30 Greatest Cars in History

There are many charts that have tried to pick the greatest models in the car's 135 year history. Some of them are well argued, others are just a cheap way to get attention. But the choice of American Car & Driver is undoubtedly of the first type. One of the most respected automotive publications turns 65, and in honor of the anniversary, 30 of the most wonderful cars they have ever tested have been selected.

The choice covers only the period of the C / D existence, that is, since 1955, so it is understandable that there are no cars such as the Ford Model T, Alfa Romeo 2900 B or Bugatti 57 Atlantic. And since this is a magazine that has always been more interested in sports and driving behavior than comfort and technology, we can understand the complete absence of brands like Mercedes. 

Ford Taurus, 1986 

When it first appeared in the 1980s, the design of this car was so futuristic that in the first Robocop, the director used several Taurus without any modifications on the streets of Detroit of the future.

But this Ford wasn't just a bold design. In fact, the company did something very rare with it: it took care of the behavior on the road and the dynamics of its mass model. Several billion dollars were spent on development that gave life to progressive independent four-wheel suspension and a fairly nimble 140-horsepower V6. There is even a modified sports version - Taurus SHO. C&D's only criticism of this car is that it raised the bar to the point where Ford could never jump over it.

BMW 325i, 1987

The famous car of this generation is the first M3. But in many ways the car it came from - the "regular" 325i - is far better. In exchange for the M3's athletic prowess, it offers everyday practicality, affordability and enjoyment. If in 2002 the Bavarians set the course for their future development, with the 325i they have finally completed the process of merging sporty DNA with a practical everyday coupe. The 2,5-litre inline-six was one of the smoothest units of the day, and the handling was so good that even the much more powerful sport models couldn't handle it through corners. At the same time, the 325i was something that the modern BMW is definitely not: a simple and reliable car.

Honda Civic and CRX, 1988 

Previous Honda vehicles have been recognized for their reliability. But here, with the fourth generation Civic and the second CRX, the Japanese have finally made production models that are fun to drive.

With better aerodynamics, a more spacious cabin and a new generation of injection engines, as well as independent front and rear suspension, even for standard versions, these cars have seriously raised the bar. The sporty versions of the Si were 105 horsepower each and were one of the funniest things on the road in the late 80s.

Mazda MX-5 Miata, 1990

Back in the 1950s, Americans became addicted to British open sports cars. But in the 1970s and 1980s, the British auto industry self-destructed and left a vacuum. Which was eventually flooded with a Japanese car, but with a British soul. However, it bears a striking resemblance to the original Lotus Elan, the Mazda MX-5 also had trump cards that no English car had: for example, an engine that starts every time you turn a key. Or technical fluids that were in the car, and not on the asphalt of the parking lot or on the floor of your garage.

With its light weight, fairly advanced suspension, and fantastic direct steering, this Mazda has given us back true driving pleasure. In his review, he described it as follows: she looks like the cutest dog in the world - you laugh with her, you play with her, and in the end you feel much better.

Honda NSX, 1991 

With an innovative aluminum body and suspension and a monstrous titanium-drum V6 engine that spins effortlessly up to 8000 rpm, this car was a real discovery at the dawn of the 90s. Ayrton Senna himself took an active part in its development and insisted on making some changes to the design at the last minute. Result: NSX talked about playing in cars like the Chevy Corvette ZR-1, Dodge Viper, Lotus Esprit, Porsche 911, and even Ferrari 348 and F355. The precision of the steering wheel and the straightness of its five-speed manual transmission enable it to compete on an equal footing with much newer sports cars even today. The Honda NSX has simply raised the bar in this segment.

Porsche 911, 1995 

The 993 generation is the end, but also the culmination of the classic air-cooled 911. Even today, this car sits in the perfect middle ground between the early Porsches of the 60s and the brand's modern, high-tech machines. It's complex enough to take on the massively grown horses under the hood (from 270 on the Carrera to 424 on the Turbo S), yet simple and straightforward enough to deliver old-fashioned driving pleasure. Design, distinctive sound and exceptional build quality make this car an absolute Porsche classic.

BMW 5 Series, 1997 

In the 1990s, when Mercedes decided to save money entirely with the E-Class and Cadillac tried to sell Opel models under its famous brand, BMW head of development Wolfgang Ritzle developed the best fifth series ever. The Bavarian company gave the E39 the luxury, sophistication and technology of the seventh series, but on a smaller and much more interesting scale. This car has already experienced a technological revolution, but never became fully electronic. Weight has increased significantly over previous generations, but the number of horses under the hood has also increased - from 190 in the simpler straight-six to 400 in the mighty M5.

Of course, this process continued for future generations. But with them, the invasion of technology has cost this car a lot of its soul.

Ferrari 360 Modena, 1999 

In 1999, the Italians introduced a completely innovative design - with an aluminum frame and a coupe, designed by Pininfarina to create a compressive force and without wings and spoilers. Other innovations were a longitudinally mounted automatic shift transmission and variable throttle for the new 400 hp V8 engine. In the first C/D comparison test, this Ferrari convincingly beat the Porsche 911 Turbo and Aston Martin DB7 Vantage, not least due to its superior ergonomics. And the sound when 40 valves work in harmony is a masterpiece that we may never hear again.

