8 BARGAIN Cars With BEAUTIFUL Designs! 

renault: in the future cars will be crazy and unique just like avantime! the future: grey SUVs that all look alike

I came here expecting Saab, I got Saab. You're a man of fine taste.

Have to say the original Audi TT is a timeless, affordable classic. Fun video!

I think the best pick would be Alfa Romeo Brera. To this day it still looks modern and astonishing

Your studio / office is incredible. Give us a tour one day!

Time caps and names: 1:11 Mazda MXS 2:36 SAAB 900 4:13 Renault Aventine 6:27 Porsche SPR 988 7:48 Honda CRX 9:14 Volkswagen Mark 1 golf 11:10 BMW E 30 12:40 Mini Cooper

Frank Stephenson be like: „And the next car on our list is a Ferrari F40! If you can find one of these for under 5 grand you‘re getting a great deal!“

The SAAB 900 turbo aero is just pure love to me.

"the grille, which is beautifully proportioned".... 😉

I appreciated the discussion of the Saab. It was indeed such an interesting and distinctive design and it was sad to see that company slowly die with GM. I’d love to hear Frank’s thoughts on the design of the final 9-5.

Was not expecting this video, thank you for making it

as a Swede, you picking the good old Saab 900 really warmed my heart. Loved driving those back in the day. It´s not only quirky as hell, it´s really practical too. Open the rear hatch, fold the rear seats and it swallows anything in a single gulp. Want to load a dishwasher machine? No problems (I tired!). Me and my twin brother together had the "hybrid"-version, i e the Saab 90 (half Saab 99, half saab 900). The 90 sure looks kind of strange, but somehow one could learn to love it too! Btw, I´m also a huge fan of the AvanTime, the 1st gen Boxster and the CRX. Great picks!

Frank has decided,he is going to be a youtube star.

I remember back in the late 80's, my dad telling me about his friend that owned a SAAB. As a kid, I was just so impressed with SAABs like they were Porsches or BMW. Sadly, reality set in.

The Mini Cooper is always gonna look good. That design saved the brand from extinction.

LOL that intro at 0:53 Thank you Frank for never taking yourself too seriously. It is one of the reasons why this channel is so special! Don't lose that!

notice how there are 0 friggin crossovers and SUVS in there... I approve!

Great picks! And thanks for "avenging" the Avantime! I would personally add: - the Peugeot 406 coupé - the original Audi TT - the first BMW Z3 - the Alfa Romeo 156 - the 2004 Mercedes CLK - the Opel Calibra - the Mazda 323 f (around 1998)...

I'd add 3rd gen scirocco as well. Its aging so well.

Would love to see a tour of your personal car collection

The r50 / r53 Mini Cooper aged really well. They’re almost 20 years old! Good job Mr. Stephenson.

When he said crx. That is my favorite car hands down.

I always liked the 2nd gen 1988-1990 CRX a tad more. The glasstop is a wonder of design.

Super glad to see the 1st Gen CR-X getting love! I especially love the one with the sunken in headlights. Looks shockingly aggressive for its size! Especially the Mugen one!

i fell in love with the 2nd gen honda prelude, it was love at first sight! sad that there aren`t many out there, but it definitely is one of my top 10 favorites.

Thanks for showing an E30 M3 which are well over £50k now in the UK on a list of cars under £5k.

I’ve owned the Mini R53 since 2004…it’s 2022 and I still have it and won’t let it go. I had no idea you designed it. Thank you for such a classic and beautiful design that stands the test of time. None of the mini’s that came after is as good. Also a shoutout to the Miata, Saab 900, CR-X, Golf MK-I, and E30 you selected…love all of them.

The Mini R50/R52/R53 Is a timeless classic. The Design is quite unique and classy. I’ve got one and I’m always willing to go for a drive in it. It’s like rock & roll, love the exterior and the interior, the BMW feel, the go-kart steering and that “harsh ride” it’s enormously fun. I adore it!

I wish I had these videos years ago when I was in high school and drew cars all day in my notebook during class! Would you ever consider doing a “MasterClass” course? I think it would extremely compelling to hear about your perspective on design in depth.

I bought a 2002 bmw e39 in great condition for a little under 3k! I am in love with the design of the e39 as well as the e38

4:23 yeeeeeeeeeeeah this is why Frank and I are of a kind. We both appreciate the Avantime. Renault was so quirky at that point with the Vel Satis butts.

I recently picked up a 2004 Mini OneD, British Racing Green. And I love it. About 2500 pounds including all the Danish taxes. It just makes me happy. Will never sell it. It’s so well thought out. You can feel that it is a fresh design. From a blank piece of paper. I love that. Thank you Frank. 16 years on and 320,000 km it is going strong.

I have a Honda CRX an incredible drivers car and absolutely beautiful

Yes, the Avantime is cool! Its like one of these panoramic railway cars.

