‘What is the most elegant modern car on the market?’ If a person has a lot of money, and could afford any car they’d like, what could they buy that could show intelligence, money, class and taste? What is the modern timeless Talbot Lago?

http://www.automobilemag.com/features/news/25_most_beautiful_cars/0609_mercedes_benz_500k_special_roadster/index.html

There is no real modern equivalent to the Lago or the Bugatti 57SC – and the expensive cars are rarely elegant these days, because they seem to have crossed over into a brashness that fits the McMansion and botox zeitgeist.

A few cars do carry themselves with grace and do not offend with over-the-top details… at the high end, the Maserati GT and QPorte, and “the Aston” (since they all look the same!)

On the hoi-polloi end of the market, the Mazda Miata, Honda Civic Coupe (in dark colors), and the Mercedes E class. The E-class in general, has always been the most understated design in the Benz lineup in any generation, and is spared the ravages of fashion that are wrought at the lower end and the top-end of their range.

I would have added the Merc CL coupe but I own a 2007 CL model of this fine car, so my opinion may be a tad subjective.

I’ve caught both down the grocery store and they are both like meeting a Movie Star in Real life; quite striking.

The DB9 actually seems like quite a long+narrowish car in real life. It was surprising.

+Those Late 60’s early 70’s Bentleys and Jags were pretty sweet, too. -Like the one in the “Keen Eddie” Bentley Club episode.

http://www.motorsportscenter.com/uploads/left_rear_water.jpg

and

http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/tw/images/04a8_1.jpg

The new S-Class is starting to grow on me, mangled trunk lid, bulging wheel wells and all.

And any Aston would be my two-door choice.

D’oh!

The 8C doesn’t do it for me, though. You have all these swoopy curves…and then, right in the middle, right where there should be something to tie it all together, you’ve got this big honkin’ chrome triangle of a snout. It completely ruins the car. Get rid of the triangular opening and bring it down smoothly and you’d have something tasteful, maybe even elegant. But holy crap, it looks like a pig getting ready to root through the vegetable garden.

The Cadillac CTS is too much of the latter to be elegant. Ditto Caddy’s whole new styling direction. Ditto Acura. The last Cadillac with any elegance was the last generation Fleetwood. And the Allante – the Allante’s styling is classic.

Rolls-Royce and Bentley are far too “look at me” to be elegant. Sort of the Mr. T of the motoring world, wearing all that bling. A fine gold chain is OK, but too much doesn’t scream, “I’m graceful.” (With all apologies to Mr. T. Probably a great guy. Please don’t throw me helluva far!)

My neighbor parked her last-generation E-Class outside, and I drove by real slow. I’d say it and the old S-Class had some real elegance. But not today’s Mercedes. The old SL too, I suppose, though I do not care for the new SL. The only thing I’d really consider elegant is the CLS.

BMW has given up. Bangle favors controversial designs over elegance. The 7-series was sublime until he got his hands on it.

Lexus’ offerings are too bland, though I’d say the LS is fairly close. I might give it a pass; its proportions are good and lines are nice, even if it’s a bit understated (which, of course, fits my original bill). The IS and ES are too pedestrian. I don’t like the GS.

Former Lincolns may have oozed elegance, now not so much. The MKZ looks too bold, the MKS looks weird. Nothing understated about that grille. The Town Car’s look is now bulbous, with odd proportions. The last Lincoln with a hint of elegance was the Mark VIII.

Jaguar XK8 had it, especially the coupe. You never really see them (people preferred the convertible), but they are striking. The XJ still looks fantastic after all these years, though something about the XF doesn’t make me think it’s elegance. The C-XF concept though – THAT was elegant.

Ferraris and Lambos are too brash. They scream “look at me!” Elegance doesn’t scream. I’d include Porsches in this group too, even if they seem a bit less egocentric.

I know they’ve been said, but I’ll say it again. Aston Martin DB9 – Yes! Maserati Quadroportte – YES!

Sorry, I’ve wasted way too much time posting this! I’m sure I missed some. As for the modern day Talbot Lago? The DB9 is probably the closest, even it looks pedestrian when next to the Lago.

The above statements are, of course, my own opinion. Yours may vary.

but a modern classic would be a peugeot 406 coupe by pininfarina.

my pick however would be, a 60’s lincoln Continental, or Mercedes SL of the same era.

The Audi R8: more impressive in person but grace and elegance is not really the German’s forte. It’s just not in their genes.

But one hot summer day in Brooklyn I looked in the rearview mirror of my beloved previa and saw something that looked like it was from another planet.

If an object 2 feet tall could loom, this was looming. It was silver and seemed to grow out of the street – like that metal guy in the Terminator movie (Joe Metal Guy ?) It was a Lamborghini Murcielago – and it was mind bending.

I can only imagine that a Talbot had the same effect in its day – something beyond beauty – more of just not quite able to grasp what you’re looking at.

I strongly disagree with the RR Phantom. The Phantom = bold and crass, which is, of course, the point.

I do agree that elegance is very hard to find in modern cars, which are all variations on the same theme.

Did someone actually mention the Dodge Challenger in a discussion of elegance??? Wow. Just wow.

http://paulrussell.com/portfolio-retrospective/A-mercedes-benz/30_SSK/

Look at how perfectly proportioned it is, with the sloped rear deck, and the finely integrated swage lines. I know the “neu-klasse” sedans before it set the precedent for the BMW’s to come, but the original 5-series design cemented what was to become the look for the next three decades.

Its timeless, beautiful, aggressive, yet refined and restrained. Perfectly balanced, perfectly done.

But for foreign, and overall, got to be the Quattroport. I’ll take a Coupe too, but the new Gran Turismo doesn’t move me.

Someone mentioned Iso Fidia. I’d take the Grifo, but he point is nothing from today can match cars from previous eras. I’d take a Cord 812 cabriolet or Ferrari 250 GT Lusso over ANY car made today, price notwithstanding.

Spyker C8 Laviolette SWB

I also really like the Spyker D8 Peking-to-Paris.

Challenger would be next, though :)

yeah, I’d say the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione!

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I’d kill all of you to have an 8C.

Besides, I wasn’t tooling around in the E-type today, I was tooling around in the barn building a methanol recovery unit for my BioDiesel brewery. I did drive the Jag twice this week though as we had a bit of Indian Summer. Likely the last drive this year.

The E-type does not answer the original question though, as it is a relic of the past. When style and performance were paramount, and safety and comfort were irrelevant. It is closer to the Talbot-Lago than the 8C. The 8C however captures the elegance of the E-type in a far more modern machine.

–chuck