20 great saloon car classics

Superb saloons

Saloon cars are often passed by in the rush to look at coupés and convertibles.

Yet the humble four-door has delivered many of the most important classic cars across the years.

Here’s our pick of superlative saloons, arranged in chronological order.

1. Lancia Aurelia (1950)

The Aurelia was a groundbreaking car when Lancia put it on sale in 1950. It featured sleek, aerodynamic styling by Pinin Farina where the rear window line flows more smoothly into the boot, though it was still discernibly a saloon.

The elegant looks helped Lancia sell 12,705 Aurelia saloons, and it formed the basis of the coupé and spider models.

Under the bonnet of the Aurelia saloon was the world’s first production V6 engine. The compact 60-degree unit gave the car strong performance and grew in size from 1754cc to 2266cc during the car’s life.

2. MG Magnette (1954)

For the family driver who still fancied a slice of the sporting pie, MG came up with the Magnette to replace the pre-war tech of the YA/YB range.

The new ZA model was a crafty mix of Austin and Wolseley bits, but had a distinct MG flavour with its chrome grille. There was also rack-and-pinion steering to give the Magnette a much sharper driving feel.

For the later ZB model, MG added twin carburettors, boosting power to 68bhp from the ZA’s 60bhp. This helped the ZB outsell the earlier version by almost two to one, with 23,846 ZBs built to 12,754 ZAs.

3. Chevrolet Bel Air (1955)

One of the definitive shapes of 1950s American automotive styling, the 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air saloon, or sedan to give its US name, was ideally proportioned.

This hid the car’s considerable size compared to European rivals and endowed it with plenty of space for passengers and their luggage in the classic three-box design.

The Bel Air’s looks made it a favourite with hot rodders in the US, particularly in two-door form. Chevrolet wasn’t blind to the tuning potential of its saloon and offered a Power Pack to increase the standard 160bhp to 180bhp with a four-barrel carburettor. A Super Power Pack offered a further boost of 15bhp thanks to a higher-compression engine.

4. Austin A35 (1957)

Austin made many saloons in the post-war period, but none was quite as dainty and appealing as the A35. The larger rear window of the A35 compared to the earlier A30 gave an airier cabin, plus customers had the choice of two- or four-door saloon models. It proved a big hit with cost-conscious buyers and 375,000 A35s were sold.

Another benefit of taking the A35 over the previous A30 was the later car used a 948cc version of the A-series engine in place of the wheezy 803cc motor.

5. Vauxhall PA Cresta (1957)

The influence of American culture on European car design was never more apparent than in the Vauxhall PA Cresta.

It unashamedly borrowed much of its style from the Chevrolet Bel Air, but suitably downsized in scale for European roads. It gave the Vauxhall saloon a very rounded look, helped by the wraparound front and rear ’screens.

The Cresta marked itself out from its lower order Velox sister with more luxurious equipment levels. A six-cylinder engine also meant the Cresta had the oomph to rival its Ford Zodiac competitor.

6. Jaguar Mk2 (1959)

The Mk2 was not Jaguar’s finest saloon of this period as far as driving manners were concerned, because the S-type handled and rode better with its independent rear suspension.

However, the Mk2 was perfectly proportioned and that drew in eager drivers from bank managers to bank robbers.

The Mk2’s unitary construction had been used on the earlier Mk1, but the later car had thinner door pillars and a larger rear window that brightened up the wood and leather interior.

7. Lincoln Continental (1961)

The 1961 Lincoln Continental looks almost how a child would draw a saloon car with its simple three-box shape.

Yet Elwood Engel’s design is brilliant in its simplicity and allows the elegant details to shine, such as the clap-hand doors. Despite its size, this Continental was shorter than its predecessor but offered more interior space in its well-appointed cabin.

Power for this full-size saloon came from a 430cu in (7.0-litre) V8 driving through a three-speed automatic gearbox. Lincoln also offered the Continental as a four-door convertible which, with the top raised or lowered, kept the same clean lines as the saloon.

