Jeremy Clarkson's Top 100

[t951]

I am sure some of you may have seen his presentation of the Top 100 cars of all time. Well. as I am sure each of us would, I disagreed with some of his selection of the cars.

Since I am guessing none of us wants to take the time to make a list of the top 100 (please feel free to if you want!) what is your list for Top 10 cars of all time.

Take into account all variables, like he did....ie major impact on the world, started a trend in the auto industry, you just love it etc.

I will begin, here is my Top 10:

10. McLaren F1 (defined the truest definition of a super car).
9. VW Beetle (mass transit for the world, a true people's car).
8. Porsche 911 (no explanation required).
7. Lamborghini Gallardo (Lambo with Audi reliability....wow).
6. Jeep CJ
5. Chevy Corvette (Amazing performance with a good price).
4. Bugatti Veyron (Current Pinacle of auto engineering).
3. Porsche 959 (Dream car and engineering marvel for all of us here I am certain).
2. Lotus Elise (Gorgeous, incredibly pure drivers car, with a toyota heart for reliability).
1. Honda Civic (This basic car has become the modern hot rod. Except it's reliable, rev's ludicrously, is boringly reliable (ie no excuse to replace bits), and is inexpensive).


I am SHOCKED at what I picked for first. SHOCKED. It just seems that a car that anyone can buy, that will turn ludicrous, Ferrari like RPM without the maintenance, should be on the list). Not to mention the efficiency of the engine in these times....

The biggest issue with the Civic is the typical driver....not the fault of the car....

Anyway, what are your thoughts...

[BRPORSCHE]

(Lambo with Audi reliability....wow).
funny, ask Jim about that "reliability."

A top ten with no F-car?
250 GTO? 355?

Too many p-cars.

[Embraer]

audi reliability. lol.

[Mule]

Jumbo shrimp?

[t951]

Please remember how bad lambo reliability used to be.

I agree, I should have had a Ferrari on there.....

[IROC]

I'd throw out the Veyron, too. Just just it's the "current" pinnacle doesn't mean much.

My number one would be the VW Beetle. Absolute icon. Everyone has either owned one or knows somebody who did. Turned into race cars, off-road vehicles, dragsters, you name and it performed reasonably well. Were still being made a few years ago (in Brazil?)...

[kstar]

Seems like the Model A or T should be near the top, IMO.

[Pazuzu]

The Miata should be on there, it singlehandedly reminded the car market what a driving car was.

Cars only? The Chevy Suburban created the "haul anything anywhere" style back in, what, 1936?

Toyota 4x4 Hilux pickup...take the "go anywhere" mentality of the Jeep and give it a level of reliability that is still unmatched in most vehicles today.

1st gen Mazda RX-7, the perfect race car.

[Komenda Fan]

alright, I own two of the top ten! I've already decided that I'm likely to drive a Civic as a daily driver for ever. Amazing car. The 911 is ok, too.

[Mule]

Originally Posted by Pazuzu

The Miata should be on there, it singlehandedly reminded the car market what a driving car was.

Maybe with your crowd.

[Aerkuld]

The original Mini should be near the top, if not at the top in my opinion. Although it wasn't the first front wheel drive car it was the first commercially viable, and the first to use the layout as a cost saving/space maximizing design element. This set the trend for the average family car and the layout is still in use today. Sir Alec Issigonis was a genius in my book.

[Seahawk]

My top cars in no particular order:

911/912/964
BMW 2002/3 series
RX7, 1st and 2nd gen
Beetles
Toyota trucks
Datsun 510
F series Ford trucks
FJ-40s
Early Audi Quattro

All affordable, reliable and non-exotic...and they do as well or better at their design point than autos costing three times as much

And, I had the pleasure of owning an example of each and every one, except the RX7 1st gen and the Quattro which was my mom's

[Z-man]

My top list, in no particular order:

- VW Beetle - Took the concept of Ford's Model-T to a whole new meaning.
- Porsche 911 - hands down, the most iconic sports car of all time.
- Chevy Corvette (C5/C6) - near supercar performance at a fraction of the cost.
- Porsche 904 - one of the first, if not THE first race-bred cars available for public consumption.
- Mazda Miata - brought sports cars back to their roots, and helped defined the modern "retro" car genre
- Dodge mini-van - defined the Minivan genre
- Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing - amazing machine, years ahead of the competition
- Studebaker Avanti - about 30 years ahead of its time.
- Ford Mustang - again, a car that defined a genre (the pony car)
- Lambourghini Miura - predates the McLaren F1 by what, 20-30 years?
- Oldsmobile Hurst/Olds & Buick Grand National GNX - the start of the modern muscle car era
- Jeep Cherokee - father of the modern SUV

[Mule]

Beetle
Model T
911
Corvette
Mustang (I know)
Audi Quattro
'65 GTO
959
Pantera
87 928 S4

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by Z-man

My top list, in no particular order:
- Mazda Miata - brought sports cars back to their roots, and helped defined the modern "retro" car genre

Watch out...you'll be called gay for saying that...

- Jeep Cherokee - father of the modern SUV

I'd put it's older brother in that position, the Willy's Wagon.

[Overpaid Slacker]

Cars only (no F-Series, VW buses or Land Rovers, etc...)

911/930
BMW 2002
Mercedes Gullwing
Mini/Mini Cooper
Lunar Rover (j/k ... Corvette has to be here, even though I'm not a fan. Can't prop the Mustang, though)
Ferrari 288 GTO
Shelby Cobra
GT40
Alpine A110
Ur-Quattro (though these are neither cheap nor simple to maintain, Seahawk!)

The A110 and Quattro re-defined their sports, requiring either rule-changes or outright mission-specific vehicles to beat them. I would've put the Lancia Stratos instead of the A110, but it was built specifically to beat the A110.

The Ferrari GTO is the car that got me into cars... so it's entirely subjective .. if I was 12 now, the F50 or FXX would probably be the hook. Love the Miura, but it's #11.

I'd probably come up with arguments for/against another dozen cars if I took the time, but these are what occurred to me ad lib...

EDIT -- I wrestled with adding the Beetle, but I just couldn't. It's a commodity, not a vehicle, IMHO. I like 'em, don't get me wrong, but while they score points for being a "peoples' grocery getter" they didn't do much for advancing automobile science or competition. I'd put the VW bus (and its isomers) on the list before the Beetle. JMHO & asbestos suit on.

JP

[Seahawk]

[QUOTE=Overpaid Slacker;4050764]Cars only (no F-Series, VW buses or Land Rovers, etc...)

911/930
BMW 2002
Mercedes Gullwing
Mini/Mini Cooper
Lunar Rover (j/k ... Corvette has to be here, even though I'm not a fan. Can't prop the Mustang, though)
Ferrari 288 GTO
Shelby Cobra
GT40
Alpine A110
Ur-Quattro (though these are neither cheap nor simple to maintain, Seahawk!)/QUOTE]

I could eek out a commute or two with your picks...the Alpine was an inspired choice.

Cars only is for Miata owners

[Dantilla]

1.- Ford Model T. Changed the automobile from a rich man's toy to a basic necessity.

[t951]

Any thoughts on the worst 10?

[kstar]

Originally Posted by t951

Any thoughts on the worst 10?

My list of worst 10 would include the Gremlin and Pinto, perhaps the Pacer.