Toyota Prius, 2004 

With the second generation of their most famous hybrid, the Japanese have turned the economy car into a social app and a status symbol. Although the promised 3,8 liters per 100 km of track was 4,9 percent when ERA slightly updated its testing system. Even so, the Prius was surprisingly frugal on typical American roads, which, combined with Toyota's inherent reliability, made it one of the most successful models of its time.

BMW 3 Series, 2006

When you create a new market segment yourself and then dominate it for 30 years, you can relax a bit. But not at BMW, where they put a lot of effort into developing the new generation E90. The Bavarians used lightweight magnesium blocks for their inline-six engines and made them more powerful without resorting to turbochargers, but only by changing valve efficiency. 300 horsepower and less than 5 seconds from 0 to 100 km / h are good numbers today. But the real highlight of this generation was the 3 M2008 with its V8 and 420 horsepower.

The real beauty of a compact premium sedan is that it can do everything equally well - and this car was the clearest proof of that. He won all 11 C/D tests he competed in.

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, 2009

When it hit the market, this monster with a 6,2-liter V8 and 638 horsepower turned out to be the most powerful car ever produced by General Motors. But unlike many other Corvette versions before, this one didn't rely on pure power alone. The creators equipped it with magnetorheological shock absorbers, carbon ceramic brake discs and a special stabilization system designed for tracks. At $ 105, it was the most expensive Corvette of all time, but compared to other models with similar capabilities, it was a bargain.

Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon, 2011

Rear-wheel drive station wagon, 6-speed manual transmission and 556 horsepower maximum: this car was 51 horsepower more powerful than then.

Corvette Z06. And, contrary to stereotypes about the brand, it was able to behave well on the road, thanks to magnetorheological adaptive dampers.

None of this helped her succeed in the market - Cadillac produced only 1764 station wagons before establishing its brand. But the C/D team liked their test car and said they would be happy to buy it back if it survived and its current owner was willing to sell it.

Tesla Model S, 2012 

Elon Musk is known for his habit of missing his deadlines. But his fame in the automotive sector came from being ahead of schedule once, in 2012, when he launched a mass-produced electric car with performance that others thought was impossible. The Model S has a number of flaws, but it will go down in history as the first car to prove that electric cars can be attractive and desirable. Musk did this by emulating Apple's approach: while others struggled to build small, compromised (and as environmentally friendly) electric vehicles as possible, he relied on things like long range, high power, comfort and 0 to 100 times. km / h. Tesla's other "revolution" was that it returned to a long-forgotten "vertical" approach to production and distribution, not relying on large chains of subcontractors and dealers. The economic success of the company is not yet a fact, but its establishment as a name is beyond doubt.

Porsche Boxster / Cayman, 2013-2014 

The 981 generation finally brought the budget Porsche models out of the thick shadow of the 911. Lighter and more technologically advanced, but retaining their naturally aspirated engines, the third Boxster and the second Cayman are still some of the most advanced driving cars in the world. Even the introduction of electronic controls did not affect the exceptional precision and straightforwardness of these vehicles, which responded to their drivers' instructions with an almost telepathic speed and ease. Today's generations are even faster and more powerful.

Volkswagen Golf GTI, 2015

Traditionally, each new Golf looks exactly like the previous one, and here on paper everything was very similar - a two-liter turbo engine, a choice of manual transmission or dual-clutch automatic transmission, a reasonable and unobtrusive design. But below the seventh Golf, built on the new MQB platform, was a real revolution compared to its predecessors. And the GTI version offered the perfect balance of everyday practicality and childlike joy. Every banal daily transition to work with him turned into an experience. Throw in a pretty reasonable price of $25 and you can see why this car is on the C/D list.

Ford Mustang Shelby GT350, 2016

This is neither the rarest nor the most powerful Mustang ever made. But it is by far the most exotic. The engine is an innovative V8 with a capacity of 526 horsepower and the ability to reach speeds up to 8250 rpm. Technology similar to that which gives the unforgettable sound of a Ferrari.

Ford didn't compromise on other components. The GT350 was available only at manual speeds, the steering wheel gave excellent feedback, the suspension, unusually difficult for an American car, made it possible to change direction with lightning speed. The car accelerated from 0 to 100 km / h in just four seconds and stopped from 115 km / h in just 44 meters on normal asphalt. Even the price - $ 64000 - seemed too high for such a machine. Since then, inflation has inflated it, and today the GT350 costs over $75. But it's worth it.

Porsche 911 GT3, 2018

One of the best Porsches of all time. Very few modern cars can offer such a shocking experience, the 4-litre produces 500 horsepower and a full range of monstrous noises when cornering up to 9000 rpm. But the main trump card is management. There are faster, more powerful and more expensive cars in the Porsche lineup. However, none of them are so fantastic to ride. When tested on C/D, Maxwell Mortimer called it "the zenith of fun driving".