8. Ford Cortina (1963)

There was nothing especially radical or unusual about the Ford Cortina’s design when it arrived in 1963, but therein lay its huge appeal.

Here was a good-looking four-door saloon that drove well, provided plenty of room for the family, and offered a bit of one-upmanship with its trim levels. Ford made the most of this with the Mk1 GT model, while the Lotus Cortina added considerable glamour on and off the race track.

The Cortina lasted for five generations into the 1980s as the definitive family saloon and company car, until it was superseded by the jelly-mould Sierra.

9. Rover P6 (1963)

For all of its staid image, Rover was a company unafraid of innovation and this was exemplified by the new 2000 saloon.

In contrast to the upright style of other Rover models, the P6 was low-slung and had a full-width grille rather than the traditional upright surround. With its fashionable quad headlights and large glass area, the P6 brought in a whole new crowd of customers.

The radical nature of the P6 wasn’t just skin deep, because the body panels were hung on a base unit that also supported the advanced suspension set-up. This gave the Rover a superb ride and great handling, though it also made it complicated to service and repair.

10. Triumph 2000 (1963)

When Leyland took over Standard Triumph in 1961, the Standard name was quickly put out to pasture, which left a gap for Triumph to rejoin the large saloon market after a decade’s absence.

The 2000 was a stylish four-door that found instant success, and there was also an estate model for those who needed extra space.

Power came from Standard’s trusty 2.0-litre straight-six and it was good for more than 90mph. The Mk2 arrived in 1969 with revised styling and a more traditional wooden dash style.

Triumph had offered the Mk1 with the 2.5-litre PI fuel-injected engine, but it was only on sale for a year before the Mk2 arrived with PI and carburettor-fed versions of this larger motor.

11. Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow (1965)

‘The best car in the world’ was the simple aim for Rolls-Royce when it launched the Silver Shadow saloon.

To meet this demanding goal, the Shadow was the first Rolls-Royce to use unitary construction and it also adopted a sophisticated hydraulic set-up for the brakes and suspension. Along with the recently introduced aluminium V8 engine, the Shadow hit the mark, and set new levels for comfort and refinement.

John Blatchely’s clean-flanked design for the Shadow was in marked contrast to the sweeping lines of the previous Cloud, but it quickly became the car for royalty and rock stars to be seen in.

It also means the Silver Shadow went on to become the most successful Rolls-Royce ever made.

12. BMW 2002 (1968)

The 2002 became the definitive version of BMW’s ’02 range that had been launched in 1966 with the 1602.

Two senior BMW figures, Alex von Faulkenhausen and Helmut Werner Bonsch, had their company 1602s converted to 2.0-litre power. They realised the potential and took the idea to BMW’s board – the 2002 was the result.

The looks of the 2002 were much the same as the 1602, styled by Georg Bertram and Manfred Rennen under the direction of Wilhelm Hofmeister. However, the more powerful car had a different front grille style to let others know you were driving a sportier version of the two-door saloon.

The 2002 is also where BMW took its inspiration for the 3 Series line that followed.

13. Jaguar XJ (1968)

In one swoop, Jaguar rationalised its saloon range into a single model with the arrival of the XJ.

It might have continued to use the XK engine, but standards of refinement, performance and comfort all took a huge leap forward with this handsome four-door model. Jaguar also introduced a long-wheelbase version for those who preferred to conduct their business from the back seat.

The XJ quickly earned high praise from all who drove it, pushing Rolls-Royce and Mercedes-Benz out of contention for the ‘best car in the world’ title.

That was only underlined further when Jaguar introduced its V12 engine to the XJ in 1972, and the XJ continued in V12 form up to 1993 even though the new XJ40 had arrived in 1986 to replace the XK-powered versions.

14. Fiat 128 (1969)

One of Fiat’s finest cars hides its star quality beneath a simple saloon body. The 128’s no-frills looks were ideal for the market it was intended for, but underneath was a very clever car.