Thanks for the great video and for making me smile when you mencioned the CRX, as a JDM lover it was inevitable!

The first Gen MX5 always reminds me of an original Lotus Elan bought up to date. To me the lines are very much the same with just the rear smoothed off a bit

Front overhang aside, Alfa Romeo Brera?

Great picks. I’ve always wanted an avantime. And the Saab 900 is my all time favourite

Frank Stephenson is a joy to watch. His capabilities are awesome. The mini Cooper is one of the most iconic world class designs. To electrify the design would be fantastic.

When Frank Stephenson speaks, I listen. Thank you sir.

Man, you gotta do a tour of your little bunk house/ tiny house, thats amazing

Can’t argue with that Frank, I drove a Saab 900 turbo in 1988 it was brilliant

Cars with great visibility.....something thats been slightly lost throughout the years sadly.

Thank you Frank for this video and your channel. You are a living legend who has definitely left his footprint in the car industry. Your designs will live forever.

I find the t200 celica to be timeless and sporty even ~30 years after its creation

I'm so happy you picked out the Honda CR-X! Always been a favorite design of mine.

Every time I watch his videos and he calls the hole in the front bumper a mouth, I would think of the smiling Miata and wonder what he thinks of it. Now we know and I have even more respect for that vehicle. Very cool

i agree on the BMW, the Golf, the Mini. I must say: The Frank Stephenson Mini retrodesign is the best redesign of a car i ever saw! Congratulations for this pice of designart.

Happy to see you kept it real (under 5k) Happy also to see you went off the tangent and chose less obvious cars. I remember when the Avantime launched and although not the kind of car I tend to like, I admired the design for its boldness.

I found the Honda Del Sol a very attractive car at the time. Haven’t seen one for quite a while. I imagine it didn’t have quite enough motor to be successful.

Great content Frank, I love hearing your thoughtful expert opinion on car designs. I have an MR2 Roadster and a Mazda RX-8 sat on my drive, each costing under 5 grand. I can't help but sit and stare out of the window admiring them for hours whilst I think of an excuse to go out for a spin. The RX8 in particular has many unusual and interesting details and looks like nothing else on the road. They both put a big smile on my face driving them and my only issue is deciding which one to drive.

Fiat 500. Great city car, great design, heritage, and a lot of Italian charm. Can be bought for that sort of money although the most desirable one, the Abarth, is a bit more.

I’ve had 4 of these cars! Blessed to have parents that weren’t that fixated in car reliability haha.

Very interesting video Frank, great topic! I've found myself a very nice Peugeot 406 Coupé with that lovely Pininfarina design - gorgeous design and they are dirt cheap! One thing i miss though is some credit for the clips you used - Overtake Films definitely deserves some praise for those beautiful pictures of the green MX-5.

that mini is a masterpiece, thank you sir for sharing your work

I love this guy. I find myself referencing what he says in his videos when I'm talking to friend's and even my kids!

Great list you have come up with. These are some of my favorite cars and the e30 is my favorite of all time!

I have to say you are legendary sir! Thank you for this video

Agree with all of your choices Frank, particularly the Saab and Renault for being so bold in design. I had a gorgeous E30 318is back in 2002, concours condition, which would be worth a small fortune now if it had been mothballed. You brought back a strong memory, my father taking me to the Geneva motorshow, probably 1972. I was 7 years old and the Fiat 130 Coupe stole my heart, It seemed so different to me, very straight lines compared to what had been traditional and yet so elegant and almost brutish, genius design. I could go on and on, so many Citreon and Peugeots that I can drink in. And my mothers 1964 Cheverolet Impala sedan, we spent 6 years in California and those cars rocked to a very young boy. Loving your channel Frank.

Awesome video! I love all of your picks, and for me it would be hard to narrow down 8. For me, 80's and 90's JDM and some GDM always get my heart strings and nostalgia. You could do a whole series, keep up the different ideas you're doing 😎

Once again great video ! I would definitely add to the list the Peugeot 406 Coupe and the Lancia Thesis.

I remember seeing the Avantime for the first time at the Motor Show in around 2000 and thought it was stunning. So much more interesting than the Vel Satis and a shame it didn't sell. Nowadays that cab-forward shape would be perfect for an EV, which is probably why I can see a hint of its proportions in a modern I-Pace. Golf: truly seminal, so clean. As for the last two, I agreed with everything you say, both when in 1987 I bought an E30 320i with that wonderful straight 6, and then rather more recently when we bought a pair of BMW Minis, the first red with a white roof and the second electric blue and white. OK the JCW bits rather alter the look of the second one but it still sits, looks and feels like an old Mini, albeit about 50% bigger. Nice selection!

This was such a great episode man, thanks for sharing these great designs

I totally agree with the list. Proof that beauty is a matter of taste and not money; pretty much all the cars in that list were affordable when new and mass produced. I especially liked the fact that cars like the 900 and the Avantime were included in this list because sometimes beauty defies established rules.

