There was something special in the air that produced so many designs that have become emblematic of the era.

As the world shook off the hangover from the Second World War, design and innovation were booming in the car industry.

From family models to sports cars, the car world hadn’t up to that point seen anything like the proliferation of new models and ideas that 1959 witnessed.

Here, we look at some of the best cars from 1959 - a truly landmark year for the motoring industry...