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But which were the most important of all time?

It’s a question that’s passed many an hour in the nation’s pubs. Keith Collantine gives his verdict on the ten most important cars.

Ferrari F40

Ferrari founder Enzo died in August 1988. The sensational F40, built for the company’s 40th anniversary, was the final car he commissioned.

And what a creation it was – the first production car to break the 200mph barrier. A finely honed instrument of power which set the benchmark for supercars for year to come – until Ferrari’s arch rivals McLaren produced the F1.

Volkswagen Golf GTi

Hot hatch aficionados will claim the Alfasud is the real first hot hatch. But the Golf GTi has become a cult icon, synonymous with speed.

Even in its fifth generation it is still available in the classic white paintwork with tartan interior trim, and is a joy to drive.

Ford Model T

The car that brought motoring to the masses.

Before the Model T, motoring was the extravagant preserve of the rich. The mass-produced Model T changed that and15 million were sold between 1909 and 1927.

But just as innovative as the car was Henry Ford’s minimum hours pay for his workers, which gave them enough money to save up and buy the cars.

Willys Jeep

Dubbed the car than won World War II. The four-wheel drive Willy’s Jeep of 1940 was the workhorse of the allied forces in their assault against the axis powers.

The American Army began by ordering 500 of the cars, but by the end of the war five years later 600,000 had been built.

Audi Quattro

Years before the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo and Subaru Impreza WRX, this was the car that brought four wheel drive and turbocharging from the world of rallying and into an otherwise ordinary family car.

It cemented the link between rally cars and performance derivatives and defined a new sub-genre of ultra-quick cars.

Renault Espace

Other cars can lay claim to being the first MPV but it was Renault’s Espace which made the family van popular.

Homely and versatile, the Espace and its followers made it easier for parents to ferry their children and piles of belongings.

The sector has grown in popularity and spawned a range of sub-niches with smaller MPVs (Renault Scenic), sporty MPVs (Ford S-Max) and more.

Lotus / Caterham 7

Penned by legendary F1 designer Colin Chapman and first built by Lotus in 1957, the 7 has been sold by Caterham since 1959.

In many ways the definitive British sportscar – low on weight but with plenty of power, and perfectly balanced handling. No wonder the recipe hasn’t changed in five decades.

Austin Mini

BMW may have resurrected the Mini’s classic styling, but what made the original great was the inspired packaging of a transverse-mounted engine driving the front wheels.

We would take it for granted today – which is proof positive of why Alec Issiggonis’ design was so important. We think of the Mini as small, but the clever packaging gave it more room inside despite its diminutive proportions.

Bugatti Veyron

The Veyron is a triumph of brute force engineering – using a gigantic amount of power (1,001bhp) to develop huge speed (253mph).

But many would question its presence on a list of the most important cars. Is it a greater creation than McLaren’s mighty F1? Is it about to lose its crown as world’s fastest car to the SSC Ultimate Aero? The debate rages on.

Ford GT40

Beauty is subjective but you won’t find many people who don’t agree that the GT40 is attractive.

It was also quick – built by Ford to humiliate Enzo Ferrari after the Italian turned down their offer to buy his company. It ended Ferrari’s six-year winning streak at the Le Mans 24 Hours and won the race four years in a row.

Mission accomplished.

What cars do you think are the ten most important of all time? Let us know.

These were 15 more cars from our shortlist that failed to make the cut: Volkswagen Beetle, McLaren F1, Citroën Traction Avant, Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, Toyota Prius, Jensen Interceptor, Citroën DS, Alfasud, Morris Minor, BMW M3, Citroën 2CV, Subaru 360, Porsche 911, Land Rover 1 and Volkswagen Minibus.

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