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I am not an SUV person but the Nissan Murano, displayed in the corridor of a mall shopping center in 2003, absolutely blew me away.  I think it is still the most beautifully-designed autobody of ANY type of vehicle on the road today.  Can you tell us who designed it, since Nissan doesn't seem to be saying?

I had a similar reaction in 1999 to the introduction of the Chrysler 300M, which I believe is much more beautiful than the new 300C's shape.  I recently had the lower one-third of my pale sage green PearlCote 2000-model 300M painted Inferno Red Metallic ClearCote and this car looks SHARP!

And I agree about losing the BMW CS that you chose!!  There are many more beautiful Beemers!  And the fastback Buick Riveira of the 60's was also much more stylish than the notchback one that you chose.  

I agree with some of the selections.  However, I would have to include:

1935 Auburn Speedster
1929-35 Duesenburg SJ
Ferrari P3/P4
1935 Packard V12  

The Murano, JohnDomm?!?!?! Well, I guess it takes all kinds. Seriously though, as an SUV goes, it's really quite handsome.

Anyway, it is a product of Nissan Design America, Inc. (NDA) in La Jolla, California. I don't know who the project lead was. But I'm sure if you called their office directly, they'd be more than happy to tell you.

I agree with you on the 300M though; it's certainly the best looking LH car, and, IMHO, the best looking "jellybean" design.  

Ok JohnDomm, the individual responsible for the Murano's body is Alfonso Albaisa, associate director of design at NDA.  

In the January, 2006 issue of Automobile, David E. Davis, Jr. quoted himself from October, 1964, calling the just restyled Corvair "the most beautiful car to appear in this country since before World War II."  Imagine my surprise to see the '65-'69 Corvair NOT make the 25 Most Beautiful Car list.  Don't get me wrong, I agreed with most of the cars on the list (not sure about the 300ZX), but look closely at the pictures of the Corvair in the January article, especially on page 88-89.  The late model Corvairs look great at any angle, are very well balanced (especially considering where the engine is), and have simple, flowing lines and just enough bright trim to give them an understated elegance.  Okay, I'll admit I'm a little partial since I own a yellow '69 coupe, but considering Mr. Davis' opinion of the Corvair, then and now, I think I'm in pretty good company.  

How could these cars be missing??

1965 Ford Mustang
Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato
Ford GT
Maserati A6G2000 Zagato Coupe
1957 Ford T-bird
Ferrari F50
Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder LWB  

I cannot help but notice a glaring omission from this list: the Citroen DS.  From a time when most cars had big wings and big butts and such, sitting down at a desk and drawing the DS has to have been a truly significant mark in automotive design history.  Does anyone else agree?

PS- I have to agree with a previous poster that the inclusion og the Nissan 300ZX is really puzzling, even disturbing.  

Was happy to see the '53 Studebaker on the list.  I bought a used Champion Starliner Coupe in '56 for $700.  It was a three speed with O.D.  Not much on performance, but great on looks.  Because of the low center of gravity for the time, it probably saved my life in a high speed accident avoidance manuever.  Most cars of that era would have rolled.  In the 70's I bought a '53 Commander Starliner hardtop and restored it.  Never foget filling it up one night and a teenager who never heard of a Studebaker walked around the car several times and marveled at it and asked if it was a new model (already over 20 years old!)  A friend had one and dropped a Caddy V-8 in it.  He busted a rear axle on his first night out.  The only complaint came from by buddies in high school who would never "double date" in the Stude because of a permanent rear seat armrest.  

I would add the following cars to the list:

1962 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta swb
1963 Ferrari 250 GT California swb
1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso
1964 Aston Martin DB4
1963 Mercedes Benz 300SL Roadster
1958 Jaguar Mk2 3.8  

You are aware DED has left Automobile, aren't you, dickens? He has a new online-only auto mag called Winding Road; http://www.windingroad.com/ .  

