Best car from each manufacturer

[MexSiR]

Name one car from each car manufacturer that you think is the best that theyve produced.

It has to be aimed for the public and mass produced. I dont mean mass as in tens of thousands but you get the idea.

The decision can be based on the influence the car had on that era, benchmarks that it established, records it broke etc...

Name the car manufacturer - Car - Reason

Example -

Volkswagen - Golf GTI (first gen) - Set the benchmark for economy sports oriented cars.

Honda - NSX 1990 - Hand built, Ferrari and Porsche challenger at a lesser price, first all aluminium (sort of hahah)

Let the games begin.

[NISSANSPDR]

Ok...that's cool...

We'll start w/close to home (these are my personal opinions...no flaming please!)

America

Chevy/GM Group - Stingray Corvette '63 Split Window...just a gorgeous car and power to boot...sure the ZO6 is great now...but this car has CLASS

Daimler/Chrysler Group - Hemi-Cuda...hands down my favorite muscle car in terms of looks, appeal, and power...so amazing!

Ford - GT40 Mark I...if you make a car to beat Ferrari and it does so for 3 years straight...I think you got something worthwhile for ages...(I think it was the Mark I or II...dont recall)


Europe

Lotus - Lotus Elise 190 (current version)...such a complete track car in terms of looks, handling, power...all you need...nothing you dont

Aston Martin - Tough call between the DB5 and the Vanquish...both are sex on wheels...if I was married...DB5...if I was single...Vanquish...but I am in a 2 year relationship so I dont know where that puts me...lol

Jaguar - E-Type V12...to me this car was England...maybe some ppl like the Mini more so for the icon of England...but to me...in British Racing Green...this car was it!

BMW - E30 M3...this car was amazing and ahead of it's time...and you could see one today and still want one...that's timeless...sure the E36 and E46 are faster...but you cant beat the original and since it put the M3 on the map in terms of motorsports...it gets my nod

Mercedes Benz - Gullwing...I think quite possibly the sexiest car ever...it may not be the fastest or the most technological...but that car will always been viewed as a work of art til the end of time...hopefully by car guys like us.

Audi - I was a sucker for the early 80's version of the Audi Quattro...the one that did the rally and put AWD on the map for everyone...yea...that one...and sure it's a lil long in the tooth but I am sure that car can still put smiles on the faces of any one who likes the right pedal

Porsche - GT3...very pure and simple car for a purpose...to go fast...the GT2 for me was a bit too much and didnt get to where it needed to go and make as big a splash as the GT3 did...that's why I am in love w/the GT3...it won my admiration from day one.

Ferrari - F40...light, stupid fast, could brake well and handled like a dream...oh and it was a sculpture of race art put on road tires...so damn good.

Lamborghini - Miura...the sounds from the engine are truly unexplainable to ppl who havent heard it...so all I can say is,"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh." That sums up the rest of the car too...

Japan

Mitsubishi - Evo VI RS...I think this car was probably the best version of the Evo's of late...some will argue that the MR is the best...but I think the VI RS is alot more pure than that...and despite the age difference and the gadgets and more HP...it really comes down to styling...and I like the VI's vs. the VIII anyday.

Mazda - RX-7 (3rd Gen)...easily the best looking Japanese "Supercar" we got stateside out of the others...it was light, fast, nimble, and had great brakes...if only it were a lil more reliable...I'd own one...bah.

Subaru - 22b STi...best Subaru ever in my book. I'd give my firstborn for it...it's that good.

Nissan - Skyline GTR R32...the real Godzilla that got banned b/c it was too damn good and other cars couldnt hang...kinda like what happened to the A4 Quattro in the BTCC. I'll take all the unfair advantage I can get.

Toyota - 2000GT...the first Japanese sports car for real. 240Z was the first Japanese sports car to make it stateside...but IIRC the 2000GT never made it and it's only in the hands of a few, 3, if IIRC. This car is drop dead sexy. The MKIV Supra's great great grandfather.

Honda - ITR (late 90's)...best FWD handling car ever...and has yet to be dethroned.

[drunken monkey]

for me... and assuming we're not talking about race cars.

Alfa Romeo: 33/2 Stradale - for the looks and the fact that it's the race car in disguise and screams to 9000rpm.

Aston Martin: DB4 Zagato - just look at it, then fire it up...... who cares if it's slower than a 250 SWB?

BMW: 507 - partly because of its looks but mostly because of the story of its design/inception.

