What makes a car beautiful?  A lot of people will say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and in some cases that is true.  But there are some people, buildings, places, and even cars that are just beautiful…no matter whom you ask.

In the case of cars this beauty is universal based on its speed, performance, and all-around looks.  According to experts the physical beauty of a car is based on its proportions (much the same in people), its width, height, and length must all be in the correct balance. “There is a fundamental value in good proportion…that is something we all share in terms of what is beautiful – we start by using those references,” according to Jae Min, chief designer for Volkswagen Group.

The real challenge to making a beautiful car is to create a design that has relevance without cliché and then balance it with timelessness and functionality. Some vehicles are better examples of these than others.

Forbes.com recently put together a list of the most beautiful cars of 2011, in order to make the cut these cars must be 2012 models or have been available for the first time in 2011. Though some vehicles on list may not be as flashy as some others, they all share one thing, timelessness and universal beauty.

• Ferrari 599 GTO
• Jaguar XKR-S
• Audi R8 GT Spyder
• Porsche 918 Spyder Hybrid
• Audi A7
• Porsche Cayman R
• Aston Martin V12 Zagato
• Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster
• Aston Martin Virage Volante

To see pictures of all these cars check them out on Forbes.com.  Which do you think is the most beautiful? Do you think there were any models left off this list?