I just LOVE to argue with automotive editors, but you folks got this one pretty much right.  Obviously, the term "beautiful" is terribly subjective, but here's my $.02:

1) I would have picked either the Bugatti Type 57S OR the Talbot-Lago as the representative of 1930's aero design, but not both.  That would have opened a space for the 1956 Continental Mark II, a true masterpiece and the most beautiful car of the 1950s.

2) I'm not sure about your Lotus Elite choice, but Automobile Quarterly once picked the 4 most beautiful cars designed by GM, and the '65 Corvair coupe was one of them.  Considering the cost restraints put on this production car, it certainly deserves a spot on your list for its incredibly clean and attractive design.

3) The original Toronado was certainly ground-breaking, and very aggressive-looking.  But beautiful? I would have picked either of the other 2 E-body contemporaries of this car: the '66 Riviera or '67 Eldorado.  Both come much closer to my definition of the word "beautiful."

4) Speaking of "ground-breaking," the '61 Continental was that AND beautiful.  I've driven several of these, right up through the last 4-door convertible in '67, and they're also quite road-worthy, especially when compared to a Cadillac or Imperial of that era.  And the ride is nothing short of amazing: perfectly smooth and serene.

5) Thank you for honoring the Ghibli, the 3.0 CS and the 300ZX.  All truly beautiful machines that have gone too long without proper recognition.  Although many arguments have been posted here against it, the 3.0 CS is beautiful, and I really can't tell you why. Add in the fact that its the only coupe on this list who's styling derives from a 4-door (the original Bavaria/5-Series), and its great looks become even more amazing.

6) Laugh all you want, but I'd give almost anything to have my Aunt Ruth's Plymouth Mod Top today.  She had the car less than 6 months and loved it, before trading it for a Malibu convertible.  A thick-skinned lady for sure, but even she couldn't take all the ribbing over that purple/blue/green daisy-bedecked roof.  I thought it was cool, but give me a break: I was all of 12 at the time....  

You have got to be kidding. The Z32 (90-96 300zx) is quite beautiful. The lines flow perfectly, in my opinion. Look up a picture of the 1990 twin turbo model. I only glanced at the article briefly, but I do believe the picture they showed in the was the NA model.  

You know, just because a car didnt cost 100,000 dollars doesnt mean it isnt beautiful. I do not see how everyone is so amazed that the 300zx made this list.  

Anyone who questions the validity of the 90-96 300ZX obviously has a poor grasp for beauty in aesthetic design, much less a sense of perspective.

Take out any issue of Automobile or any other car magazine from 1989. The 1990 300ZX is a stark contrast to EVERYTHING else being offered. Ferarris were full of vents and slats that were all the rage of the 80's, BMW's followed suit with less than graceful box-ish designs, every other japanese sportscar was little more than a child of the 80's aesthetic culture. Not to mention the abhorrent American offerings of the day, camaro, mustang, corvette (the C4 did not mature into anything resembling beatiful in my opinion).

Yet the 300ZX was a complete break with styling convention of the late 80's. Granted the NA version was slightly milktoast with its narrower wheels and smaller tires and spoilerless profile. The design is truly timeless and sparked a whole new direction in automotive styling in the 90's as a large portion of the auto market played catch up and me-too.

The supra completely changed its design theme to a more curvish graceful style, the RX-7 soon followed with its voluptuous lines. Ferrari ditched the angular fenders and vents and slats for more graceful themes in the 355. The mustang took to a more curvacious look, abandoning its prior geometric abomination.

The 300ZX may not be what everyone here thinks is beautiful, as they say, it is in the eye of the beholder.....but the reason it BELONGS in the top twenty five is because it is in fact beatiful, and was the first to abandon the longstanding angular school of design of the late 70's and throughout the 80's, and it paved the way for the rest of the auto world to do the same. Much like that 1st gazelle you see plunge into a croc infested river to get to the other side, the rest of the herd doesnt follow until it sees the fate of the first.  

take a look at subarus before the 1990 300ZX, now look at your 91 SVX........
old subarus look like 15ft doorstops
SVX is a fine looking curvaceous car with flush lines throughout....

much like the Nissan introduced well prior, hmm
imitation is the sincerest form of flattery