What makes a car beautiful?Is it flowing lines,pleasing proportions,a clear identity,a strong sense of character,exquisite details-or a mixture of all of the above?True,the assessment of beauty ultimately remains in the eye of the beholder,yet its truest manifestations always seem to elicit unanimous praise and approval.We have looked far and wide to choose the most beautiful production cars of the last few years, and agonized over a list of 10 standouts.The fact that most are European will not come as a great surprise,but the inclusion of a compact sedan from South Korea should raise a few eyebrows.

2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

If cars were living beings,the newest Hyundai Elantra might feel out of place amid rare and expensive European sports cars.But just look at it.There simply is not a line or a curve wrong with this new korean compact sedan,introduced at the recent Los Angeles Show.Say what you will,we think this bright,new design truly belongs here.The 2011 Elantra is powered by a new 1.8-liter 148-horsepower 4-cylinder engine.