Bugatti: EB110 - it looks better the more you look at it. Engine is physically bigger than your sofa.....

Ferrari: 288 GTO - without this there would be no F40 and then there's the perfect stance and 'face'.
(246 GT Dino a veeery close second)

Jaguar: XK-SS - because it was a D-type race car very thinly disguised as a road car.

Lamborghini: Countach LP400 - Because this still defines what a supercar is suposed to be like.
(if you can't park it, it's a supercar?)

Lancia: Stratos - because they dared to make it.

Lotus: toss up between an Elan Sprint or Elise S1 135 - both follow the Colin Chapman Principles to the letter in accordance to their respective era.

McLaren: errrr...... do I need to?

Maserati: Bora - pure 70s Italian GT car. Not brilliant but I like it for it's flaws.

Mercedes Benz: 300 SL gullwing - for the same reason as the BMW 507 AND the fact that it was the epitome of technology at it's time.

Porsche: (cop out answer would be..) Carrera RS - have you heard one of these go? Hmm, can I say 911 and leave it at that?

Renault: 5 Turbo - the original car that had a fire spitting engine where you're supposed to put the kids.

Honda: NSX - because it took so long to get made and it was still light years ahead of the European supercars. This car showed the world that you can weld aluminium "easily" after all......Don't believe what they tell you, this car gave us the 360 and even now it is still used as a reference in how to make and set up a mid engined car.

Mazda: the last gen RX-7 - because the chief engineer took a go-kart out and raced and beat all of the board members in their so-called sports cars on a track. That's why we have a gorgeous, small and LIGHT sports car at that time period.

Mitsubishi: EVO - because every change of the road car from the EVO1 up to the EVO6 was done to make the rally car more competitive.

Nissan: R34 - because it took what the R33 started and took it to the next level AND it got smaller in the process. How many cars can you name get smaller from one generation to the next?

Toyota: (Yaris!!! ahem....) 2000GT - because it has a yamaha engine goes like stink and doesn't try to be anything else (which can't be said most japanese cars of the time) except a sports car.

[Legionofone]

honda - civic easily moded and looks nice
toyota- supra fast as hell and sexy
nissan-skyline see supra
mitsubishi- 1999 Eclipse GSX amazingly powerful little car
Ford- 2005 mustange GT the best styling ford has done in a while
mazda- RX-8 sleek powerful and crazy fast
chrysler-1998 cirrus LXi (my car)
subaru- STi not the best looks but freaking fast
dodge- Stealth 3000gt was awsome and this is almost the same
chevy- Corvette pimp ass ride!

[NISSANSPDR]

Originally Posted by Legionofone

honda - civic easily moded and looks nice
toyota- supra fast as hell and sexy
nissan-skyline see supra
mitsubishi- 1999 Eclipse GSX amazingly powerful little car
Ford- 2005 mustange GT the best styling ford has done in a while
mazda- RX-8 sleek powerful and crazy fast
chrysler-1998 cirrus LXi (my car)
subaru- STi not the best looks but freaking fast
dodge- Stealth 3000gt was awsome and this is almost the same
chevy- Corvette pimp ass ride!

How could you pick the RX8 over the RX7 when the RX7 (3rd gen) is faster and has more power (HP)?

One more question...how could you pick the GSX over the Evo?

The logic is..a lil skewed

PS: I am not flaming...just asking

[TatII]

yeah most rotary heads will not consider the rx-8 to a true rx since its soo gutless and slow.

anyways heres my list

americans

Dodge: SRT-10 becasue in my opinion its much better looking then the first gen, and its faster yet more refined and still raw

Chevy: the Z06 this and the viper would be the only american cars i would ever own.

Ford: Ford GT this is actually now my current dream car. i choose this car over all else including the enzo. damn good looks and plenty of balls and tons of upgrade potential.

Europeans

Lamborghini: Diablo GT the best looking lambo to date. its even better looking then the countach

Ferrari: F40, one of the best looking with twin turbo v8 power

Porsche: Carrera GT. one of the best looking porsche also gets the title for being the fastest production porsche to date

BMW: E46 M3 CSL. very very nice sounding engine, and car designed purely for just going fast and nothing else

Benz: CLK DTM AMG. not much is known about this car to me, but they made it just so that they can use this new design to compete is the european touring car championships

Asian:

Nissan: R390 very very rare nissan and a true japanese super car.

