Some days I choose violence. Other days I choose chaos. Today is a chaos day because today’s Autopian Asks wants to know: What do you think is the best vehicle made by each and every automaker (or, least the ones that come to mind). I’m serious. I have a list. A list!
“Best” is extremely subjective, and it would be great if you could explain all of your reasons. It’s also completely fine not to explain at all. The goal here isn’t to just think of your favorite cars from each automaker, the question is: what’s the best car that company has ever produced? It will be contentious. I want contentious. I want us to have fun.
Here’s a list to start with, but feel free to add and subtract:
- Tesla:
- Toyota:
- Porsche:
- Mercedes-Benz:
- BMW
- Chrysler
- Dodge
- Jeep
- VW
- Ferrari
- Honda
- Ford
- Chevy
- GMC
- Buick
- Pontiac
- Cadillac
- Hyundai
- Kia
- Nissan
- Rivian
- Subaru
- Renault
- Volvo
- Peugeot
- Mazda
- Mitsubishi
- Aston Martin
- Audi
And here are my answers, which are nonsense because I’m a nonsense person:
- Tesla: Model Y, the most important EV to date
- Toyota: Toyota MR-2 Turbo (SW20), fun Toyota but also good Toyota
- Porsche: W124 Mercedes-Benz 500 E, fast sedans are so much fun [Ed Note: Apparently this was developed by Porsche, but the real correct answer is the modern 911. It is objectively the best version of the best model Porsche has ever made. Or maybe the Cayenne is the answer based on sales figures… -DT].
- Mercedes-Benz: W124 Mercedes-Benz 500 E, fast sedans are so much fun
- BMW: E39, the best fast sedan
- Chrysler: Town & Country, it’s a legend and saved the company
- Alfa Romeo: Original Giulia, the best of Alfa
- Dodge: 1st Gen Viper, just look at it
- Jeep: CJ-7, maybe I’m trolling David [Ed Note: It’s clearly either the WWII Jeep, the XJ Cherokee, or the JK Wrangler; there are no other answers. -DT].
- VW: Rabbit GTI, the company stopped being just cheap cars
- Ferrari: 400i, maybe this is personal
- Honda: Honda Integra Type R DC2, so good
- Ford: Escort Cosworth RS, also so good
- Chevy: 1992 Chevy Silverado, an all-time best treak
- GMC: 1992 GMC Sierra, same
- Buick: GNX, remember when Buicks were cool?
- Pontiac: G8 ST, though no one has ever driven one
- Cadillac: CTS-V Wagon, the only thing better than a fast sedan is a world-beating wagon
- Hyundai: 1st gen, manual Veloster N
- Kia: Carnival, I will not explain further
- Nissan: R33 GT-R, technology and style
- Rivian: R1T, they only make two cars so…
- Subaru: Original Outback, important and kinda fun
- Renault: R5, it got the country on its feet and people still like the them today
- Volvo: 240 Wagon, I mean c’mon
- Peugeot: 505 Dangel 4×4, I mean c’mon
- Mazda: Mazda MP3, look it up
- Mitsubishi: Pajero Evo, Dakar cars are great
- Aston Martin: Virage Shooting Brake, I’m a weirdo
- Audi: QSW, the blueprint (when it works)
Ok, your turn.
I’d be curious what everyone thought was each brands most important vehicle. Is it one that defined the brand? Is it one that kept the cashflow going?
Ford: Model T.
VW: Beetle
Work forward from there.
Really? The GNX for the Buick? Dude, c’mon. The 1961 Buick Special with the Buick 215 is the best Buick. It barely beats out the first generation Riviera with it’s trick hidden headlights where the blades of the front fenders slide down to reveal them. And if we include concept cars like the G8 ST, then there’s the 1985 Buick Wildcat.
For Toyota it’s the X100 Chaser. Almost the perfect sedan. Simple but luxurious interior, unassuming exterior that gives it a large presence but hides how small the car actually is, very suited for being modified to do everything from drifting to drag racing to rallying, and it comes with the 1JZ-GTE.
