David Gandy has proved that male models can be just as fabulous as female ones - his blog is among the most popular of all our guest blogs (we can't imagine why) - and while we love looking at him, he's been busy looking at cars all this time. If you want him to notice you, talk about one of these next time you see him.
1. Jaguar XKSS
'There is one sentence needed to describe how sublime and cool this car is: 'Steve McQueen was renowned for speeding around the Hollywood hills in an XKSS'. The End. This is my dream car. The one that I would sell most of my worldly possessions (and some family), to own. Only 16 were made from 1957 onwards. It was developed from the racing Jaguar D-Types as a 'duel purpose' car and was in a league of its own as the world's quickest and fastest production car. To me though, its grace, detailing, and pre-E-type beauty puts it at the top of probably the greatest and most stylish car of all time.'
2. Jaguar XJ6
'I believe people are always Jaguar, BMW or Mercedes drivers although Mercedes, BMW and even Audi owners might swap and change between each other as those badges are always a pull. My family has always been a Jaguar family and since the Eighties my dad has always had an XJ6 sitting on the driveway. These cars took myself and my family across many a European adventure (the Griswolds had nothing on us!). My grandparents always with us, Nan handing out dusty/linty mints from bottom of her handbag and my mum's self-mixed cassettes blasting out Hall & Oates for the 38th time that day, but even after a week of fulltime driving, the smell of the finest quality wood and leather still filled the air. But you know the most amazing thing, the XJ never once let us down. Launched and regarded as the most beautiful saloon car in 1968, the XJ6 design stayed with us for 32 years. Sir William Lyons rewrote the luxury car rule book. It handled better than most sports cars and the ride was more cosseting than anything Rolls Royce was producing. The rest, as they say, is history.'
3. Land Rover - Defender
'The fact that the Defender was first seen at the Amsterdam motor show in 1948 and the design has barely changed to this day is quite extraordinary. There's no pretence, no guile style to the Defender. It somehow mixes honesty with style, looking like nothing before or after it. The fact that four wheel drive vehicles are hated by the anti 4x4 brigade makes it that much more appealing. It's old school, uncompromising and very, very British and I love that.'
4. Alfa Romeo - GTV
'Everyone may be thinking I've lost my marbles by putting this Alfa in this list (if not already), especially when I've left out E-Types, Lamborghini, Range Rovers etc. But to me, in 1995 Alfa brought a little Italian chic back to the car industry. It allowed a younger generation to realise what Alfa heritage really stood for and let them pretend they were Dustin Hoffman from The Graduate for a while. It was a stunning design. If Ferrari ever made a 'car for the masses' it would have been the GTV. The wedge-like aggressive stance, mixed with the beauty of the four lamp Alfa nose was a real shock when it was launched. A future classic, I wouldn't bet against it.'
5. Ferrari - 250 GTO SWB
'To show you the type of exacting eye that was used to make the 250SWB such a masterpiece, the story goes that on the unveiling of the full scale mock-up, Pinin said "I hate to tell you this, the design isn't right - five millimeters will have to be taken off." The designers of this car were never trained in design or styling. The surface development, proportions and shape all came from the heart, from the designers' Italian heritage. Pinin called the idea behind this car 'essentiality'. Who am I to try and better that?'
5. Ferrari - 250 GTO SWB
'To show you the type of exacting eye that was used to make the 250SWB such a masterpiece, the story goes that on the unveiling of the full scale mock-up, Pinin said "I hate to tell you this, the design isn't right - five millimeters will have to be taken off." The designers of this car were never trained in design or styling. The surface development, proportions and shape all came from the heart, from the designers' Italian heritage. Pinin called the idea behind this car 'essentiality'. Who am I to try and better that?'
7. Aston Martin - Vantage V12 (2009)
'Maybe I'm getting older and more cynical, but modern car design is tugging at my heart strings less and less these days - hence the reason for a lack of modern machinery in the list. Aston Martin has been doing its best to rectify this problem though. Firstly with the DB9 and then the sublime V8 Vantage. They then proceeded to make far too many of the V8s and seemed to sell them to every footballer and hip hop star and, to me, lost huge credibility plus, these cars were losing up to 40k in the first four years of ownership. Just when I thought I couldn't stand another Bond/Aston associated article by another journalist (Bond's original car was a Bentley for goodness sake), they go and build the Vantage V12, based on the feline aggression of the 2005 V8, but with increased organic muscularity. Thinking of it now makes me go a little weak at the knees. With the sports suspension and V12 engine, it betters most things Audi and Lamborghini can throw at it. If I had to buy a brand new car today, this would be it.'