Honda: NSX-R perfect balance, this car can hang with or beat cars making almost twice the power.

toyota: jza80 supra twin turbo. tons of potential, looks kinda funny stock, but the fastest toyota to date

Mitsubishi: the EVO 5 is the best looking EVO in my opinion and its the first evo i ever fell in love with

Subaru: the WRX STi P1, the best looking STi to date, and probrably the most extreme of the WRX's, its a toss up between this or a 22B

mazda: the RX-7 FD3S RZ. the most hardcore RX-7 ever.

[Legionofone]

i like the looks of the eclipse more than the Evo its basicly the same thing... a 4G63T engine with 220ish HP with AWD just a different body

as for the RX-8 they are just sturdy ass cars and look better than the RX-7 to me... the RX-8 can take a shitload of abuse and keep on kicking

[k3smostwanted]

nice thread!!!

nissan - 1990-96 300zxTT - i know its biased but look what it brought about, the japanese super car battle of the early 90's...

toyota - early to mid 90's MR2 turbo - quick true sports car with alot of tuning capabilities.

mitsubishi - VR4 - never cared for the econo super car thing going on so that kept me from choosing the EVO...VR4 is just an amazing car and i cant deny the looks, eventhough i didnt like the 99' body style.

subaru - SVX - one of the most looked over cars in the car industry. tuning capabilities are virtually amazing, but there is no demand for the parts.

honda - NSX - the early 90's NSX was just an extremely amazing car.

BMW - M3 - i think the newer one is the E46, someone correct me if im wrong, great car.

chevy - early 60's corvettes - i dont like how any of the newer ones looks at all.

ford - hmmm....i guess the GT - i dont know why, only ford that looks half way decent.

mazda - 3rd gen rx7 - by far the best mazda made, 1.3L motor pushing almost 300hp. no replacement for displacement, RIGHT!!!!!

dodge - viper, eventhough i like the 5.9 R/T dakota sport (only truck i would ever own, dont ask me why) - viper shows american success in a car.

chrysler - i dont think i have ever liked a car they made.


im not really gonna get into the all the european exotics because i do not know much about them.

[k3smostwanted]

Originally Posted by Legionofone

a 4G63T engine with 220ish HP with AWD just a different body

i dont think so....last time i checked the the EVO ran low 13's at 270hp+ and unmistakable handling capabilities.

[DinanM3_S2]

America:
Chevy- 1953 Corvette, the car that changed American sports cars forever. Oldest car name still around in American cars (I think)

Ford- 1964-1969 Mustang, this and the Corvette are the only two American sports car with true staying power. My favorite classic American cars are Stangs'

Dodge- never a big Dodge guy, but I think the Viper sums up the company's sports car formula, big displacement

Japan:
Honda- Accord, not a sports car, but really one of the best consumer cars ever built, America will never make a sedan thats this good

Toyota- Mk. IV Supra TT, one of the last Toyotas with a soul in it. Massive potential, great looks

Nissan- 1969 240z, for some reason I'm feeling all nostalogic tonight, but if memory serves, this was the first of the Z cars, one of the best selling lines of sports cars ever.

Mazda- Mk. III RX-7, makes you wonder why they ever made the RX-8

Europe:
Benz- 300SL "Gullwing," absolutely beautiful car

Audi- R8, best LeMans car ever

Porsche- 1965 911, Porsche = 911

Ferrari- too many to choose from

Lambo- Miura, last Lambo that I really liked

BMW- my favorite company ever, too hard for me to choose, its like picking which is your favorite child...

E26 M1- the first M car
E30 M3- the first M car many could hope to buy
E36 M3- first 6 cylinder M car, beat out the NSX and 355 in C&D handling test
E46 M3- just because its my car
E39 M5- another awesome BMW
E60 M5- best in class, best sedan ever IMO

[fairladyz_gt-r]

Well here's my 1

Japan

Nissan: (KPGC10) Skline GT-R 2000 (1971). This is the First Coupe Skyline GT-R. Why this car? simple it is extreamly good looking, also it is the first Japanese car which sucessfully destroyed the Europen domination in Japanese touring car grand prix. The stock car can crack out 160HP 7000RPM from a 2 liter car. which is still amazing by today's standard.

Mitsubishi. I think i will have to give it to the EVO3, It was basiclly built up the image of Evo.

Toyota. emmm this I will have to say the 2000GT, why? just look at it.

Subaru. Imp sti 22b, soo sexy and soo fast.

Daihatsu. Got to be the coper, i know is small and only have 63hp but for such a cheep price you get a fold hardtop roof!!!

