The best decade for cars?

[chassis]

^@germanauto sentiment^ is the 1970s American cars all over again. First go with fuel economy and emissions laws resulted in brilliant efforts like the 1977 Cutlass Supreme 231ci V6 and 1974 Mustang II 4-banger. Both examples were terrible in the day.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by eliphil

I’m going to say 2010 thru today but it’s now going the wrong way with extinction of the M550 and many other great cars. Plus it’s hard to find a manual sports car, Porsche seems to be it, good for them

The 60s generally had the most competitive environment at the time and most of the iconic vehicles that emerged started during that timeframe. However we are also saw a second (and continue to see) renaissance in vehicles in the 2010s. I think the additional restrictions on sound (like OPF) and emissions (EV only legislation) happening in this decade are putting a bit of a damper on things.

[chassis]

Originally Posted by c1pher

The 60s generally had the most competitive environment at the time and most of the iconic vehicles that emerged started during that timeframe. However we are also saw a second (and continue to see) renaissance in vehicles in the 2010s. I think the additional restrictions on sound (like OPF) and emissions (EV only legislation) happening in this decade are putting a bit of a damper on things.

Agree. In the 2010s car companies started to figure out turbocharging and direct injection, and specific horsepower went up significantly. Auto transmission shifting got faster, and air suspension in cars that offer it got better.

Product development investment for the past few years has been EV-focused which has reduced, but not eliminated, ICE development. Now that EV consumer sales growth has slowed, it will be interesting to see the direction and speed the pendulum is moving.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

I'd say you can safely say 2000-2010 was the best. Big gains in power,.performance, and features. Some real classic drivers cars that were also totally daily drivable. Plus the automakers were going wild doing cool stuff

E60 M5, E92 M3, V12 Benzes, Audi S6 with a V10, the RS4, Ram SRT10, Jeep SRT8, Trailblazer SS, all the muscle cars, Evo, STI, 350Z, RX8, Terminator Cobras, WS6 Trans Am, Corvettes, Vipers... That's not even starting on all the much more attainable sporty compact cars.

Plus, all these cars prices were much better lined up with wages. I knew a pizza boy who had a brand new WRX. If you had a semi decent job (like a retail job), you could afford a cool car, and they made lots of cool stuff

I agree but would go closer to 2005 - 2012

[eliphil]

Originally Posted by chassis

Agree. In the 2010s car companies started to figure out turbocharging and direct injection, and specific horsepower went up significantly. Auto transmission shifting got faster, and air suspension in cars that offer it got better.

Product development investment for the past few years has been EV-focused which has reduced, but not eliminated, ICE development. Now that EV consumer sales growth has slowed, it will be interesting to see the direction and speed the pendulum is moving.

I agree w both of you. I picked up one of the last M550s because of this trend. Every decade had some amazing cars. Loved the 69 vette 6os mustang fastback 70 chevelle 90s 911s I had 2016rs7 that was amazing…..

[JayML]

90’s!

Supra
300zx
RX7
NSX
Type R
MR2
S2000
Prelude
Mitsubishi 3000GT
Mitsubishi Eclipse
Lancer EVO
Etc Etc

Boom!

[G MONEY]

Originally Posted by JayML

90’s!

Supra
300zx
RX7
NSX
Type R
MR2
S2000
Prelude
Mitsubishi 3000GT
Mitsubishi Eclipse
Lancer EVO
Etc Etc

Boom!

Winner winner!!!!

[Humdizzle]

2000-2010

engines reached their max displacement/cylinders around this time. cars weren't burdened by epa and crash safety standards as much.

- v8 m3 and rs4.
- 6.2 mercedes amg, and of course the twin turbo v12 AMGs.
- v10 m5 and rs6.
- 2009 debuted the 458 which had a bigger engine and higher redline than the 488/f8/296

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by JayML

90’s!

Supra
300zx
RX7
NSX
Type R
MR2
S2000
Prelude
Mitsubishi 3000GT
Mitsubishi Eclipse
Lancer EVO
Etc Etc

Boom!

Plus fun affordable stuff like the Honda CRX, Mustang 5.0 Fox body, Ford Cobra 4.6 DOHC, LT1/LS1 4th gen Camaro, and some of the sexiest exotics were being sold too like the Ferrari F40 and Testarossa, Lamborghini Diablo, Porsche 959, and the Porsche 993 Turbo.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I agree but would go closer to 2005 - 2012

Yeah and reliability has dramatically increased in general terms. You could perhaps find higher performance vehicles in the 80-90s but they required a lot more money to keep on the road. Routine maintenance for my M2 is fairly pedestrian and almost Toyota like.

And definitely the timeline bleeds over into other decades, but the question was which decades so even though the 2020s and 2000s have cars on the list, I think the vast majority are over the 2010s.

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by c1pher

Yeah and reliability has dramatically increased in general terms. You could perhaps find higher performance vehicles in the 80-90s but they required a lot more money to keep on the road. Routine maintenance for my M2 is fairly pedestrian and almost Toyota like.

And definitely the timeline bleeds over into other decades, but the question was which decades so even though the 2020s and 2000s have cars on the list, I think the vast majority are over the 2010s.

You never dealt with american sports cars have you?

