Re: The Best Car of the last 50 years

Indeed!

Re: The Best Car of the last 50 years

I did a rough analysis. I found three cars which were ineligible, being launched more than 50 years ago. Out go the Defender, Mini and 2CV. I suppose the Beetle was excluded on those grounds.

There was one American car.

No Lancia despite their huge work in engine and suspension design.

The Cisitalia was ommitted, though long understood to be the template for post war car styling.

The Renault 16 was omitted along with the BMW 2002 or the later 3 series which respectively set the standard for family hatchbacks and small sporting saloons and which altered the axis of the car industry forever. You could also have included that Alfa Romeo Giulia which BMW used as a benchmark.  

The Audi TT is a redressed Golf. Where is the Audi A8?

About 55% of the cars are sports cars or something like it.  

One car represented the 50s, the Citroen DS.

The 60s were represented by 29% of the cars.

The 70s were represented by 14%

The 80s were represented by 19%

The 90s to now by  39%. What´s the Smart ForTwo doing in this list?

There´s some rounding error, which means it adds up to 103%, sorry. The point remains.

Re: The Greatest Cars of the last 50 years

Does anyone else have any proposals? Could there be added a comments box under the list of cars so people can debate the choices? Or would that compromise the voting, like canvassers outside a polling station? 

Re: The Greatest Cars of the last 50 years

Good ol' B&N . Good to see some things have remained constant ( your ever being aware of potential  errors  as well as your balanced approach to criticizing any given situation )

I didn't notice the offset on my end ( geographic perhaps ? ) but yes to  the lack of American and especially Japanese cars , not naming specific models ( e.g.  if its all M3's no thanks.... if its the E30 M3 then yes please ) 

The thing I really do not like is trying to claim there is ONE overall BEST car period . I think it shoud be separated into segments e.g. Best Supercar - Best Luxury Car - Best Hot Hatch etc  . How can anyone possibly say one specific car is the end all to end all for a 50 year period ? Thats like comparing John McLaughlin to Segovia to Clapton . In their specific genres they're amongst the best .... but best overall ??? Can't be done IMHO

What to do though ? Can't say I've got a usable suggestion other than perhaps opening up the Comments section on the page . But I did notice CAR is using an outside source for this poll so maybe thats not plausible 

Re: The Greatest Cars of the last 50 years

I can't decide whether I wish I had the time to consider the question in such detail....or am glad that I don't !! It was easy for me ,E type jag, Which one ? Just the one I see in my head, carmen red series 1-2, sometimes a coupe, sometimes a drop top.....it's never gonna be a Lancia though is it ;)