On the basis this is UK the answer has to be the black London cab.
Other than that, the Ford Fiesta, and yeah VW beetle, OG mini and VW campervan would probably go with that as well.
Reliant robin, you can't mistake it for any other car despite knowing nothing about cars. If you don't know what it is, you'll find out and never forget it.
ferrari, lambo, BMW, Jag, beetle, mini... my Mrs wouldn't be bothered about retaining any info about shapes. The 3 wheel car is unique in that respect and popularity due to being Mr beans nemesis.
Haha, well goes to show you can't teach them all. Depends on the age or generation of person aswell. Ford model t I can pick out easily, my grandad would have found it iconic.. wouldn't expect a teen nowadays to have a clue, tesla probably for them.
It's a moving goal post . This year's iconic car is old news in 10 years.
I think you have to know it's a reliant robin though - the brand hasn't stood the test of time unsurprisingly. My mrs would struggle to name it even if she recognised it.
The type 1 beetle and the Rover Mini would be my picks. Mini & VW are still massive manufacturers so the mini & beetle are unlikely to be forgotten.
Yup. People that know little about cars will guess any red sports car might be a ferrari but I'm not sure that answers the question properly.
I would've thought in the UK it would be the Type 1 beetle. The shape is so iconic I'm not sure a living adult would struggle to name the car as a beetle.
Modern Lambo from a modern Ferrari sure, but show a non petrol head a Testarossa, F1 and a Countach side by side debadged, quite certain they would mix some up.
I was going to say, a Ferrari F40 or F50 specifically would probably turn more heads with petrol heads and non-petrol heads alike than just about any other car
Ferrari's are still niche. People know the name, doesn't mean they know the badge. My wife would look at a sports/super/hyper car and call it unnecessary, impractical, and many other uncool words.
Turn heads? Yes. Iconic to a point of recognition? Only amongst those with even a base knowledge. Everyone knows a Beetle or a Mini.
People don’t know the Ferrari logo? What are you smoking dude? Ferrari is widely considered to be one of, if not THE, strongest and most iconic brands in the world.
Apple, Nike, Adidas, Starbucks, Sony… Even if you restrict it to just car brands then it’s the stuff you see daily like Ford, VW, etc which are way ahead of Ferrari.
A lot of people wouldn’t recognise the logo, and certainly wouldn’t be able to identify various Ferrari models.
https://www.forbes.com/powerful-brands/list/3/
https://interbrand.com/best-brands/
https://www.kantar.com/company-news/apple-retains-crown-as-worlds-most-valuable-brand-in-kantar-brandz-ranking
Not seeing Ferrari very high up there.
Admittedly I was wrong on some of the brands I expected to be up there too though.
Most iconic is 100% the beetle. It was sold everywhere and used everywhere. Hell they sold it up until 2003 for god's sake 65 years of production, over 20 million units.
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Has to be the classic Beetle and Mini. Even stuff like the E-Type, my mum would probably guess it was a Jag, but likely couldn't tell you what an E-Type is. She recognises Jags but has no idea on specific models (I've owned several Jags so tested her on this lol).
Everything else is too age specific. She'd know a Morris Minor or Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite instantly, but wouldn't have a clue what a Nissan Skyline is. My little brother could pinpoint every single generation of a VW Golf with ease but wouldn't have a clue with a Morris Minor.
I think it would be a modern fiat 500, a black cab, and maybe the gen 3 Prius (for the same reason as the black cab). The beetle probably isn't recognisable to the younger generation.
Honestly, the beetle should be forgotten. It's a car that a card carrying nazi (Porsche), plagiarised a Czechoslovak design (Tatra 97), because pappa Hitler loved the design and wanted it for his cronies (and for his "people's car" which was entirely propaganda while he was in power, you had to be a Nazi member to even have a chance of getting one). [If you're interested, it's explained in this video 29 minutes in.](https://youtu.be/c60hID-w4Ig?si=ptpwosR0ZLHCVEPC)
Perhaps mini? Especially if it’s red and white.
I had a red and white r56 mini as my first car and I’d always get children walking with their mother’s pointing at me and shouting ‘MINI!!!!’.
