You may not have heard, but the Queen of England died yesterday. With her death came a renewed focus on the British Isles, leading gawkers from across the internet to wonder: What’s going on over there? How have things been going for the last 70 years that Her Majesty was in charge?
We’re a car site, so our questions look a little different. Looking back over Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, we want your take on a query more relevant to our shared interest: What’s the best British car released after Elizabeth’s ascension?
Between February 6, 1952, and yesterday, British automakers released quite a few cars. Think about how many manufacturers exist on those tiny islands: Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, McLaren, Lotus, and a bunch of tiny niche automakers. Each had decades of interesting models to choose from, and many of those models had racing careers or spy-movie stardom that showed off their talents.
For my pick, I have to go with Aston. The company’s sleek lines and smooth styling have always looked gorgeous to me, ever since those childhood years watching Die Another Day on repeat. But the famed invisible Vanquish isn’t my pick — instead, that honor goes to the V12 Vantage.
Earlier Astons look just a bit dated today, while later ones gained some of the over-styling that other automakers seem hell-bent on propagating through the industry. The 2005-2018 Vantage is the apex of Aston’s art, in my view, and the series-ending V12 model was the true top of the line. It’s the best car Britain ever built.
That’s my pick for the greatest British car of the last 70 years, but what’s yours? Do you prefer the F-Type, or are you more into the off-road prowess of the Defender? Leave your pick in the comments, and we’ll collect our favorite answers on Monday.