8. Original Mini
'The original mini was launched in 1959 and is Britain's most influential car ever. It was apparently conceived in a very British way. Alec Issigonis sketched his ideas onto a back of an envelope over a drinking session. The Mini was obviously tiny but its interior space was staggering. It handled better than any rival (and many sports cars), and was hugely cheap to run. The Mini's reputation was sealed when it then went on to win the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, 1965 and 1967. Of course the shape today is very reminisent of the original. But, now it's owned by BMW I find it a bit heavy, with limited space and quite expensive. Still, we keep buying them in the millions so they obviously have their appeal - I just find it a little bit sad.'
9. Bugatti - Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe
'The Bugatti doesn't so much resemble an automobile as more like something from the aviation industry. This was a car that both encapsulated l'art moderne and triumph of scientific streamlining, with features such as exposed seams and rivots running down the body and spine, created entirely from aluminium and semi-ellipsoidal windows - all made for what I think is the most extraordinary car ever built.'
10. Mercedes Benz - 300 SL Gullwing
'Sitting at the traffic lights, there aren't many cars a man could drive that would make me green with envy. However, I would admit defeat to anyone who pulls alongside me in a Gullwing coupe. It is so sensational to look at, it gives me butterflies. Forget that it was at one time the 'greatest road car ever built for the public'. The design features of the Gullwing were all practical problems to solutions - the Gullwing doors, no protrusions, no door handles, no outside rear view mirror were simply for the pursuit of speed and aerodynamics.'
11. Porsche - 1959 RSK
'Of all the racing cars, this Porsche to me is the most heartachingly beautiful. Not aggressive, it's almost whale-like in shape - maybe even cerebral. This, to me, is how a car should look - squat, small, agile, no rear or front overhangs. If I were racing in the Fifties in this car I'd almost feel like the car was part of me, almost like it had intelligence. Many people will say I should have included the Speedster or James Dean's infamous Spyder. Most though won't have even heard of the RSK and that to me is one of its greatest appeals.'
12. Mercedes - 1960 - 70s, 280 SL
'If there has ever been a chicer styled car than this then I've yet to see it. Add that to its solid German engineering and that it proved itself as a true sports car in winning the Marathon de la route. I've been toying with the thought of buying one of these for the last few years. The image of me with roof down, a beautiful woman beside me with head scarf blowing in the warm summer air, is appealing. I think the image is with a winding Tuscan road in the background not the Fulham Road and the number 14 bus behind mind.'
13. Bentley - Blower, 1929
'Forget Aston Martin. The Bentley Blower was the car Ian Fleming chose for 007 to drive in his earliest novel - it was James Bond's first car. It was also the first model car I remember my grandad building and giving to me. I didn't play with it, just stared in bewilderment at this fascinating machine. Famous for its 'blower' that was installed menacingly on the crankshaft at the front of the car, the car was actually unsuccessful but still attains a mythic status, probably thanks mostly to the way it was conceived at the time by the 'Bentley boys' - a gaggle of of rich Brits who drove hard and played even harder.'
14. Audi - TT, 2000
'There is no better way to explain the impact the Audi TT design had, than to tell you a story. In 1999, I showed my father another picture of a car (this was a regular annoyance that my un-car loving father had to endure), from one of the numerous car magazines I was into at the time. However this time was different. This time there was still the glazed look in the eyes and the bemused smile, but it was followed by the words "Your Mum and I need a new car - are they out yet?" I said "No", but this wasn't going to stop me. A year later we were in Germany collecting our right hand drive TT and driving it back to the UK. No test drive, no reviews, no asking of the price - for some reason my dad just wanted that car. And of course, my Dad being my Dad still has it to this day. The TT though is iconic. Like no other car ever designed, it follows a form over function philosophy, associated with the Bauhaus design school. It's evolved now and is in its second generation, which to me just looks like an A3 coupe. For me original, in this case, will always be the best.'
15. Lotus - Elise, Series 2
'The 1996 Elise was frankly a revelation. It went back to original Lotus principles of being very simple, very light and innovative. Almost revolutionary in it's design and structure, it is still regarded as one of the best driving cars to this day. The Series 2 Lotus Elise moved the experience on even further. It kept all the original driving dynamics of the original, but somehow made it even more beautiful. Actions speak louder than words, and in 2008 I bought a 111R. I kept it in the country whilst I lived in London, hardly drove it and when I did venture back to drive it one winter's evening I crashed it and wrote it off. My memory though is just how 'right' this car was. The style, the proportions, the Ferrari F40 inspired brake lights - I was happy to just sit there and just stare at her.'
Source: vogue.co.uk
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