Top five most beautiful cars you can lease

When car designers sketch out their latest models, they have the opportunity to create almost anything, so why not create something beautiful?

There are a lot of terrible efforts littering the roads of the UK, and everyone has their own ideas on which cars make them cringe, but we’re going to celebrate all that’s good about car design with our five favourites.

Maserati Ghibli

Lease a Maserati Ghibli: business / personal

We probably shouldn’t be surprised that the Italians dominate this list, but the fact that a premium executive saloon appears is something to be marvelled at. Borrowing looks from the hardcore Granturismo, the Ghibli is not the most efficient executive car, and nor is it the fastest or the most comfortable, but it is the prettiest.

You’ve got the choice of supplementing those looks with the screaming V6 petrol engines or a 3.0-litre V6 diesel, which somehow manages to sound like a deep, bassy, petrol-fuelled V8. We took it across Britain and found it surprisingly addictive.

Ferrari 458

Lease a Ferrari 458: business / personal

Although it is about to be replaced by the ultra-modern, turbocharged 488 GTB, we still think the 458 Italia is the most beautiful V8-engined Ferrari for many a year. The 360 and the 430 were too chubby-looking, and the California too upright. As a result, with its taut lines and sleek profile, the 458 the best-looking Ferrari this century.

It’s one of the best performers too. The 360 was a dog and though the 430 was an improvement, the 458 turned the screw on every rival. Some even prefer it to the 488 thanks to its larger naturally aspirated engine, which provides a smoother power delivery.

Jaguar F-Type Coupe

Lease a Jaguar F-Type: business / personal

According to Enzo Ferrari, the E-Type was the most beautiful car in the world, so it’s no surprise that the iconic Jag’s successor is something of a looker. At a time when most Jaguars are becoming anonymous Teutonic saloons, the F-Type is a British bruiser that still manages to look modern, lithe, and supple despite a few passing nods to the E-Type.

If you put the two Jags head-to-head on a racetrack, though, the newer car wouldn’t even register the existence of the ‘60s legend. In full-blooded R guise, the 542bhp F-Type tops out at 186mph. The E-Type would do 150mph on a good day.

Read our review of the V6-engined F-Type Coupe

Alfa Romeo 4C

Lease an Alfa Romeo 4C: business / personal

Alfa Romeo’s history of building gorgeous cars goes back to… errr… well, June 24, 1910 – the date the company was founded. Highlights include the 6C, GT Junior, Giulietta SZ, and more recently the 8C, Brera and 159. The 4C is the latest addition to this line, and it’s one of the prettiest. This tiny little sports car is truly stunning.

Its less disappointing than many of its predecessors, too, with a 975kg kerbweight allowing it to handle like a Caterham and go like a Corvette. Despite a comparatively minute 1.75-litre four-pot providing ‘just’ 237bhp, 0-62mph takes a mere 4.5 seconds.

Read our first drive review of the 4C here

Aston Martin Vanquish

Lease an Aston Martin Vanquish: business / personal

Unlike Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin’s heritage includes a few pretty shocking moments. The old V8 Vantage may have been a Bond car, but it wasn’t beautiful, and the Lagonda? The less said about that the better. The Vanquish, however, is divine. From the splitter to the spoiler it’s a study in designing a sleek, sexy sports car that oozes class.

It oozes even more class on the road, where the 6.0-litre V12 under that long nose provides an opulent 576hp. That enables this epic grand tourer to hit 62mph in 3.8 seconds and a 201mph top speed while still being comfortable and refined.