32. 1960 Mercedes Benz 300SL

Introduced in 1952 exclusively as a race car—read engine with a seat on wheels—the 300SL model was brought to the city streets in 1954, and produced until 1963. In a post-war economy, this model was introduced at the New York Auto Show, specifically to appeal to Americans hungry for speed with European style, whereas the company unveiled other models at its Continental show stages. All iterations of this model line remain true to the original “Sport-Leicht” design.

Built on a tubular chassis to save weight—because automobiles were still primarily steel constructions with relatively restricted engine power—the “gull wing” door was born. What began as a necessity, since the chassis would pass through the lower portion of a standard door, became an icon.

33. 1989 Mercedes Benz 560 SEC AMG

Also known internally as a W126, the 560 is one of a series of “flagship” automobiles produced by Mercedes Benz. One of the most iconic body forms-made popular in movies and by the 1980s pop culture status symbols—this particular line of Mercedes Benz also introduced a number of then-new safety feature, such as the first seat belt pretensioners.

We take these for granted in automobiles today, but in the 1980s, they were still in the process of requiring head rests in all cars to prevent injury and death from cervical impact with the back of classic seats. Overall, with a production run from 1979 to 1991, the W126 has one of the longest runs of any model type in the company.

34. 1982 Datsun 280ZX

The 280ZX was the first model ever to be wind-tunnel tested by Nissan during the design phase. Perhaps that’s where its stylish looks came from. It arrived with a larger 2.8L engine and a Bosch Jetronic fuel injection system. However, ever-tightening emissions requirements certainly played a factor to hinder it’s true performance.