Over the entire era of the automotive industry, a huge number of vehicles have been created for every taste. Many of them, possessing ordinary characteristics and often unprepossessing exterior, gave people the opportunity to move in space. Some have helped drive innovation in the auto industry. But there are those that are considered decoration of their own era and works of art. These legendary cars, despite many external differences, are united by the fact that at a certain stage they were the embodiment of elegance and power, making human life better. Recent ratings include a list of one hundred of the most beautiful cars in history. In this article, three of them will be considered: GAZ-21, Duesenberg, Cadillac.
Legend with a deer on the hood
This car has for many years been the ultimate dream of many Soviet motorists. The revolutionary GAZ-21 "Volga" - the legendary cars of the USSR, which were considered the embodiment of innovation in the domestic auto industry. Two-color models and automatic transmission models were considered to be especially chic, which, by the way, were not produced much due to the low quality of Soviet transmission oils of those years. A special chic was considered the Volga model of two-tone color. But with a manual gearbox, this car still has a large number of admirers in the CIS countries. So, by the fortieth anniversary of this brand at the Gorky Automobile Plant, 20 cars were restored using only original parts.
The legendary GAZ-21 Volga cars were produced at the Gorky Automobile Plant from 1956 to 1970. These were the first representatives of a wide range of the Volga family. The development of the model began in 1953, it was supposed to replace the already victorious GAZ-20 Pobeda, which, due to the rapid development of the Soviet automobile industry of those years, began to become obsolete. When developing the Volga, Soviet designers made extensive use of the experience of foreign automakers. In particular, the popular models of those times were studied: Plymouth Savoy, Opel Captain, Chevrolet 210, Ford Mainline. Two types of three-speed gearboxes were specially developed - mechanics and automatic. The result is a very dynamic and modern car.
Soviet "American"
The appearance of the GAZ-21 was fully developed in accordance with the American automotive design trends of the time. Smooth, streamlined body lines, a rounded silhouette, a lowered roof to the stern. All this gave the feeling of a rocket launch, flight and speed. The “rocket-like" outline of the body was crowned by a chromed figure of a deer on the hood, frozen in a jump.
The outer lining is made in accordance with the fashion trends of that time. A large number of chrome elements - radiator grille, wheel caps, moldings, bumpers. Direction indicators, brake lights and dimensions were placed in a single block of taillights. The main disadvantage of the body was the low rise of the trunk and hood.
Chronology of Volga models
The first series of cars was produced from 1956 to 1958. Their external differences were a chrome radiator grille with a longitudinal strip and a chromed star in a circle. On the Volga of the first series, forced engines from GAZ-20 were installed, with a capacity of 65 liters. from.
The second GAZ-21 series was produced from 1958 to 1962. The changes affected more the appearance. The radiator grille was upgraded, which received the familiar vertical whale whiskers. At that time they were painted in body color. The star has been removed.
The last, more familiar to all, the third series of Volga was produced from 1962 to 1970. The number of slots in the grille was increased to 37, and it again became chrome plated. Engine power was increased to 75 liters. from. The fabric materials of the interior have been replaced with dermatin. The welded body of earlier models was replaced by a one-piece. In this version, the GAZ-21 Volga was produced until 1970, after which it was replaced by the GAZ-24.
One of the most beautiful cars in the world.
In 1913, two brothers, self-taught engineers and German émigrés, founded the Duesenberg Motor Company in the United States, which originally produced outboard motors and racing cars. After a few brothers decide to focus exclusively on four-wheeled vehicles and set themselves the task: no more, no less, and create the best and most beautiful car in the world. And already in the 30s, Duesenberg luxury cars were superior to Rolls-Royce and Mercedes-Benz. The term "supercar" appeared much later, but already at that time this term could be applied to these cars. The legendary Duesenberg cars are technically ahead of their time by decades. They admired and dreamed to ride at least as passengers.
The legendary brand Duesenberg, despite its rather short existence, has entered the annals of history as one of the greatest cars not only in America, but in the world. Many experts agree that a more beautiful car since the Dewey in the American automotive industry has not been created. Cars of this brand adored Hollywood stars and bigwigs from Wall Street for their luxurious design, and Sicilian mafiosi for power unprecedented for that time. They were bought as a status attribute.
Duesenberg - even faster, even cooler!
