford GT40

Here is another car from a different time that looks like it was released much more recently. With this particular model being made in 1965, it’s a shock to find out just how old this car actually is. Onlookers would have to take a second, maybe even a third glance at this car to guess what period it’s from and still guess wrong. The 2005 model looks incredibly similar and that may be because they couldn’t beat the design that was made 40 years prior.

Unfortunately, this car was not made for people to buy at the time. It was built to win the 24 hours of Le Mans and after winning 4 times in a row, it was proven that the GT40 was not only a visual spectacle, but a power to be reckoned with as well.

Lotus Elise

Last but not least, another Lotus entry, the Lotus Elise. Again, this design has barely changed over the years, leaving the series 1 model, released in 1996, still looking fresh and new today. This ultra-light sports car is over 20 years old and yet, with some nice alloys and some styling, the car can be on the road looking like it’s only 5 years old or younger.

With the Series 3 models changing little more than the rear lights, the old Series 1 will still fit right in with today’s high-tech, sleek-looking automobiles. However, the first model’s safety standards have been outdated, so you may want to think before you buy or even drive one.

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