While the Ford Escort and Vauxhall Viva stuck with rear-wheel drive, the Fiat employed a transversely mounted 1116cc four-cylinder engine to power the front wheels. This created much more cabin space and freed up more boot space.

Not only was the 128 intelligent in its saloon design, it handled very well and was easy on fuel. Little wonder this layout was adopted as the standard across the car industry for small cars.

15. Volkswagen K70 (1970)

The Passat has gone on to become a long-lasting saloon staple of Volkswagen’s range, but the K70 preceded it by three years.

At the turn of the decade, VW really needed a new model to expand away from the Beetle-derived ranges. The K70 was the answer, even though it had been intended as an NSU model to sit below the Ro80.

The K70’s styling was not particularly distinguished, but it was the first Volkswagen to come with front-wheel drive and a water-cooled engine. When the Passat arrived in 1973, the K70’s sales dropped off and, when it was discontinued in 1975, 211,127 had been built.

16. BMW 5 Series (1972)

By 1972, the mid-sized BMW 2000 saloon was looking and feeling its age, so the new 5 Series couldn’t come soon enough.

When it did, the 5 set new standards for the class in the way it drove and the cabin space it provided within its simple but stylish saloon shape. As had become the norm with BMWs by then, the back side glass featured the Hofmeister kink at its lower rear edge.

The canted-forward grille and four-headlight style of the 5 Series set the tone for all of BMW’s models in the 1970s and ’80s. This shark-nosed style is still evident in the company’s latest cars.

17. Ford Granada (1972)

The Granada was Ford’s executive saloon for the 1970s and featured larger engines than the Consul, which was the base model.

In 1975, the whole range merged under the Granada name and the model enjoyed a long and prosperous life as a fine-handling, affordable saloon alternative to those from BMW and Mercedes.

Ford offered the Granada Mk1 as an estate and two-door coupé, but it was the saloon that racked up the sales. For the second-generation model, the saloon and estate persisted, while the third-generation Granada arrived with hatchback styling and eventually adopted the Scorpio name.

18. Mercedes-Benz S-Class (1972)

Where the Mercedes S-Class line began is a topic for debate. What’s not in doubt is the 116-series generation launched in 1972 was the finest saloon car of its time.

The Freidrich Geiger-styled four-door was at once bold and chiselled, yet also restrained enough for Mercedes’ usual conservative clientele.

Among the innovations incorporated into this supreme saloon were reinforced roof and door pillars for added crash protection. The 116 also had front and rear indicators that wrapped around the corners of the car to give other drivers a better view of your intentions to improve safety.
 

19. Audi 100 (1983)

The Audi 100 badge had been around since 1968, but it’s the third-generation C3 model of 1983 that is the most significant in this saloon’s history.

While it was a three-box saloon in the classic sense, in an instant Audi had abandoned its square-edged styling in favour of smooth curves and aerodynamics. Suddenly, people were talking about Cd figures as much as 0-60mph times as the 100 brought flush-fitting glass and incredibly tight-fitting panel gaps to ensure a clean passage through the air. It even had smooth wheel trims as a nod to this obsession with aero efficiency.

Audi was so proud of the 100’s low-drag shape that it put the 0.30Cd figure in the rear quarter windows for all to see.

20. Alfa Romeo 156 (1997)

Alfa Romeo’s back catalogue isn’t short on interesting or unusual saloons, but the 156 of 1997 stands out for taking the Italian firm right back into the hunt alongside Audi, BMW and Mercedes. The Germans dominated the all-important company car sector in the mid-’90s, yet the 156 arrived and lured many away with its good looks.

Styled by Walter de Silva, the elegant 156 was simply beautiful next to its aggressive German competition. The clean lines were enhanced by hiding the rear doorhandles in the C-pillars, while the offset front numberplate added yet more character.

Mainstream 156 models were very desirable, and Alfa upped the ante with the GTA that sported a 247bhp 3.2-litre V6 engine and 152mph top speed.