A new study from Confused.com (Q4, 2021) has revealed that the 2010s produced the most beautiful cars, according to Fibonacci’s Golden Ratio – a mathematical symmetry ratio that influences perceived attractiveness. The golden ratio – which analyses the height and width dimensions of the ‘face on’ view of the car, was used to determine the scientific beauty of over 370 cars. Confused.com can now reveal all!
The results:
Decade |
Decade’s average % match to the golden ratio |
Most statistically beautiful car from the decade |
Car’s percentage match to the golden ratio |
2010s |
90.18% |
McLaren 720s 4.0 V8 |
99.73% |
2000s |
87.83% |
Lamborghini Gallardo Coupe |
99.20% |
1970s |
85.37% |
Mercedes-Benz C111 – 11 D |
99.33% |
1990s |
84.94% |
Ferrari F355 GTS |
95.61% |
2020s |
84.00% |
McLaren GT |
98.08% |
1960s |
79.49% |
Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada |
97.99% |
1980s |
79.36% |
Lamborghini Jalpa P350 |
98.08% |
1950s |
76.34% |
Chrysler Plymouth Fury (KP31) |
95.30% |
1940s |
74.48% |
Ferrari 166 MM Zagato Panoramica |
88.27% |
2010s produced the most statistically beautiful cars
Confused.com can reveal that the 2010s is the decade which produced the most statistically beautiful vehicles. Cars released in this decade averaged an incredible 90.18% match to the golden ratio. Of the cars released during this decade, the 2017 McLaren 720s 4.0 V8 is the most attractive. With an almost perfect 99.73% match to the golden ratio, it’s also making the most stunning of all cars analysed. The decade’s high average is also down to the 2017 McLaren 570s Coupe (99.24% match) and the 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Coupe (99.20% match). These beautiful models finished second and third in the decade, respectively.
The 2000s comes in second place, with releases in this decade averaging an 87.83% match to the golden ratio. The 2003 Lamborghini Gallardo Coupe can be thanked for assisting with this high average, due to its 99.20% match to the golden ratio. The second best from this decade is the 2000 Ferrari 360 Modena Challenge Stradale F1 (99.07% match), followed by the 2008 Aston Martin One -77 in third (98.85% match). When it comes to the 17 Aston Martins analysed, the One -77 is the most beautiful, beating iconic models such as the 1963 Aston Martin DB5 (76.96% match).
It was the 1970s which produced the third most statistically beautiful cars, with an 85.37% match to golden ratio for the decade on average. Confused.com discovered that the 1970 Mercedes-Benz C111 – 11 D is the most mathematically stunning car released, with a 99.33% match to the golden ratio. This places the Mercedes as the third most beautiful car overall, and the oldest car to make it into the top 10.
In fourth place is the 1990s, with car releases averaging an 84.94% match to the golden ratio. With a 99.20% match, the 1994 Ferrari F355 GTS is the most stunning car to come out of the 90s, and the second most beautiful car overall. This is followed by the 1996 Lotus Esprit V8 32V Turbo as the second-best car of the decade (98.96% match), and the 1994 McLaren F1 in third (98.67% match). The F1 is also the second-best of all McLarens analysed.
40s and 50s: the least beautiful decades for cars
With a 74.48% match to the golden ratio on average for the decade, it’s the 1940s that produced the least statistically beautiful cars. The 1949 Ferrari 166 MM Zagato Panoramica came out as the most stunning, with an 88.27% match to the golden ratio. However, despite being the most statistically beautiful of the decade, the Ferrari falls short in the overall rankings. It places just 112 out of the 372 cars analysed, and 22 out of the 29 Ferrari models considered for the research.
The 1950s produced the second least statistically beautiful cars, with a 76.34% match to the golden ratio on average. With a percentage difference of 95.30%, the best car to come out of the 50s was the 1957 Chrysler Plymouth Fury (KP31). Of the five Chryslers analysed in the study, the Plymouth Fury takes first place. This beats younger models such as the 1997 Plymouth Prowler (92.11% match) by 3.19%, and the 1970 Plymouth Superbird (89.27% match) by 6.03%.
Alex Kindred, Car Insurance expert at Confused.com, comments:
“Although car design and technology have evolved throughout the decades, many classics from the 70s and the earlier years are clearly still popular today, with enthusiasts desperate to get their hands on them.
If you’re fortunate enough to own one of these classic beauties, keeping it secure should be a priority, as many classic cars don’t have the security systems more modern cars do. And it doesn’t have to be pricey. If you have a garage, keeping it stored away overnight might be a safer option than leaving it on the driveway. Or you can invest in security devices, such as a steering wheel lock or a GPS tracker, which both help in keeping your car more secure. Our guide to car security highlights some of the most effective ways to keep your pride and joy safe.”
Please Note
- Confused.com sought to determine the most scientifically beautiful car from each decade according to the golden ratio (a mathematical symmetry ratio that influences perceived attractiveness) of the front view of the car.
- A list of a maximum of 50 iconic cars of each decade from the 1940s to 2020s was obtained from reputable sources using in-house metrics. Please access the full list of sources in this Google document.
- The width and height dimensions of each vehicle within the dataset was extracted from each vehicle’s manufacturer’s official website. Any model specifications not found on the sites were alternatively sourced from one of the following sources: Conceptcarz.com; carfolio.com; autoevolution.com; auto-data.net/en/; supercars.net; fastestlaps.com/; dimensions.com ; allcarindex.com ; carsopedia.com; carsguide.com.au ; automobiledimension.com; ev-database.uk. Cars with no data available were omitted from the study.
- Following the collection of data, the ratio of width to height was used to calculate the difference against the golden ratio dimensions (1.61803398875). In total, 372 cars were analysed.
- Subsequently, percentages were calculated to express the difference from each car to the golden ratio.
- All vehicles were ranked in ascending order, deeming the most beautiful cars as the ones closest to the golden ratio proportions; therefore, determining the most statistically beautiful cars from each decade.
- All data was collated in November 2021 and is subject to change.
Source: https://www.confused.com/car-insurance
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