Isuzu. the first gen 117 coup. why? is purely hand build.

Europe

Ferreri. 250GTO 1959. soo beutiful.

Lambogihini. Diablo SV 1999, the most beutiful and raw lambo

Porsche. 911 GT3 RS, Raw fast build for just one purpose....go fast around a track!

Aston Martin. Got to be the DB9, fast, comfortable and with class

BMW. emm i have to say the M5 E34 this is the car which started and whole new class of sport saloon.

Benz. 190E evolution. man that's the most extream benz.

Mclaren. - -" ofcause...F-1

Fiat. 500, even shoemaker(hehehe) have one what u think?

VW. Golf GTi, prove that econbox can be fun to drive.

[crayzayjay]

This doesn't really belong here guys. Moved to "Cars i love/hate"....

[Dave1669]

America

Ford: 2000 SVT Mustang Cobra R -One of the most exclusive Mustangs. Looks great, fast, and handles well.

Chevrolet: 1970 Chevelle SS 454 -Classic car. Looks gorgeous and has a great engine.

Dodge: Viper RT/10 -The car that started it all. Timeless design that will turn heads forever.

Buick: GNX- Turbocharged Buick that will smoke most modern day sports cars at the drag strip.

Jeep: 1998 Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited- (As weird as this may seem) Fastest SUV of its day. Can be acquired dirt cheap now.

Japan

Nissan: Skyline R34 GTR M-Spec Nur- One of the rarest, most evolved R34s. Most people here in America will never see one.

Honda: NSX-R- Fantastic handling. Even though there have been changes made over the years, it is amazing that a car almost 15 years old can still compete.

Toyota: Supra Twin Turbo- One of the greatest engines ever produced. Guaranteed to become a classic.

Mazda: RX7- Best styling in my opinion of the 90's Japanese sports cars. Performs well. Rare car (at least in the states).

Mitsubishi: Lancer Evolution FQ400- Faster than many supercars. The ultimate Evo (at least right now).

Europe

BMW: E46 M3- This car does everything well. Fast, handles great, aggressive styling, luxurious, need I go on?

Audi: RS6- Twin turbo V8 in a harmless-looking sedan. Hopefully there are plans to release another one.

Mercedes: CL65 AMG- Who cares about handling when you are behind the wheel in one of these? Insane 600+ hp twin turbo V12 (and it is still not making full power).

Porsche: 911 GT3 (996)- One of the best handling automobiles ever made. V12 performance out of an NA 6 cylinder.

Ferrari: F50- (Tough decision) Best looking Ferrari in my opinion even though I'll probably never see one in person. One of the bench mark cars of the 90's.

[MR2Driver]

America-

Ford: Ford GT
Chevrolet: Z06
Dodge: Charger 440 R/T
Buick: GNX
Jeep: Wrangler


Asia-

Nissan: Skyline R32 GT-R
Honda: NSX-R
Toyota: MR2 Turbo GT-S
Mazda: RX7 FD Turbo
Mitsubishi: EVO MR FQ400
Subaru: Legacy GT


Europe-

BMW: E46 M3
Lotus: Exige
Aston Martin: DB9
Audi: RS6
Mercedes: McLaren Mercedes SL-R
Porsche: Carrera GT
Ferrari: Challenege Stradale
Koenigsegg - CCR

[curtis73]

Honda/Acura - NSX, mostly any year, but I'm a big fan of the Alex Zenardi edition of a few years back.

Nissan - 350 Z convertible. Although the ragtop is a little more floppy, It gets thumbs up for style and class. Not to mention that sweeeeet exhaust sound.

Chevy - C1 corvette because it really broke some molds. I think the C6 is a far better car, but in its day the C1 made more of an impact than the C6 does today.

Ford - the new GT

Chrysler - 300/Magnum Great styling, pretty good engine, and the Magnum is going to bring the wagon back into coolness.... although I never think they were anything but cool

BMW - the E38 7 series, 95-02. Why? Just look at it



VW - Any split window type 2 with the safari windows.

Volvo - P1800. That car oozes more style out of its tailpipe than any corvette ever had.

Pontiac - 1967 GTO convertible

Buick - 71 GSX

Olds - 62 Stafire with the super high compression 330.

Caddy - any 60's or 70's hearse

Lotus - 88 Esprit turbo SE. That Esprit body has been about the cleanest and most attractive body I've ever seen, and its still timeless today.

Nothing else sticks out to me...