Most of the time we think of cool cars as only being those that offer high performance and a dynamic speed to blow us away on the track, but there have been plenty of cars over the years that have been considered cool even though they don’t offer the insane speed and performance that we enjoy from the super exotics that have been part of the lineup of vehicles over the years. Many times these cars are able to give us a cool look in a way that offers personality to find a place in our hearts as some of the most interesting cars ever built. Let’s have some fun and look at some of the coolest slow cars ever made.
Citroen DS – This car debuted in 1955 as a claim to show us what post-war France could do. This car looked awesome with sleek style and great lines but what made the DS one that was great to drive is the fact that it offered us a comfort and ride that was smooth and sublime to let us have a ride in a car that was truly meant for the weekend cruising in a cool fashion that was truly a French design and build.
Fiat 500 – This car was meant to just be a functional people’s car that was based out of Italian design execution and made into the Nuova 500. Although Abarth made some racing variations of this car the base car only offers 18 horsepower and was a puttering car that has the cool look and style that we wanted to enjoy. This was another car that made the country come together and find the right look and feel of a car that would ensure the ability to carry on as a car that the world wanted to drive even though it was slow and small.
International Harvester Scout – Obviously this vehicle did not blaze any trails on the road or off. This was meant to be a vehicle that competed with Jeep and was launched in 1961 to be a great off road performer to allow you to head out and enjoy the outdoors. Although it was slow to drive, it was cool and functional making it one of the most impressive vehicles on the market at the time and one that would fill many needs. It certainly helped it cool factor by being made from a company that was well-known for agricultural equipment.
Volkswagen Karmann Ghia – What happens when you stretch out a VW Beetle? This is what happens. The Karmann Ghia was known to be the slowest sports car ever made but it certainly looked cool. This car was designed by the Italian design house Ghia and took on a gorgeous look and design that was a prideful drive for anyone who owned one. This certainly made for a new market and a car that has become iconic in its name and shape over the years to be one that was desired by more drivers than ever before.
Land Rover Series – What happens when you buy a Land Rover? You have the height of outdoor off road driving at your fingertips. The versions we see today began as the Series models for the first three generations from Land Rover which were true boxes on wheels that had the simple style and grace that we still admire for the original versions from Land Rover. The original Land Rover offerings were vehicles that were made to conquer every piece of outdoor terrain and gave us a great basis for the current models we see for the Land Rover vehicles on the road.
Mercedes 300D – This was a car that had everything you wanted in a luxury coupe. The performance was highly responsive for the time and the style was graceful. These cars were known to be durable and show the build quality that you could love. Toss in the fact that this version was diesel-powered and you could see how the W123 (the moniker for this car) was perfect for the car and gave us a way to start enjoying a great look and feel of a car that was high class even if it wasn’t made for high speed or power.
Lincoln Continental – When you think of the original land yachts the Lincoln Continental comes to mind. This original cruiser was the basis for many other large and luxury-like rides that came of out of the Big Three American Auto Makers in the 1960s and 1970s. In no way was this a car that tried to shave weight or find a way to be light and it came in at over 5,000 pounds of steel and comfort for you to have a wonderful although extremely large boat of a car to drive and enjoy the cruise; just don’t ask it to make any good speed times.
Jeep Wrangler – Developed from a military vehicle that was made to go anywhere the Jeep Wrangler has been a vehicle that offers some of the best looks and performance for off roading that we have enjoyed for several decades. This is certainly a vehicle you don’t ask to go fast or to take turns at higher speeds, but when you need a rock crawler and one that will confidently reach any destination this is the SUV we have turned to for more years than any other. Some of the character lines of the original models still carry on today to give us a look that is still admired.
Honda Civic CVCC – This was the first Civic to make it to the American market. Even though this car was not really a cool one to look at, simply because it resembled the other hatchbacks of the time, this was the basis of the Civic that would eventually be one of the most successful cars ever made. What made this car possible was the fact it was built without the use of a heave catalytic converter which allowed the car to meet the emissions regulations from the early 1970s.
Subaru BRAT – The Subaru models of the 1970s set the standard for the models of today. The versions we see today are based on the fact that AWD was part of nearly every model, but the BRAT (Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter) had what was needed to make it cool. This car offered a truck like bed that had two rear-facing seats in the bed to allow it to be able to be a fun vehicle to drive. This wasn’t a fast vehicle, but it was one that was fun to drive and became a tuner’s delight for many years to come.
Saab 93 – This was one of the coolest looking cars on the road when it was built and those that are restored still turn our heads even though they don’t go fast at all. This car had a three-cylinder engine that only offered 33 horsepower, but even without a great deal of speed this car was one that was a cool car to own and drive. This was one car that doesn’t make for conventional driving but was a great car for driving and showing off to your friends and family. This car was imported to the US in small numbers, which also made them rare in this country to be a great vehicle to enjoy.
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