You would be hard-pressed to find a list of the world’s most beautiful cars that don’t feature the Talbot-Lago T150C SS Teardrop Coupe. This car was built by Parisian Carrosserie Figoni and Falaschi during the late ’30s and quickly became a revered vehicle. It was capable of reaching over 100 miles per hour and had fantastic braking and handling abilities.
The Teardrop was extremely aerodynamic, which actually made it a viable racing car, even though it was not intended as such. The car had an average speed of 76.75 miles per hour and actually managed to place third at the 1938 24 Hours of LeMans. It also won the Spa 24 Hour Race in 1948, a whole ten years later. It obviously ages very well.
1937 Delahaye 145 Chapron Coupe
The 1937 Delahaye 145 Chapron Coupe first began as a challenge that the French automaker decided to embark on. The company wanted to know if it could actually compete with and beat its Italian sports car rivals. They eventually managed to create what’s considered today a revolutionary masterpiece in sports car architecture.
Delahaye was one of the first automakers in the world to figure out that you can supercharge an engine. It managed to fit a 3.5-liter V6 engine into the 145 Chapron Coupe, making it one of the most powerful cars in the world at the time. Only two of these were ever made, and they were ready to race. Unfortunately, come World War II, plans were put on hold, and the car never got its chance to compete against its Italian competitors.
1939 Lancia Astura IV Touring
Speaking of beautiful cars from the ‘30s, the 1939 Lancia Astura IV Touring was the equivalent of today’s Rolls Royce. It was officially the most beautiful and luxurious car of the time and was sold from 1931 until it was perfected in 1939. During this eight-year run, only about 3,000 of these stunning cars were ever made.
The 1939 Lancia Astura IV Touring featured a 3.0-liter V8 engine and managed to produce up to 82 horsepower. That may not sound like a lot, but the vehicle more than made up for it with its elegance, comfort, and beauty. The car was discontinued in 1939 when Lancia ceased production, although units of the Astura IV are still being traded privately today.
1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS Touring Flying Star Spider
Alfa Romeo was founded in Italy back in 1910 and continues to make extraordinary vehicles even today. During the late ‘20s and early ‘30s, one of its most dominant vehicles was the powerful Alfa Romeo 6C. This was a very beloved and popular model, which caused the company to upgrade it even further. In 1931, Alfa Romeo came up with the 6C 1750 GS Touring Flying Star Spider, which ultimately became their fastest car of all time.
The 1750 GS managed to reach a top speed of almost one hundred miles per hour and had a supercharger option, which resulted in even more boost. The 6C lineup continued until 1954, and by then, its top speed actually peaked at 162 miles per hour. While these numbers don’t sound like much today, it’s hard to forget what an impact Alfa Romeo’s vehicles had on the auto market back then.
1930 Ruxton Model C Raunch and Lang Roadster
Ruxton was one of the world's first front-wheel-drive vehicles and was produced by the New Era Motors Company of New York during the late '20s. The main purpose behind the Ruxton was to turn its company into a household name. It was also produced alongside the Lang Roadster, a more family-friendly version of the vehicle.
New Era Motors ended up gaining a bit of fame before disappearing into nothingness, but it also managed to leave its mark with the iconic 1930 Ruxton Model C Rauch and Lang Roadster. The car had almost 100 units produced and is recognized as a Classic Car by the Classic Car Club of America.