Six cars drawn as simple side profiles, and what makes some cars worth a museum plinth.
Simplified drawings, not to scale.
A very long bonnet, a low cabin set far back and a tapered tail. Sayer was an aerodynamicist, and the shape came from the study of airflow. It launched at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961.
Look at: Proportion, with a long nose and a short tailA smooth, floating body that looked decades ahead when it appeared at the 1955 Paris Salon. Its hydropneumatic suspension rode unlike anything else on the road.
Look at: Surface, one continuous curveA rounded fastback with the engine at the rear. Its silhouette has stayed recognisable for decades, which is rare in any product.
Look at: Identity, one silhouette over many yearsA riveted seam runs along the spine of a low body that curls around the wheels. Only four were built, and the shape has been admired as sculpture ever since.
Look at: Line, the spine seam and the low sweepDoors hinged at the roof gave it the nickname Gullwing. The tubular frame left high sills, and the doors were the practical answer. It was unveiled at the 1954 New York motor show.
Look at: Detail, the doors that became the signatureA low, wide body with the V12 engine mounted sideways behind the driver, a layout that shaped later supercars. It was shown at Geneva in 1966.
Look at: Stance, low, wide and cab forwardFive things designers talk about.
How the body sits on its wheels. Wheels pushed to the corners and a low centre of mass read as confident.
Bonnet length, cabin position and tail length set the character. A long nose and a set-back cabin suggest speed.
A good car often has a single main line that runs from nose to tail without interruption.
Light moving across a panel shows its tension. Flat or fussy surfaces break the effect.
The fewest details, finished perfectly, tend to age best.
Two famous gatherings where cars are judged as art.
California, held since 1950. Cars are judged on authenticity, condition and elegance, with the Pacific as a backdrop.
Lake Como, Italy, first held in 1929. Classic cars drive past a lakeside villa to be admired and judged.