Top 10: Manly Cars

It's time for us acknowledge the rides that have an overt manly presence and make no apologies for it. In other words: Don’t expect to see any Miatas on this manly cars list.

The manly cars that did make this list aren’t exclusively new cars or old cars, and a few aren’t even cars at all. And just so we’re clear, this isn’t all about horsepower or raw performance numbers. The 10 manly cars that make this top 10 are here because of their character, whether they’re among the fastest in the world or they struggle to keep up on the freeway.

No.10 - Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser

1960-1984

To look at Toyota’s portly 2008 Land Cruiser, you don’t immediately think “manly car.” Go back awhile and consider the old two-door version, the Japanese Jeep known as the FJ40 Land Cruiser. Once upon a time, owners subjected their Land Cruisers to tougher duty than navigating mall parking lots. The inspiration for today’s FJ Cruiser (no manly slouch itself), the original Land Cruiser was just as rugged and capable as the rival Jeep CJ, but with tougher looks and better reliability. The timeless demand keeps collector values high and has even inspired a re-creation from TLC, a California company specializing in the restoration of these manly cars.

No.9 - Bugatti Veyron

2007-Present

Maybe it’s just as well that most of us will never experience this car firsthand, as we’d forever be spoiled from that moment. Yes, there’s the face-distorting acceleration and top speed. Remember, though, this isn’t just about the seven-figure sticker price, the 1,001 horsepower or the ability to top 55 mph speed limits by almost 250 mph. As a manly car, the Veyron has the look of an assassin. It's not overtly tough like Rambo, but that’s because it doesn’t have to be. If James Bond were French, this would be his car.

No.8 - Cadillac Eldorado

1953-2002

In the late 1960s, having a new Cadillac was a symbol of success, but not coolness. That changed when the division made Eldorado, a very distinct model instead of a premium trim level on the parade floats. This manly personal coupe wasn’t meek, but its sizable proportions were neat and purposeful, managing to look more sophisticated than other models and more appealing to younger male buyers. Sadly, it was short-lived. The Detroit Way of the era led to a bloated redesign of the Eldo for 1971, introducing the pimpmobile look and causing a drought of manly cars for the automaker that has only recently been addressed.

No.7 - Dodge Ram

1981-Present

Full-size pickups have always been manly, but when Dodge redid the Ram for 1994, and gave it a broad-shouldered, big-rig front end, the genre was redefined. Park a ’93 Dodge next to a ’94, and you’d swear they were made decades apart. On the basis of manliness, they were light-years apart. Buyers responded accordingly, and the years since kept enthusiasm going strong with variants featuring big diesels, crew cabs, dual rear wheels, and even a version with the Viper’s V10 under the hood. 2009 brings another update to the Ram, but Dodge has wisely chosen not to make radical changes, keeping this a manly car for a long time to come. 

No.6 - Lamborghini Countach

1974-1990

Few manly cars have a silhouette you’d recognize immediately. Of those few, there’s arguably none more unique than the Countach. If a poster of this manly car wasn’t on your bedroom wall when you were younger, something had to be amiss. If this manly car didn’t stir the testosterone pot, you were probably devoid of a pulse. To this day, the Countach is an uncompromising, temperamental brute with a “screw you” attitude. You’d better do everything just right when you’re stuffed behind the wheel or things could get very ugly very quickly. Somewhere along the way, you realize the bull in the emblem is apt, and you’re just the matador with a fine line of uncertain control

No.5 - Chevrolet Corvette

1953-Present

No other manly car on this top 10 list has been in production as long as the Corvette, and few ‘Vettes have a hard time living up to the manly car specs. The 1953-’54 cars are excused from this discussion, and some odd color options on the C4 of ’84-’96 dilute the manliness. The manliest is the C2 Sting Ray of ’63-’67. Some see a Sting Ray and think “phallic symbol on four wheels.” Others attribute the manliness to its road manner, which doesn’t suffer fools. Whatever it is, things weren’t quite the same when the Sting Ray designation took a year off for the ’68 redesign and returned as the "Stingray" in ’69.

No.4 - Ferrari GTO

1962-1964

With six decades of Ferraris to consider and remarkably few undesirables in the mix, it’s unthinkable to leave Maranello out of this discussion but challenging to select the quintessential car. Think back to some of the guys who’ve driven them: Steve McQueen had a Lusso, and Clint Eastwood had a 365 GT4 BB. Edging those and all other models is the original GTO. It was built to win races, so the design was the result of wind tunnel and test-track refinement, not an attempt to appeal to customers. Nevertheless, the manly V12 dominated the track and has become a legend. To this day, it’s just your average streetable race car -- if you dare to attempt it after finding a willing seller and parting with many, many millions. 

No.3 - Hummer H1

1992-2006

Just like the original Jeep became popular as a civilian model after World War II, the Humvee for public consumption was an instant manly car success after Operation Desert Storm. Arnold Schwarzenegger is credited with pumping up AM General to dress it in civvies, and this is no girlie-man’s car. The look is unmistakable and intimidating. The toughness and off-road prowess is incredible. It may have generated more publicity than sales during its run of public availability, but it will always be one of the manliest rides ever. 

No.2 - Dodge Viper

1992-Present

Some cars have had their lean years when they weren’t very manly at all. In other cases, it takes a special option package to beef up the works. That comes standard on the Dodge Viper, wholly a man’s car since it was launched as a 1992 model. It has always had a V10, and that’s always been tied to a manual transmission -- no paddle shifters here. What’s more, there isn’t much to save your bacon if you get too crazy -- no coddling electronic aids are going to make it all better. You either get it right or face the consequences -- truly the sign of a manly car. 

No.1 - AC Cobra

1962-1967

It wasn’t built to look good, but it did. It wasn’t built to overwhelm drivers, but it did. It wasn’t built to become part of automotive history, but it did. Carroll Shelby just built the AC Cobra to win, and you’d better believe it did that too. The car was virtually unmatched by anything else on the track or the street, and its performance is still formidable over four decades later. Whether equipped with a 260 cubic-inch, small-block V8 or the fearsome 427, the AC Cobra is our manliest car for its aggressive and timeless looks, untamed character and association with Ol’ Shel