When you hear the phrase "cult cars," you might think of Ford Motor's Mustang or General Motors' Chevrolet Corvette, which have legions of devotees but are very common and still in production. Similarly, the Jeep Wrangler, Porsche 911, Mini Cooper and Volkswagen Beetle and New Beetle are so high profile and commonplace that their followings are merely large.
The vehicles from Forbes list of the coolest cult cars of all time were niche cars when they were new--supercars, race cars, exotic European autos and other low- to mid-volume vehicle types.
Top ten Coolest Cult Car
- Cadillac Eldorado - The 1959 Eldorado convertible, its pointy taillights wrapped in ridiculous fins, showed a General Motors that was so rich and dominant it felt like it could get away with anything. And the Eldorado two-doors of the mid-1970s, although something of a cliché now, are still as sinister as cars get.
- Citroen SM - The SM offered futuristic looks and technology, such as a suspension that traded springs for bulbs containing nitrogen and mineral oil--a forward-thinking idea that was not yet ready for execution, as evidenced by the car's frequent discharges of hydraulic fluid on the floors of garages.
- 1970 - 1974 Dodge Challenger - the Challenger is the sexiest of the pony cars, largely because of those evil, partially hidden headlights.
- Ferrari 250 GTO - produced in limited numbers (perhaps less than 40 models altogether) in the early 1960s, the GTO is almost not a cult car because it is so widely revered, but ultimately is one because it is so rare.
- Ferrari Enzo - produced in a limited numer of 400 units, each one is worth over $1 million
- Jaguar D-Type - The D-Type race cars of the 1950s--the sexiest race cars ever--have performance credentials that few other cars can touch. D-Types won France's 24 Hours of Le Mans race three times in the 1950s, taking first, second, third, fourth and sixth places in 1957.
- Lamborghini Countach - the Quattrovalvole, 1985 version, featured 455 horsepower and could reach 186 miles per hour.
- 1961 Lincoln Continental - The '61 Continental was the first car with curved glass on the side windows and was the purest vision for a nameplate considered, along with the old-school Zephyr, the classic Lincoln.
- 1954 - 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster - The Speedster, a stripped-down version of the 356, has become one of the most sought-after Porsches by collectors, according to the company itself--quite an honor, considering that virtually all Porsches are sought-after.
- Talbot T-150 - Collectors drool over French Bugattis of the 1930s, but the cars are rarely purchased for their beauty; they're more like negotiable bonds. Bugattis came from lousy body builders and had designs that only seem interesting now because they come restored in two-tone paint schemes, such as black and yellow. Look instead at the cult surrounding the somewhat similar Talbot "Lago" models of the day, such as the 1937 T-150-C-SS pictured here. The epitome of classy, old-school rides, the T-150 is rarely seen outside of car shows (where it is adored) and could be the most beautiful car ever built.