Whenever someone does a Top-XX list of things covering a long period of time, there's bound to be some contention. And so it is here with GQ's list of 50 stylish rides from the last 50 years.
There's some obvious inclusions here - Jaguar E-Type, Aston Martin's DB5 and DB9, Mercedes SL, Porsche 911 and the eternal Ferrari 308. But then there's the Volvo Turbo Wagon and the Cadillac Allante, which IMHO look out of place in any top list except for perhaps top 10 cars you'd like to crush. OK, maybe not the Volvo.
The cars are sliced and diced into decades, with 10 representatives from each of the last five decades from the 60s until now.
Something I'd be interested to do a straw poll on - what's your favourite decade from those represented?
Before you get to that, though, celebrate the Saab 900 appearing at slide #26 and looking like the epitome of the 1980s. It even earns a James Spader reference, which made me smile.
Make sure you click 'next' and check out #27 :-)
And is it strange that this is the first time I've been on the GQ website, or that I've never ever read the magazine? So un-hip.
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Thanks to Joe P for the link.
I like the 60's but I think they should toss the Buick Riviera and put in the Lamborghini Miura.
It seemed that in the late eighties and all throughout the nineties the US market experienced a market-wide numbing effect that continues today. It's unfortunate that all of the CEOs and top management in today's automotive industry come from that time period and they just can't seem to understand the value of individuality, character, and uniqueness. To coin the phrase- they subscribe to the Wall Street mentality of BIG returns and unequivocally discredit the Main Street mind set of small can be better.
I'm hopeful when this list is done again in 50 years, that it includes the 2015 Saab 9-1.
Studebaker (they started out with electric cars!)
Dodge Charger (very bold lines)?????
The old man is a disappointment to me, though. When he retired and couldn't get leasing cars anymore, he went and bought himself a Mitsubishi of all things! Still, I can't really blame him that much. I don't drive a Saab myself either, there just isn't one in my size. (I currently own a VW Golf.) I'm holding out for the 9-1!
Why read GQ - simple and shallow on my part - women, cars, watches, man stuff, girls, kit, ad nauseum mate. Your BMW driving mate in Sydney probably reads it too...
You've never seen the GQ women? Yiu never brieflyran your eyes over the annual bikini -fest...
Oh man, Tasmania needs a shake up.
Yep the 900 flat front is great. Ferrari 250 GT Lusso Berlinetta is not bad either..2nd choice obviously
- All of the 60's selections
- '76-'96 Jaguar XJS
- '80-'89 Rolls Silver Spirit
- '80-'93 Saab 900
- Range Rover
- Acura NSX (I think what made this exoticar so unique is the fact that it was something totally unexpected from Acura)
- '1999-'2005 BMW Z8 (Hard to believe it was a commercial flop, despite its price. Hard to believe the same manufacturer also came up with the M Coupe)
- '99-Present Audi TT (I personally owned one of these, a Roadster with the top end 225 hp engine. What a riot!!!)
- '02-Present Mini Cooper
- '03-Present Aston Martin DB9 (Doesn't scream for attention, but garners more than a Ferrari in a subtle way)
Disagree with the following vehicles:
- '71-'73 Buick Riviera (barf)
- '71-'73 Volvo P1800 (Now we know where that ugly rear window from the C30 comes from)
- '81-'86 Alfa Romeo GTV 6
Delorean DMC-12 (barf)
- '98-'02 BMW M Coupe (lazy design, where's the inspiration?)
- '03-Present BMW 645 Ci (The car with these worst proportions I've ever seen.)
- '07-Present Ford Flex (The Jetsons meets Pacific Coast Highway)
Ordered mine, after I returned an '08 9-5 SC Aero in December off lease. Wanted to buy that car, but now glad I didn't, due to the USD$5k difference between what GMAC wanted for the car, and what they are currently selling for at dealers I've seen online. When that Audi lease expires, it’s a NG 9-5 SC XWD Aero that WILL replace it. Can’t wait.
BUT...my favorite SAAB is the 900 SPG. Of course I'm quite prejudiced there, as I currently own two 1990 models. Just love them. Driving them both, while waiting for the A5 to arrive. :-)
- All of the 60's selections
- '76-'96 Jaguar XJS
- '80-'89 Rolls Silver Spirit
- '80-'93 Saab 900
- Range Rover
- Acura NSX (I think what made this exoticar so unique is the fact that it was something totally unexpected from Acura)
- '1999-'2005 BMW Z8 (Hard to believe it was a commercial flop, despite its price. Hard to believe the same manufacturer also came up with the M Coupe)
- '99-Present Audi TT (I personally owned one of these, a Roadster with the top end 225 hp engine. What a riot!!!)
