The 17 Coolest 1960s Sports Cars: Fast and Beautiful

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Only a few decades in history changed the automotive world as dramatically as the 1960s. Economies were growing, technology was advancing, and a new spirit of ambition was pushing engineers to their limits. The result was a golden era of speed and design that we still talk about today. From screaming race engines to breathtaking bodywork, the coolest 1960s sports cars came from all corners of the world, built by brands from Italy, Britain, America, Germany, and Japan, each competing to leave their mark on history.

From race tracks to movie screens, here are the 17 coolest 1960s sports cars that made that decade truly unforgettable.

The DB5 is best known as the car driven by James Bond in *Goldfinger* (1964). With its elegant silver body and smooth engine, it became the most famous spy car in history. It is the perfect mix of British style and grand touring performance.

Ford built the GT40 with one goal: to beat Ferrari at Le Mans. With the help of Carroll Shelby, it won four times in a row from 1966 to 1969. The story was made famous in the 2019 film *Ford v Ferrari*. A true racing legend.

Only 18 of these were ever made, making it one of the rarest cars in history. Many people consider it one of the most beautiful cars ever created. Its low, curved body and mid-mounted engine made it a true work of art on wheels.

The 250 GTO is considered the greatest Ferrari ever made. In 2018, one sold at auction for $70 million, making it the most expensive car ever sold at that time. With only 36 units produced, it is one of the rarest and most sought-after cars on the planet.

Many people call the Toyota 2000GT Japan's first true supercar. It was co-developed with Yamaha and featured a beautiful long-hood design. A one-off open-top version even appeared in the James Bond film *You Only Live Twice* in 1967.

Enzo Ferrari himself called the E-Type "the most beautiful car ever made." Its long, flowing body and round headlights became symbols of 1960s design. It was also fast and affordable compared to its Italian rivals, making it a true icon of the era.

The 250 LM was Ferrari's first mid-engined racing car built for the road. In 1965, it won the 24 Hours of Le Mans outright and became the last Ferrari to do so for many decades. With only 32 units made, it remains one of the most valuable racing cars ever built.

Many automotive experts consider the Miura the world's first true supercar. It introduced the mid-engine layout that almost every supercar still uses today. When it debuted at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show, the crowd was stunned because no road car had ever looked like this before.

When the Porsche 911 debuted in 1964, it stood out immediately with its distinctive rounded shape and a rear-mounted flat-six engine. It was light, precise, and incredibly fun to drive, quickly earning a reputation as one of the best driver's cars of the decade. Remarkably, Porsche still produces the 911 today, over 60 years later. Even though they changed a lot, they still use the same core formula.

The Mazda Cosmo holds a special place in history as the world's first production car to use a rotary engine. This unique engine design had fewer moving parts than a normal engine. It was a bold step that showed the world Japan was ready to innovate in the auto industry.

The BMW 2002 is widely credited with creating the sport sedan category, which is the idea that a practical four-seat car could also be exciting to drive. It was lightweight, nimble, and fun. The 2002 also helped save BMW financially and set the DNA for every BMW sports sedan that followed.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint was the sleek coupe version of the Giulia, styled by Bertone and introduced in 1963. Underneath its elegant body sat a high-revving twin-cam engine, the kind of technology normally found in race cars. It was light, sharp to drive, and beautifully Italian in character.

Lotus founder Colin Chapman believed in one simple rule: remove weight, go faster. The Elan was a perfect example of this philosophy. It weighed almost nothing and handled corners better than cars twice its price. It became the gold standard for lightweight, driver-focused sports cars in the 1960s.

The 275 GTB was the first Ferrari road car to use a rear-mounted gearbox, which helped balance the weight between the front and back, making it handle far better than previous models. The top four-cam version, the GTB/4, is still considered one of the finest grand touring Ferraris ever produced.

The Datsun 240Z proved that a sports car did not have to be expensive to be great. It offered European GT performance and style at a fraction of the price. It became one of the best-selling sports cars ever made and opened the door for affordable Japanese performance cars that followed.

Carroll Shelby took a lightweight British sports car body and fitted it with a massive American V8 engine. The result was the Cobra: raw, loud, and brutally fast. It had almost no comfort features, but it was one of the quickest cars of its time and became an American muscle icon forever.

The C2 Corvette Stingray is one of America's most iconic sports cars. Its sharp, aggressive body was inspired by fighter jets and deep-sea fish. The 1963 model, with its unique split rear window, is especially famous and remains one of the most recognizable automotive designs of the entire decade.