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Top 10 Legendary Cruisers

Imagine the precision required by those who developed technology not by stimulator but by knowledge alone. Here, novelty is the accessory to flaunt. Be it technology or design, these ten cars are geared to transport any car enthusiast to a place where fantasy and envy collide. In the hallowed portals of history, these cars are heritage because most of the cars on the road or on the tracks today have inherited something from these cruisers. We present to you a collection of some of the most expensive and rare cars in the world.

FERRARI 250 TESTA ROSSA

Manufactured in 1957, this car came to be known as the costliest car when it was auctioned last year at the third annual Ferrari Leggenda e Passione event for Rs 50.7 Crore. The Testa Rossa featured the immediately recognisable Scaglietti-designed 'pontoon-fender'. The 798-kg car is not just beautiful but it also flaunts the V12 engine delivering a mammoth 270 bhp. The costliest wonder on wheels displays a maximum speed of 270 kmph. It had participated in 19 international races and had 10 victories in its name.

BMW 328 KAMM COUPE

This machine displayed aerodynamics even before the advent of computers. The 328 Kamm Coupe has been named after German engineer Wunibald Kamm. BMW 328 Kamm Coupe was part of the BMW team at the Mille Miglia, an open-road endurance race that takes place in Italy. Thanks to BMW's special hideout, even World War II was unsuccessful in destroying the legendary cruiser. An accident in the early 1950s pushed it into the junkyard. Fortunately, BMW decided to revive the dying coupe in the 1990s. The entire construction process was meticulously performed to make the car look as close to the original car as possible. The remake was, fittingly, presented at the 70th anniversary of the company's Mille Miglia victory in 1940.

BENTLEY 4.5 LITRE (BLOWER)

This car can be convicted for DUI; driving under influence of speed. Capable of tapping out 175 bhp, Birkin's famous red single seater Blower took the Brooklands Outer Circuit lap record to 222.03 kmph in 1932. The Bentley 3-litre and 6.5-litre variants were already available and the 4.5-litre Blower filled the void. 54 cars with this supercharged engine were built by the race driver Sir Henry 'Tim' Birkin as a private venture, against W.O. Bentley's wishes and were called 'Blower Bentleys'. Today, they rank among the best in the collectors' cars category and can fetch incredible money.

BUGATTI TYPE 57

Beauty and technology come together in this car. Ettore Bugatti's son Jean Bugatti personally styled the Atlantic and contributed significantly to the entire Type 57 series. Design highlights included a heavily-raked windscreen, riveted fins and oval doors with kidney-shaped side windows. The style was structured by a design concept that incorporated Electron, an alloy of magnesium and aluminum, into the design. The supercharged 8-cylinder engine churned out 210 bhp, which gave the Atlantic a 200 kmph top speed and a 100 kmph dash time of 10 seconds. In 2008, a 1937 Bugatti Type 57S with the Atalante coachwork was discovered in a private garage. It had been untouched for 48 years and was auctioned in 2009 at the Retromobile motor show for Rs 19.2 crore.

MERCEDES-BENZ 300SL

The Mercedes Benz 300SL was built in 1954 and won the 'sports car of the century' award in 1999. The car was picture perfect, fully loaded with everything one can find in a designer's handbook. It flaunted a protracted bonnet, a petite coupe for two and a boot. It was the gorgeous Gullwing doors hinged on the roof that set it apart from the rest. The 3-litre petrol engine made the 300SL the first-ever petrol-powered car to be equipped with a fuel injection mechanism directly into the combustion chamber. With 215 bhp under the hood, the car won many races including the Le Mans in 1952 and also Mexico's Carrera Panamericana.

AUTO UNION TYPE C STREAMLINER

In the early 30s, Dr Porsche, head of design for Auto Union, started working on a 16-cylinder rear engine race car and thus was born the Type C Streamliner. The aerodynamic design and futuristic body resulted from tests carried out by the German government on airplanes. With 520 bhp under the hood, Bernd Rose Meyer's Type C broke 15 world speed records in three days. On a highway near Frankfurt, he pushed the Streamliner to an incredible 408.7 kmph hence proving the capabilities of this incredible machine yet again.

ASTON MARTIN DB5

This one has its power, beauty and soul vouched for by James Bond. A display on the dash of the Aston said 'Power, Beauty and Soul' every time it was switched on. The DB5 was a little longer and heavier than the DB4, but the weight disadvantage was made up for by the 4-litre version of the double overhead engine that delivered 282 bhp. The car to zoom to 100 kmph in just 8 seconds and a maximum speed of 232 kmph could be achieved. The cruiser's positioning as Bond's chariot of choice was what made it a legend. Despite plenty of wheeled options, Bond still preferred to drive it in Casino Royale.

LAMBORGHINI MIURA

The Miura, developed by three guys working nights in a shed after working hours, is believed to have begun the trend of high performance, 2-seater, mid-engined coupes. Lamborghini's three top engineers envisioned a performance car which could be used daily. The rolling chassis truly impressed Ferruccio Lamborghini who had initially considered it impossible. Italian designer, Bertone was placed in charge of styling the prototype, which was finished just in time for the 1966 Geneva motor show. The production version was powered by a 3.9-litre Lambo V12 making 350 bhp, allowing it to swoosh past the 100 kmph barrier in 6.7 second and fire at a maximum speed of 276 kmph. But undoubtedly, it was the $20,000 price tag that made it mysterious and exclusive.

CHEVROLET CORVETTE

Back in the 50s, GM only made large cars and wanted something modern and youthful; an 'open top' sports car which would sell at a sedan's price. The public got its first look at a Chevrolet Corvette in January 1953 at the General Motors 1953 Motorama and was intrigued to find it made of fibreglass. GM planned it as a '54 model, but the response was so overwhelming that the car maker ordered immediate production. The side windows were removable and made of plastic with a chrome trim. The wheels were made of steel and also painted red with full size chrome hubcaps. Powering the Corvette was a Blue Flame 150, a 150-bhp, six-cylinder with 3 side draft carburetors. The car still fetches up to $440,000 at auctions.

LANCIA STRATOS

The Stratos was the first purpose-built rally car that was extremely beautiful too. This car led to the development of the immensely powerful Group B rally cars and today's World Rally Championship cars. Earlier, rallying rules required a car to be officially approved for road use before participating in international rallies. In spite of this being a restraint, the Stratos became the first 'homolgation special'. This is a key reason for the Stratos being so rare even today, and for it being valued at $150,000-$200,000 depending on its condition and competition history.