10 Eye Candy Cars You Can Buy

MANILA, Philippines - First, a caveat. By “cars you can buy,” we mean cars you can buy without having to be filthy rich or winning the lotto first. Those fancy Italian jobs whose names end in “i” are always eye candy, but how many of your Facebook friends actually own one?

Then again, don’t be expecting too many sub-600k hatchbacks and subcompacts here. In fact don’t expect any. We’re talking about automobiles that have become icons of design; cars that would be equally at home in a museum or turning heads on the streets (being modern interpretations of 60’s iconic cars helps). And yes, you can afford them without being a drug lord or a top celebrity endorser.

Here they are in no particular order.

1. The Ford Mustang, like the next five cars on this list, is a throwback. It’s a recreation of the glory years of its predecessor. Ford has been making generation after generation of Mustangs since the first one debuted in 1964; but none have been as faithful—and as beautiful—as the original as the current one. The forward-slanted snout, the fastback roofline (with the glass quarter window), and the triple vertical taillamps all hark to the immortal 60’s classic.

2. Much of what we said about the Mustang applies to its archrival, the Chevy Camaro. Like its Blue Oval nemesis, the Bowtie brawler is every bit faithful to its 60’s ancestor—skin-deep and under the hood. The loyalties that divided the two warring brands then are the same a full half-century later. And the world’s all the better for it.

3. Back when American brands ruled the highways and byways of both U.S. coasts, there was the Big Three: GM, Ford and Chrysler. Dodge, of course, has always been under Chrysler—and the Challenger is the Pentastar brand’s uhm, challenger, to the Mustang and Camaro. It was the big star in the recent Fast & Furious 6 movie. That it’s Dominic Turetto’s choice of wheels in the blockbuster franchise is a testament to the enduring legacy of this truly fast and furious ride.

4. If the Italians had the Fiat 500 and the Germans had the VW Bug, the English had the Mini. But unlike its more pedestrian counterparts, the Mini was a fashion icon from the beginning. Not only that, it was thrown into the unforgiving world of racing from the get-go—acquitting itself well with multiple victories in the prestigious Monte Carlo Rally. But unlike the original Mini, the current Mini Cooper is a bigger, faster and more luxurious car in every way. It’s much better built, too—BMW now owns this iconic British brand

5. The original Fiat 500 was a perky little number for the Italian masses and was sold from the late 50’s to the mid 70’s. We’re not sure if the current Fiat 500—the only car that’s currently not available in the Philippines—will enjoy that same longevity—but we’re absolutely sure the new one is a heck of a lot more stylish than the original. And if the base 500 isn’t fashionista enough for you, there’s a Gucci edition replete with the trademark Gucci leather, stripes, and logo.

6. Much like the Fiat 500, the original VW Beetle was deigned to motorize the masses. It, too, had a long life—longer even than the Fiat 500’s. And it, too, had a successor that was more boutique luxury item than a faithful recreation of its humble forebear. But while the late 90’s reincarnation seemed more chic and girly, the New Beetle that debuted worldwide last year is now sexier and sportier—something a car-loving, beer-drinking dude won’t be embarrassed to be seen behind the wheel of. The best news is…it’ll soon be available here. 

7. Toyota 86 / Subaru BRZ

Recent Japanese automotive designs—while commercially successful—have always seemed to lack that certain spark that separates good, solid design from true greatness. The Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ twins are the most recent exceptions to that rule. They look so good, it’s hard to keep your eyes off them. That they do so without resorting to gimmicky body add-ons or without requiring driver and passenger from contorting themselves just to get inside the cabin or threatening to scrape off the bumpers at every speed bump or steep driveway is a reflection of intelligent design. Beauty and brains.

8. Mercedes-Benz A 250 AMG Sport

The Mercedes A-class is the German luxury marque’s “mass market” model. The first two generations, while selling reasonably well in its European home market, always seemed to look awkward in a tall boy sort of way. The latest A-class blows all of its predecessors’ design foibles clean out of the water. It’s a wide-body design that looks hunkered down with fat tires, aggressive styling, and turbocharged performance to match.

9. The 135i is the reincarnation of the late, great BMW 2002 of the late 60’s. Just like its inspiration, the 135i is a delightfully upright coupe—none of the long-slung, waist-high designs of many wannabe coupes. Yet, with the right engine, the 135i delivers performance that rivals pure sports cars that cost many times more.

10. Hats off to Chrysler for having the only four-door sedan in this group. It’s a testament to the inspired styling of this Mafioso luxury sedan that it can be lumped together with the spectacular designs of the rest without feeling a wee bit out of place. While the 1st-gen 300C was simply bad ass, the second iteration is bad ass in an Armani suit. And we love it.