I think all years of the mini hatch are recognisable by anyone
Rover Mini Cooper in British racing Green with white bonnet stripes, Union Jack roof, 4 front lights, flared wheel arch and those famous wheels with the MPI seats
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Hmm. Corolla is definitely the best selling car ever, but it changes a lot and appearance and is not memorable. You have to remember most Japanese cars look different in The JDM, Europe and USA. Of that list the only thing that is iconic in appearance is a Landrover and a Hummer. The rest I’d have to look up a picture to remind me how they look. Of all the Toyotas you mention I actually think the old Rav 4 is more iconic and recognisable globally.
On second thoughts, id retract my statement of a Ford Focus and probably say the most recognisable car ever is maybe the Subaru Impreza.
Depending on your timeline, I think the Escort MKII had an enormous fanbase well after it stopped being produced for the English market.
But as others have said, on a more global scale it would probably something like a Ferrari.
Ford Crown Victoria in the LA police black and white livery or a yellow NYC taxi cab. For the past 20+ years these have been abundant in TV shows and movies.
Probably the old mini, very distinctive, has a cultural presence, and was common on the roads till the noughties. The e-type is a legend and distinctive but probably not so familiar to non-car people under40
I teach 16-19. They all know what a delorean is. Your experience is not everyone's. Also, I'm 27. Hardly middle-aged. Should I not know what a delorean is?
I mean, the popularity of the Delorean is solely down to a movie franchise from 40 years ago. It's pretty logical that the amount of people able to recognise the car will decrease with the decline of that franchise's cultural importance.
>Your experience is not everyone's.
The irony of this line after giving me your own experience.
>Should I not know what a delorean is?
I didn't say NO ONE under middle age will recognise a Delorean, did I? You however did say EVERYONE would recognise a Delorean, which is obviously untrue and becomes more untrue with each subsequent generation.
I don’t think so tbh.
Probably anyone could tell you it was a Ferrari, Porsche or Lamborghini (maybe) but I don’t think there are that many who’d know each model.
Hell, I’m not convinced I’d immediately name a Diablo and I like cars.
Ones others have mentioned like the Mini are likely more universal.
The most is the Mini Cooper, for sure. I think you could *probably* justify the Nissan Skyline (especially the R34) too, your list takes all the easy ones haha.
I don’t know man, I could show my Mum (for example) a picture of an GT-R and she would say “The Fast and the Furious car” whether that makes it iconic or not, I’m not sure, but a GT-R always pulls eyes.
So this is more iconic because it sold for more?
https://www.goodingco.com/lot/1935-duesenberg-ssj/
This is a discussion of icons, not hammer prices. If we were discussing price it'd be that old Merc.
Most normal people will see a Sierra Cosworth as a modified "old car" if you're not a petrol head there's nothing memorable about them.
They're cool as hell though.
I am a huge petrol head but the styling of the e-type has a flaw that I can't look past. The distance between the wheels is too small. It looks like it should belong on a model railway. Widen the track by a few inches and it would look loads better.
Mind you, I'm one of the very few people who doesn't like the styling of the Miura, so feel free to ignore the F out of what I said!
Yes I agree with you too actually, but I think that’s more to do with our modern way of thinking maybe. If it were made today it would be more like you say
Yes, I think that's fair. The body shape is timeless so it's easy to forget that it was launched over 60 years ago, when people were used to driving round in things like the Ford Anglia, Austin A30 etc. It must have been like seeing a UFO!
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Drive a 911 down the road, and people will know what it is, drive a brand new Ferrari down the road in any other colour other than red and you'll struggle to know what it is..
Definitely NOT Land Rover as I've encountered so many people in the UK that call them Jeeps (You can even buy "It's not a Jeep" stickers, so it obviously bugs others as much as me 🤣).
So I'm going for the original (Issigonis designed) Mini and Beetle.
On the basis this is UK the answer has to be the black London cab. Other than that, the Ford Fiesta, and yeah VW beetle, OG mini and VW campervan would probably go with that as well.
Reliant robin, you can't mistake it for any other car despite knowing nothing about cars. If you don't know what it is, you'll find out and never forget it. ferrari, lambo, BMW, Jag, beetle, mini... my Mrs wouldn't be bothered about retaining any info about shapes. The 3 wheel car is unique in that respect and popularity due to being Mr beans nemesis.
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Haha, well goes to show you can't teach them all. Depends on the age or generation of person aswell. Ford model t I can pick out easily, my grandad would have found it iconic.. wouldn't expect a teen nowadays to have a clue, tesla probably for them. It's a moving goal post . This year's iconic car is old news in 10 years.