Great video. But what about the Peugeot 406 Coupé?

Frank, I've been admiring the 65 / 66 Chevy Corvair. I can't believe how cheap they are. I'd love to hear your thoughts on that one.

Great idea A great idea for such a series. I hope for more episodes!

very well chosen and wonderfully selected masterpieces .... I approve of your choice Frank

Hows this one? A Volvo P1800S for £1300, drove it daily for 10 years. It was 1990 though!

What a wonderful surprise! Apart from the cars themselves, I recall my pride (as a kid growing up in the States) when Grant Larson succeeded so thoroughly with the 986 Boxster; we really needed that car even from spiritual perspective despite the deserved adoration of the 928 and 944. As for the cars themselves, I'm fortunate to have had a few just like or similar to those chosen (Golf MkII GTI 16v, NB MX-5 Miata and a very late production E30 325is). Thank you! And since I'm in Europe now, I'll see what I can do to send some tips on where to find some of these 'beautiful bargains'.

You did great on the mini, always loved the design.. thank you for it! I drove a red gold cabrio mk1 for a while. Also. A beauty. I really appreciate what you do on this channel. Thank you!

Thanks, professor. Always appreciate you.

I bought one of the MC12 sketches! Thank you for making things like that available. I can’t wait to have signed artwork from my favorite car designer!

I LOVE THE AVANTIME!

Always insightful and interesting - cheers Frank

Love the R53 🏁❤ Absolutely love the design of this car every day. Thank you. No, you can't have it, but thanks so much for designing it.

I agree on all of them! All cars that I particularly like and would like to own. I started with the MINI

What about the original Mercedes CLS?

Hello, great channel and love the fact that you engaging and motivating with new young designers...

R53 Mini will always be a great looking car. I have an R56, but the R53 has a special place in my heart. Absolutely beautiful.

Alfa Romeo GT.. the most beautiful affordable 2000's car and to add: Bertone Swan song and last Busso engine car..

My favorite designer next to my favorite car... Loved that picture of you next to the Enzo! This was such a cool video. I always learn so much watching these and gain more appreciation for design. Thank you for the incredible content, Frank!

You really created something special with that mini. I’m a huge fan of the late 90’s Jetta.

Such a great channel! Glad I found it!

Thank you. You and Harry’s garage, great job.

Sorprendentemente haz puesto mi coche favorito: Honda Crx. wow! Lo que me extraña es que no hayas puesto el Fiat Coupe 20v. Me parece un coche precioso.

Great video on a Great Topic!! I'll take one of each. I had 2 Mini Coopers and loved them both. Best cars of my life!! Thanks again Frank

Nice! I own a 1st Gen CRX and a 4th Gen Civic Hatch and they're both at the top of my list for design. They're so simple but still attractive. Love it.

I like all the cars in the list. I've owned an MX5 and I'm on my 3rd Mini. The SAAB 900 is the only car to pull off 3 spoke wheels ever and so cool.

You should a video analyzing American muscle car designs!

Back in 2012, as a fresh-faced 26 year old, I was working together with Renault Design to create the 5/6-seater version of the Trafic and the Opel/Vauxhall Vivaro (called Cab Approfondie). I was talking cars during a long meeting with the guy at Renault sitting next to me, and it turned out we both owned an NA MX-5. I'm on my second NA MX-5 now, a 1994 1.8 with the non-airbag dashboard. I love it so much! But at some point, I'll want an early Porsche 996 Carrera. Ps. I've always been fasscinated with the Renault Avantime. Everytime I see one on the road in Europe, I have to chase it for a while :)

The instant I read the title I knew SAAB would be front and center. They absolutely dominate any list of the best designed cars of all time :) 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 90, 99, 900, 9000, 9-3, 9-5; every car they made was 1-3 decades ahead of every other auto manufacturer. Hell, my '08 9-3 looks right at home in a 2021 lineup. They've been a huge influence on my guitar design too, and they've helped me learn how to incorporate more fluid and natural design into my work! And of course they pioneered turbocharging and safety technologies that are used in pretty much every car today

Great selection! I agree with you with the CRX, E30, Saab 900 and Mini (I'm fallen in love with Mini design). I would include 1996 Alfa GTV.

Fiat 500. Prefer that over the Mini design. Both great!

I just bought the Cooper S some months ago. Beautiful design, capable cars, good job Mr. S.!

At some point in life I ended up with a Peugeot 406 Coupe I picked up for just over 2000€. And after a few years of living with it I am baffled why these cars still aren't more sought after. They are not just great to look at but also very pleasant to drive and actually live with.

He got my attention with the Saab, I fell in love when I saw the CRX and I'm open to marriage after the E30.

Have you thought of interviewing other great designers, VW Golf?

Great video - enjoy the history and the rare gems

i love what you're doing. you put to words what a lot of us have been feeling but had no idea how to say.