Corvettes have been world class performance since the early 80s in handling, acceleration, top speed, everything. They're also incredibly easy to maintain. Gas, oil, tires, nothing crazy.

[RM7]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

You never dealt with american sports cars have you?

Corvettes have been world class performance since the early 80s in handling, acceleration, top speed, everything. They're also incredibly easy to maintain. Gas, oil, tires, nothing crazy.

I would second that it was only in the late 00’s and mostly 2010s that US mfrs got serious in these categories, G8/SS, cts-V, grand sport and z06s, and on and on. Sure, there were corvettes and such before, but they were one trick ponys usually with horrible compromises elsewhere. They wouldnt have dreamed of something as nuts as a cts-v wagon in the 80s. Sports-sedans? Not in any serious vein.

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by RM7

I would second that it was only in the late 00’s and mostly 2010s that US mfrs got serious in these categories, G8/SS, cts-V, grand sport and z06s, and on and on. Sure, there were corvettes and such before, but they were one trick ponys usually with horrible compromises elsewhere. They wouldnt have dreamed of something as nuts as a cts-v wagon in the 80s. Sports-sedans? Not in any serious vein.

Corvettes have been outdoing their rivals in every performance metric since the C4 was introduced. Ha doing, braking, acceleration, top speed... Not at all one trick ponies, and the only real drawbacks is they seat two, and once the c5 came around their interiors were way below the luxury competitors (who were way more money).

They make up for it with performance and hassle free ownership. Literally oil, gas, tires, nothing fancy, and any Chevy dealer on the planet can repair it.

[eliphil]

If your ok w simple smart straight forward engineering and design the vette is a great car. I am very happy with mine , nothing fancy but it has it where it counts

[bouchy]

The best decade for cars is:
a) this day minus 15 years
b) when you were young
My father told me about a man who was completely satisfied with his 1960 car. No power brakes, no power steering, ludicrous heating (that engine had a real plumbing tap to close the circuit), fixed seats, 15" diagonal tyres with absolutely no grip or stability. Times are changing.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

You never dealt with american sports cars have you?

Corvettes have been world class performance since the early 80s in handling, acceleration, top speed, everything. They're also incredibly easy to maintain. Gas, oil, tires, nothing crazy.

I have owned a C7 Corvette and 2011 Mustang GT. We can agree to disagree.

[RM7]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

You never dealt with american sports cars have you?

Corvettes have been world class performance since the early 80s in handling, acceleration, top speed, everything. They're also incredibly easy to maintain. Gas, oil, tires, nothing crazy.

I mean...no, no they have not. They haven't had equivalents for the whp of porsche and bmw, among others. Only in the most recent years, like last 10-15, have they gotten close or exceeded. You could have a "400" hp Corvette and a 400hp porsche 911 turbo would own it, over and over. Steering, suspension, etc., the porsche was the real deal. It's taken a LONG time to match them in each area.

I fully see that there are those biased against american cars, even when they do everything right and the interior is JUST AS GOOD some will still knock them for silly stuff...but it's not because they've been that good all along, it's because they've had to overcome all of these things, suspension, drivetrain, steering, etc. and they did suck comparatively.

[FreshlySnipes]

Definitely the 90’s. 20’s were great too but the 90’s were too epic!

[Donatello.]

Has to be 64-72 with all the high HP muscle cars. I just wish I was alive for it. I also wish I could predict the future & bought a lot of them cheap when I could have.

[Donatello.]

Originally Posted by FreshlySnipes

Definitely the 90’s. 20’s were great too but the 90’s were too epic!

How so? My 2nd car was a 95 Z28, but nothing epic about it.

[chassis]

Originally Posted by Donatello.

Has to be 64-72 with all the high HP muscle cars. I just wish I was alive for it. I also wish I could predict the future & bought a lot of them cheap when I could have.

My high school buddies had early 70s gen2 F-bodies, Belvedere 440 coupe and 65 GTO with tri-power and Hurst. Guys down the street had a 69 Chevelle SS and a 63 split window. Cool cars in their days but today's cool cars are better.

The GTO was all business. Buddy's dad was an engineer in the auto industry and the car was 100% dialed in.

Fun thing about the Belvedere and GTO was that you could beat almost any car on the street, carrying two up front and three guys sitting abreast on the rear bench seat! As I recall the back seat of the Belvedere was so big you couldn't see anything while sitting in the back because of the huge coupe B-pillar.

[Donatello.]

Originally Posted by chassis

My high school buddies had early 70s gen2 F-bodies, Belvedere 440 coupe and 65 GTO with tri-power and Hurst. Guys down the street had a 69 Chevelle SS and a 63 split window. Cool cars in their days but today's cool cars are better.

The GTO was all business. Buddy's dad was an engineer in the auto industry and the car was 100% dialed in.

Fun thing about the Belvedere and GTO was that you could beat almost any car on the street, carrying two up front and three guys sitting abreast on the rear bench seat! As I recall the back seat of the Belvedere was so big you couldn't see anything while sitting in the back because of the huge coupe B-pillar.

That's awesome.

I love my Hellcat, and all the funs cars I have had in my lifetime, but I still want a 66-67 Chevelle. Granted, I also want to drop an LS in it & go the pro touring style build route lol