- '02-Present Mini Cooper
- '03-Present Aston Martin DB9 (Doesn't scream for attention, but garners more than a Ferrari in a subtle way)
Disagree with the following vehicles:
- '71-'73 Buick Riviera (barf)
- '71-'73 Volvo P1800 (Now we know where that ugly rear window from the C30 comes from)
- '81-'86 Alfa Romeo GTV 6
Delorean DMC-12 (barf)
- '98-'02 BMW M Coupe (lazy design, where's the inspiration?)
- '03-Present BMW 645 Ci (The car with these worst proportions I've ever seen.)
- '07-Present Ford Flex (The Jetsons meets Pacific Coast Highway)
Jag XKE could make the top five all-time, ditto BMW 3.0 CS. And you've got to give Volvo their props with the 1800.
I question the Allante, Infiniti FX and Nissan 300 ZX. All three are derivative, somewhat lacking in originality. Consider that during the same eras we had some great Corvettes that should easily bounce the Allante or the 300ZX, and leaving the Miata off the list is a puzzle.
Kudos for having the guts to include the 'Cuda and the boattail Riviera. In a minor quibble, I'm surprised that nary a single Olds Cutlass (or Pontiac Grand Prix) made the list despite being a style leader for much of the 1970's.
Vive la C900!!!
:-)
This is purely on a light note, no flame wars intended.
In all decades you find very classy cars and really ugly cars at the same time.
6 Austin Healey
9 Jaguar E-Type
13 Triumph TR6
17 BMW 3.0 CS (bought for my grandparents!)
26 Saab 900
27 Alfa GTV
32 Volvo Turbo Wagon
I was a boy when we had the GTV - but I still remember the rust! It broke my Dad's heart!! To this day, he still gives out about the E-Type and refers to it as that 'heap of scrap'. He also nearly bought an SL in 1971 but instead bought the then new Triumph Stag, another 'heap of scrap'. He regrets never owning a Porsche. He put his name down for a Boxster when they came out, only to cancel at the last minute and bought the C70 T5. And yes, you guessed it, another 'heap of scrap'... He pretty much hates all cars these days though, can't blame him either. He drives a Lincoln Towncar when in the US - pretty much says it all.
Too many Audis/BMWs on that list for my liking.
A U.S. publication? Which edition is definitive then? Because its the european edition that has editorial based here.
Am not trying to score points or make an anti-US point, not at all, just intrigued to know if the US edition is as sassy as the Uk/ Euro edition?
We're not sure what inspired the Riv's radically bifurcated backside, but it made it the wildest looking luxury ride of its day. Park it next to the Camrys and Malibus at your local mall and weep, Glenn Beck-like, for an America whose best days are behind her."
Classic! Funny, and also rather sad. I'm not a Buick guy at all, but those old Rivieras are indeed striking when seen in the metal.
Is there some non-US backlash on these for some reason? Were they positioned to compete against euro luxury sport cars and this disgusted you or something?
Frankly, this is a stigma that Saab also needs to fight against in the U.S. (less so than Miata, however).
Ford Flex! Stylish?! A gussied up dog t*rd has more style! And as for that Allante, what a joke like almost every single American designed car from the 80s-90s. Gotta love the original Mustang and that 'vette Stingray from the 60s though. :o)
NBA Finals
Super Bowl (again, we pretty much own American Football, so world champions could be thrown in there in informal settings)
Stanley Cup Finals
Just one.
The U.S. edition is a lot tamer than the other countries' - they actually sell British GQ and maybe some others at the big bookstores here, more for the even more scantily clad ladies than the US version, I think, than the international perspective.
[IMG]http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af15/pvruud/06022010.jpg[/IMG]
Yeah, sure is a sexy vehicle that.
I wonder if this is a reconstructed museum car from Saab, rather than a file photo from 1980.
Beautiful car, though.
That said, I'll take the SL.
Eggs - FWIW, I know there's a lot of history in the World Series and all but for the rest of the world, its pretty funny to see a domestic US competition called the World Series. Regardless of how good the American teams are, its just a little over-claiming. We have the only Australian Rules football competition of significance (funny that....) but its not the world series. (though it is the greatest game in the entire universe - SW)
It also tends to reinforce the stereotype of America as an insular nation and thats a shame.
Anyway, back to the cars. Great to see the Volvos in there and the 900 looks timeless. What a shape. I would propose that the XC70 Volvo or Subaru Outback were the pioneer cross overs - Infinity were very late in the game and quite a forgettable vehicle in my view. The ML or X5 had more impact.
:( sad beyond words.
There was a time that Major League Baseball did represent more than one country. Perhaps that has something to do with the title of "World Series" (of baseball)?
I don't know, as I'm not a big baseball fan, but I think it should be mentioned.
Then again, the stereotype that America is an insular nation comes from something... and it sure isn't our incessant insistence on looking beyond our borders to see what's going on around us. (I think it's too bad, really.)
Anyway, I was glad to see the BMW 3-series on the list as well, not that I care too much what GQ has to say about these things... or anything for that matter. You see, I've never even picked up an issue.
~Peter
'93 9000 Aero.