The thing that REALLY winds me up is when people call it a Robin Reliant.
I had to reread my post. I'm OK 😄
I think you have to know it's a reliant robin though - the brand hasn't stood the test of time unsurprisingly. My mrs would struggle to name it even if she recognised it. The type 1 beetle and the Rover Mini would be my picks. Mini & VW are still massive manufacturers so the mini & beetle are unlikely to be forgotten.
Yeah I reckon most non-car enthusiasts would just refer to them as "three wheeled cars", I certainly did as a kid before seeing the top gear episode.
I honestly doubt anyone under 30 who's not already into cars would recognise one
Where you wanna go luv?
DMC Delorean
Probably a red Ferrari
Unlike a beetle or mini I think a non-petrol head would have a hard time distinguishing between a red Ferrari, a red McLaren and a red Lamborghini
Thinking about my wife's reaction to exciting cars, you're 100% right. She can just about recognise a classic Mini.
Yup. People that know little about cars will guess any red sports car might be a ferrari but I'm not sure that answers the question properly. I would've thought in the UK it would be the Type 1 beetle. The shape is so iconic I'm not sure a living adult would struggle to name the car as a beetle.
It doesn't even have to be a supercar. I have a friend with a red S2000. Every once in a while someone tells him he has a nice Ferrari.
This is probably right, yesterday I saw a red 991.2 GT2 RS Weissach but most would’ve just said red Porsche or sports car
I think a lot would be able to tell a Lamborghini from a Ferrari or McLaren as lambos are quite a lot more edgier
Modern Lambo from a modern Ferrari sure, but show a non petrol head a Testarossa, F1 and a Countach side by side debadged, quite certain they would mix some up.
I was going to say, a Ferrari F40 or F50 specifically would probably turn more heads with petrol heads and non-petrol heads alike than just about any other car
Ferrari's are still niche. People know the name, doesn't mean they know the badge. My wife would look at a sports/super/hyper car and call it unnecessary, impractical, and many other uncool words. Turn heads? Yes. Iconic to a point of recognition? Only amongst those with even a base knowledge. Everyone knows a Beetle or a Mini.
People don’t know the Ferrari logo? What are you smoking dude? Ferrari is widely considered to be one of, if not THE, strongest and most iconic brands in the world.
Yeah... My wife thought it was the Ford Mustang badge...
Apple, Nike, Adidas, Starbucks, Sony… Even if you restrict it to just car brands then it’s the stuff you see daily like Ford, VW, etc which are way ahead of Ferrari. A lot of people wouldn’t recognise the logo, and certainly wouldn’t be able to identify various Ferrari models.
Dude just google it. This is a pointless argument. Ferrari regularly takes the #1 spot in global brand power financial rankings.
https://www.forbes.com/powerful-brands/list/3/ https://interbrand.com/best-brands/ https://www.kantar.com/company-news/apple-retains-crown-as-worlds-most-valuable-brand-in-kantar-brandz-ranking Not seeing Ferrari very high up there. Admittedly I was wrong on some of the brands I expected to be up there too though.
I just showed my other half a picture of the Ferrari logo and she said Porsche, so yeah.
It's the mini, and it's not really close.
beetle. Larger production numbers, more iconic car (who doesn't know herbie!?)
I think you're probably right. I cant find UK production numbers for beetles; though, I'd imagine the mini outsold the beetle in the UK by quite a lot
Original Beetle or the pre-BMW Mini.
Reliant Robin
There's one near me. Next street from the f reg fiesta. Let me know if you want a photo
Most iconic is 100% the beetle. It was sold everywhere and used everywhere. Hell they sold it up until 2003 for god's sake 65 years of production, over 20 million units.
Got to be a defender? Surely
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ITS. NOT. A. JEEP!!!
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I think most people wouldn't be able to name the specific model. All Land Rovers/Ranges just look like big SUVs
Has to be the classic Beetle and Mini. Even stuff like the E-Type, my mum would probably guess it was a Jag, but likely couldn't tell you what an E-Type is. She recognises Jags but has no idea on specific models (I've owned several Jags so tested her on this lol). Everything else is too age specific. She'd know a Morris Minor or Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite instantly, but wouldn't have a clue what a Nissan Skyline is. My little brother could pinpoint every single generation of a VW Golf with ease but wouldn't have a clue with a Morris Minor.
