Perhaps no era in the history of the automobile has offered greater diversity in styling than did the 1950s. It wasn’t just the explosion of makes and models that arose during that decade in the attempt to fill the pent up demand created by the war, but also the fact that car makers seemed bent on dramatic changes in styling pretty much every year.

Most of the cars of that era are readily identifiable by no more than their silhouette, and many of those are not just iconic, but are handsomely emblematic of the decade as well. Consider the ’57 Chevy, or Jaguar’s XK-120/140 series, both of which are bold shapes that immediately suggest their generation.

Not only are the fifties a notable automotive epoch for styling, but many of the enthusiasts’ favorite icons arose in this era. This was the dacade that gave us such greats as the Corvette, the Thunderbird, and Porsche’s 356 all of which I’m sure you could pick out of a lineup. But which one is your best-loved? What is your favorite ’50s automotive profile? 

Image source: Motor Trend