Mazda’s got the Cosmo. No, not the original L10 Cosmo, as brilliant as that is. The JC Cosmo. Twin or even triple rotor spinny triangle, tech for the time that was actually useful instead of just being the marketing equivalent of greebles, and a beautiful shape and interior that no Japanese manufacturer has been able to match since 1990. Seriously, that wraparound dash where there’s a continuous line that goes aaaaaaall the way around the cabin, the gauges hidden behind the smoked glass that runs the entire width of the dashboard, and the steering wheel that gives off the same comforting appearance as a pair of well made leather loafers.
Mitsubishi has to be the EC5 Galant VR-4. You know the Lancer Evolution that everybody loses their shit about? How about all of the stuff that makes one of those great, but in a station wagon. Yes. Seriously. A manual AWD twin turbocharged station wagon with a real world rated horsepower of 290 that with just a few bits from the aftermarket tuning scene can make 400. And it has six way adjustable leather seats with power memory control.
I disagree with the first generation Viper. The SR-II is better because it uh… Well, it actually has a roof instead of a strip of vinyl that you have to tack into place like on an aftermarket K-10 Blazer soft top conversion. Also you won’t die of heat stroke or second degree burns on your legs while driving one because they actually properly routed the exhausts.
For Subaru it’s the Justy. Why? It’s the only somewhat normal car Subaru has ever made, which makes it an anomaly in their lineup. It’s the Subaru equivalent of the Chevrolet Cavalier. It also saved the company when they were about to die and were rushing to complete the Impreza. Many of the mechanical achievements that went into the Justy are what Subaru built on in the following decades, like electronically controlled 4WD instead of mechanically controlled, CVT transmissions, and single piece firewall construction.
Alfa Romeo:
AMC: Eagle Wagon
Aston Martin: V12 Vantage
Audi: Quattro
Buick: GNX
BMW: E39 M5
Cadillac: ’62 Coupe De Ville
Chevy: ’63 Corvette GS
Chrysler: ’68 New Yorker 2-door Hardtop
Datsun: 240Z
Dodge: ’69 Charger
Ford: ’32 Tudor
Ferrari: 288 GTO
GMC: Syclone
Honda: CRF300L
Hyundai: Santa Cruz
Isuzu: Vehicross
Jaaag: XE SV Project 8Jeep: XJ 2-door
Kia: Stinger GT
Lotus: Evora GT
Mazda: FD RX7
Mitsubishi: Pajero EVO
Mercedes-Benz: 560SEC AMG
Mercury: ‘49 Mercury Eight
Nissan: 300ZX Z32
Peugeot: 205 T16
Plymouth: ’70 AAR ‘Cuda
Pontiac: ’69 GTO Judge
Porsche: 930 Turbo Slantnose
Renault: R5 Turbo
Rivian: R1S
Saab: 9-3 SportCombi
Subaru: 22B
Suzuki: Samurai
Tesla: Roadster
Toyota: 1st gen 4runner
Volvo: V60 Polestar
VW: R32
Alot of comments dogging on GMC (for decent reason) as just being a copy of whatever Chevy throws out, but I’d argue their most important was the first/second gen Denali trims that came out. If memory recalls, they were some of the first vehicles (at least from the US), that introduced trucks and SUVs as being everyday family/city vehicles rather than being rough/plasticky/rough riding workhorses. The escalade got it’s start as being a rebadged Denali, I believe.
Everybody is forgetting about the Syclone, legendary in its own right
Shit. You’re right. You win.
I’m really only commenting because I wanted to say Nissan: Stagea (swapped to GT-R running components, see Benny and MightyCarMods)
Oh, and for Subaru either the Super Levorg or SuperGramps. Basically, any of MCM long-term keeper builds.
The Rivian delivery van: am I a joke to you?
Toyota: Corolla, for being the “an car” for so long
…I’m still learning and don’t necessarily gravitate toward enthusiast cars, so I’ll leave this at that while people with strong opinions duke it out
RE: Willys-XJ-JK
Can we get a DT article talking through this and explaining how the JK(U) was the spiritual successor to the XJ? The 4dr model was notably more popular and the JKU refilled the void in Jeep’s rugged lineup left from 02-06 as the Liberty went IFS and the WJ remained up-market and the even-larger Commander launched leaving the same gap open.
GMC: Syclone. And its greater than half the vehicles on any of these lists
YEEEEAH BOOOOOI CAYENNE IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER
Except here. 2.7 RS, anyone??? Paris-Dakar 959???? 917!!!!?!!?!???? 919 HYBRID EVO???????????