The Duesenberg brand lasted only 24 years, but during this time it has forever entered the history of the automotive industry. The company produced unsurpassed racing cars. These legendary cars were assembled exclusively by hand. They were lighter, but more powerful and faster than competitors. The first triumphs were not long in coming. In 1919, a car with a new 16-cylinder engine developed by the brothers set a ground speed record in Daytona sands - 255 km / h. A year later, Duesenberg created the first inline 3-liter eight-cylinder overhead engine with three valves per cylinder. This concept became the basis for all subsequent motors of the company. A year later, in 1921, “Dewey” won the French Grand Prix. These were the first American cars to win these competitions. The next 10 years at the annual prestigious competitions in Indianapolis three times won the riders who opted for engines Duesenberg.
A car that almost ruined everyone
Talented designers, the Dusenberg brothers were far from the ability to conduct business. They simply forgot to patent many of their inventions, for example, hydraulic brakes, which deprived them of multimillion-dollar profits. As a result, the company found itself on the verge of bankruptcy. Help came in the person of a born businessman Erret Kord, who took up the management of the company. The development course taken by Kord included the creation of a luxury road car. In 1928, perhaps the most famous model saw the light - the Duesenberg Model J. This chic car seemed like a miracle. It could reach speeds of up to 192 km / h and shocked with its luxury, and its technical characteristics were unprecedented for its time. At the request of the customer, for the interior of Model J, precious stones, mosaics made from precious woods and even pure gold could be used. It is not surprising that successful businessmen fell in love with this car, over time it became an attribute of fame for Hollywood stars and went down in history as one of the most luxurious and beautiful cars in the world. The owners of this car were such celebrities as Howard Hughes, Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, Gary Cooper. Today, this model is an enviable prey for collectors around the world, and the price often exceeds one million dollars.
Cadillac: automotive innovators
Cadillac is one of the oldest and most famous automobile brands in the world. These cars have always been associated with large sizes, luxury, and very often become trendsetters in the automotive industry. The Cadillac is a machine whose designers have never been afraid of experimentation. So, thanks to bold innovations, a silent mechanical gearbox with gears for constant gearing and an automatic Hydra-Matic gearbox appeared. Air conditioning in the car was first installed in the Cadillac back in the 30s. The fashion for large American cars appeared largely thanks to the Cadillac, and V8 engines became standard for the entire American auto industry. On cars of this brand, for the first time, wooden roofs were replaced with steel ones. One of Cadillac's most significant innovations was the introduction of spare parts as a concept. In the design of these cars began to be used removable parts that could be changed.
The realization of the American dream
For many residents of the United States, the Cadillac is a machine that embodies luxury and the American dream. This brand was preferred by the first persons of America, stars of show business, successful businessmen and mafiosi. The armored Cadillac was used to move President Roosevelt. This car was confiscated several years earlier from the odious gangster Al Capone. Even in his youth, the king of rock and roll Elvis Presley promised his mother that, having become famous, the first thing he would buy was a Cadillac. A few years later in the star’s garage there were 13 cars of this brand, and the mother got the legendary pink Cadillac Eldorado that later became legendary. The popularity of this brand is so great in America that sometimes it reaches a cult. Now jackets are being sewn from the leather upholstery of old Cadillac cars, positioning it as an original, but still an opportunity to touch the American dream.
The famous classic. GAZ-21, Duesenberg and Cadillac cars in the cinema
Often, cars from movies become famous just like the actors themselves. For example, the GAZ-21 Volga was used in many Soviet films. In the film "Watch Out for the Car," Volga is positioned as a symbol of prosperity and success. Literally the whole plot of the film is built around this car. The film “Diamond Hand” was remembered by many in the famous phrase “Our people don’t take a taxi to the bakery!”, Said against the backdrop of the GAZ-21.
The most famous appearance of the magnificent Duesenberg in the cinema can be considered the film "The Great Gatsby." Hero Leonardo DiCaprio, an eccentric millionaire, flaunted a bright yellow Duesenberg II SJ convertible.
The number of films in which Cadillac cars were involved is not amenable to accurate calculation. Huge American cars of the 70s were used when filming such films: “The Scarface”, “Razinya”, “Enemy of the State No. 1”, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”, etc. The relict Cadillac of the beginning of the 20th century lit up in Transformers. More modern models were involved in the filming of The Matrix, Cadillac Dolon, and Zombieland. A large number of different models were used during the filming of Cadillac Records, and, perhaps, one of the most famous Cadillac cars in the cinema - the well-known machine of ghostbusters from the same film.