The sixties were the scene of important events and great social changes. Women's liberation arrived, the sexual revolution arrived, the contraceptive pill was approved, the first heart transplant in history occurred, John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King were assassinated, the Berlin Wall was built and human beings reached the moon.
Additionally, some of the most iconic cars in automotive history were created during the 1960s. Born from the hand of some of the most prestigious designers of the time, their common denominator is their beauty, their elegance and the enormous power of their engines. All of them virtues that have made them immortal.
Currently, six decades after their creation, they have become icons of a golden age of the automotive industry and, currently, existing units have a price only available to the most powerful collectors. There were more, but here we offer you some of the most charismatic cars that saw the light of day during that era.
Alfa Romeo launched a street version of the T33 competition model in 1967. Only 18 units were manufactured. Their main feature was the butterfly wing type doors; It was the first vehicle to use this solution. The engine of the 33 Stradale was a two-liter V8 that developed a maximum power of 230 HP. Its extreme lightness, it barely weighed 700 kilos, allowed it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds and reach an extraordinary maximum speed of 260 km/h.
Launched on the market in 1965, the DB5 was a fundamental piece in the relaunch of the British brand. Under the four-seater GT configuration, it was an evolution of the DB4 and had a 4-liter and 3.7-liter inline six-cylinder engine, capable of producing 282 HP of power and reaching 240 km/h. It debuted equipment such as electric windows or optional availability of air conditioning. There was also a convertible version. The total production was 1,022 copies.
Created in Maranello with the aim of competing and winning in the World Endurance Championship, the GTO was presented in 1962 as an evolution of the GT SWB. It was equipped with a three-liter V12 with 300 HP of power, a propellant capable of generating a maximum speed of 281 km/h. This car won the world titles in its category during the years 1962, 1963 and 1964 and the scarce thirty units destined for street cars currently have an astronomical value.
This legendary Ford sports car was born with the sole objective of achieving a prestigious sporting victory, in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. After several attempts, they won this title in 1966, beating Ferrari. A hundred exclusive units were built for the street, equipped with a 4.6-liter central V8 engine, capable of producing 355 HP. Weighing slightly over 900 kilos, it reached a speed of 263 km/h and accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.3 seconds.
Presented at the 1961 edition of the Geneva Motor Show, Jaguar created, said by Enzo Ferrari himself, the most beautiful car in history. Manufactured in roadster and coupe bodies, this iconic and luxurious sports car had a 3.8-liter inline six-cylinder engine, with 269 HP of power, which allowed it to reach 240 km/h. It became the car of choice for stars such as Steve McQueen, Brigitte Bardot and Frank Sinatra and was produced, in different series and evolutions, until 1975.
Born in 1963, the Italian brand began to write its brilliant history with the launch of the Miura in 1966, thanks to its exceptional 4-liter V12 engine capable of generating a power of 350 HP, which would later increase to 385 HP., figures enough to become the fastest production street car in the world at the moment. The forecast was to sell 50 units, but its success was brutal and a total of 763 units were manufactured until its farewell in 1973.
It was the first production model of the legendary brand created by Ferruccio Lamborghini and was presented at the 1964 edition of the Geneva Motor Show. The beauty of its design was the work of Carrozzeria Touring of Milan, considered the best of the time in the creation of sports cars. Weighing 1,100 kg, the engine was a 3.5-liter V12 capable of producing 320 HP, although even more powerful versions were later launched. The interior had a 2 1 layout, with a rear center seat.
The Japanese brand began a powerful expansion offensive in the 1960s to sell cars around the world. With its two-seater GT image and a very long nose body, the 2000 GT was a demonstration of its technological capabilities. Produced between 1966 and 1970, only 377 units were manufactured and it was equipped with a 150 HP engine developed with the help of Yamaha which, combined with its light bodywork, allowed a maximum speed of 220 km/h.