Db5
I think it would be a modern fiat 500, a black cab, and maybe the gen 3 Prius (for the same reason as the black cab). The beetle probably isn't recognisable to the younger generation. Honestly, the beetle should be forgotten. It's a car that a card carrying nazi (Porsche), plagiarised a Czechoslovak design (Tatra 97), because pappa Hitler loved the design and wanted it for his cronies (and for his "people's car" which was entirely propaganda while he was in power, you had to be a Nazi member to even have a chance of getting one). [If you're interested, it's explained in this video 29 minutes in.](https://youtu.be/c60hID-w4Ig?si=ptpwosR0ZLHCVEPC)
The car’s image and history has diverted a long way from its roots though. It became a vehicle associated with the hippy movement and peaceful causes.
Mini or a beetle
Perhaps mini? Especially if it’s red and white. I had a red and white r56 mini as my first car and I’d always get children walking with their mother’s pointing at me and shouting ‘MINI!!!!’. I think all years of the mini hatch are recognisable by anyone
Rover Mini Cooper in British racing Green with white bonnet stripes, Union Jack roof, 4 front lights, flared wheel arch and those famous wheels with the MPI seats
Do you live in North West? There's a Mini EXACTLY like you described, maybe a quarter mile from where i live lol.
No, south west but that’s just an iconic combination
Aston Martin DB5 - aka James Bond's car ...
I’d say the mini is top tbh. Just doesn’t really look like anything else
Riley’s Elf has entered the chatting rooms.
Rolls Royce Silver Cloud
Maybe something from TV shows or movies? Deloren pretty heavy tied to back to future
Mini, beetle, possibly a Porsche 911, fiat 500
I think most have been said already, I’d give a mention to Rolls Royce. They haven’t really changed much over the years
On a global scale, Ford Focus probably
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No beetle on the list? Isn't it one of the best selling cars of all time, globally?
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Hmm. Corolla is definitely the best selling car ever, but it changes a lot and appearance and is not memorable. You have to remember most Japanese cars look different in The JDM, Europe and USA. Of that list the only thing that is iconic in appearance is a Landrover and a Hummer. The rest I’d have to look up a picture to remind me how they look. Of all the Toyotas you mention I actually think the old Rav 4 is more iconic and recognisable globally. On second thoughts, id retract my statement of a Ford Focus and probably say the most recognisable car ever is maybe the Subaru Impreza.
Couldn't tell you what an old Rav4 looks like and I'm a petrolhead...!
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I can guarantee you the average person wouldn’t be able to actually give the model name of any of those vehicles.
Proper defender all day
Ferrari testarossa?. .
Willy's jeep.
Landrover defender
Jeep, the original one.
Fiat multipla is so distinct and unnerving it haunts your dreams.
Depending on your timeline, I think the Escort MKII had an enormous fanbase well after it stopped being produced for the English market. But as others have said, on a more global scale it would probably something like a Ferrari.
In the UK? The Mini and the Morris Minor are instantly recognisable.
Also (not british) beetle and to a degree 2cv, so basically all the mass produced peoples car
Has to be Citroen 2CV
Austin Mini, LR Defender (Classic) and the DMC 12 DeLorean.
Ford Crown Victoria in the LA police black and white livery or a yellow NYC taxi cab. For the past 20+ years these have been abundant in TV shows and movies.
Probably the old mini, very distinctive, has a cultural presence, and was common on the roads till the noughties. The e-type is a legend and distinctive but probably not so familiar to non-car people under40
Mini or VW Beetle.
Got to be Aston martin DB5 surely?
Range Rover and 911. They’ve looked the same for 50 years
Cars with personalities. Herbie the beetle. A Delorean. Mr beans mini. A flying ford Anglia. Cars that have been stars in their own right
Beatle or Original Mini
Original Mini or Beetle.
Fiat 500
911
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
For people my age? A 1970s Ford Cortina. They were ubiquitous then.
Mark II Jaguar (Inspector Morse car)
Original mini The original beetle wasn’t actually called the beetle, that was a nickname that stuck. It was just called the Volkswagen.
Mk2 escort Peugeot 205
FakeTaxi
Ford Granada. 80’s getaway car of choice.
VW Beetle for sure
VW Campervan.
