The 1968 Newport and New Yorkers are probably the prettiest and well designed sedans from the contemporary era, if you asked me personally. Which isn't small praise, I thought the look was alright when I first saw it, but it grew on me a lot over time. Seeing one up close and in person gives you more nuance into the design features.
I have a soft spot for the later 70's models, but the 68 grills were very handsome, and if they were well equipped with A/C and PS, can't really beat that combo.
One of the most impressive things to me, with my modern perspective of automobiles, since I daily a 2009 Toyota, is how well the "boat" handles, even with the stereotype of floating luxury barges. And this is on suspension that is probably fairly worn, at 97k miles...and needs brake work. Easily one of the more relaxing cars I've ridden and drove in, and I was once overseas, where their idea of a taxi was to stuff 20 people into a small van!
Strange perspective. I wonder if cars are entering their last era or if other people see more difference than I do.
An era of cars was a decade for the first 70 years it seems to me.
From my perspective, nowadays we've hit peak automobile inflation, not unlike the monetary kind, so people don't really have the interests in cars like you would have had back then. Not as much happening back then, and cars seemed to generally have been taken better care of then than now, mainly because it seems you would need it...that was your transport.