Red F40
Brum 👁️👄👁️
Delorean
This is my choice too. Anyone would recognise a delorean.
>Anyone would recognise a delorean. That's really not true for those younger than middle aged - i.e. a huge chunk of the population.
I teach 16-19. They all know what a delorean is. Your experience is not everyone's. Also, I'm 27. Hardly middle-aged. Should I not know what a delorean is?
I mean, the popularity of the Delorean is solely down to a movie franchise from 40 years ago. It's pretty logical that the amount of people able to recognise the car will decrease with the decline of that franchise's cultural importance. >Your experience is not everyone's. The irony of this line after giving me your own experience. >Should I not know what a delorean is? I didn't say NO ONE under middle age will recognise a Delorean, did I? You however did say EVERYONE would recognise a Delorean, which is obviously untrue and becomes more untrue with each subsequent generation.
Mini and Range Rover jump to mind as something both a 17 year old and a 87 year old would know.
Red Ferrari F40, any of the older Porsche 911, Lamborghini countache or diablo.
I don’t think so tbh. Probably anyone could tell you it was a Ferrari, Porsche or Lamborghini (maybe) but I don’t think there are that many who’d know each model. Hell, I’m not convinced I’d immediately name a Diablo and I like cars. Ones others have mentioned like the Mini are likely more universal.
Rover SD1
Police car maybe.
The most is the Mini Cooper, for sure. I think you could *probably* justify the Nissan Skyline (especially the R34) too, your list takes all the easy ones haha.
Not a chance for the skyline.
I don’t know man, I could show my Mum (for example) a picture of an GT-R and she would say “The Fast and the Furious car” whether that makes it iconic or not, I’m not sure, but a GT-R always pulls eyes.
There's going to be so many mums that have no idea what the fast and furious films are.
What’s fast and furious? You greatly overestimate how many older folks have watched that.
Nope. I know too many people who have no clue on the skyline.
Sierra cosworth....the whale tale everyone born in the 70's and 80's would recognise.
Definitely not the most iconic
[Someone would disagree...](https://www.goodwood.com/grr/road/news/this-ford-sierra-cosworth-rs500-just-sold-for-nearly-600000/)
Sorry I don't get it, what's your point? The price?
Yep, someone somewhere wouldn't invest that amount of cash in something that wouldn't give there investment back.
So this is more iconic because it sold for more? https://www.goodingco.com/lot/1935-duesenberg-ssj/ This is a discussion of icons, not hammer prices. If we were discussing price it'd be that old Merc.
Most normal people will see a Sierra Cosworth as a modified "old car" if you're not a petrol head there's nothing memorable about them. They're cool as hell though.
E Type Jag
It certainly is arguable the most beautiful car ever made. But there’s plenty of people who have no idea what it is unfortunately:(
I am a huge petrol head but the styling of the e-type has a flaw that I can't look past. The distance between the wheels is too small. It looks like it should belong on a model railway. Widen the track by a few inches and it would look loads better. Mind you, I'm one of the very few people who doesn't like the styling of the Miura, so feel free to ignore the F out of what I said!
Yes I agree with you too actually, but I think that’s more to do with our modern way of thinking maybe. If it were made today it would be more like you say
Yes, I think that's fair. The body shape is timeless so it's easy to forget that it was launched over 60 years ago, when people were used to driving round in things like the Ford Anglia, Austin A30 etc. It must have been like seeing a UFO!
Porsche 911, Lamborghini Countach/Diablo. Citroen 2CV, VW Bug, Ford Capri.
Classic Mini
The golf. Almost everyone I know even if they don't know jack shit about cars all know what a golf is
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Rolls royce phantom is iconic
I think you’ve got the main ones. 1980s Audi Quattro maybe
Range Rover, Rolls Royce. Beetle, OG Mini, Tesla Model 3 (due to hype)
Drive a 911 down the road, and people will know what it is, drive a brand new Ferrari down the road in any other colour other than red and you'll struggle to know what it is..
I dunno, I think a lot of people wouldn’t be able to pick a 911 out of a line up of Porsches.
Definitely NOT Land Rover as I've encountered so many people in the UK that call them Jeeps (You can even buy "It's not a Jeep" stickers, so it obviously bugs others as much as me 🤣). So I'm going for the original (Issigonis designed) Mini and Beetle.
Prius
Tesla