Epitome of car design

loosecannon said:

You have to commit to one year for this thread-no cheating and giving a range of years. There should be another thread on best year of everything. If that were the challenge, I would pick 1994 because of the music, movies, cars and before smart phones ruined everything and the internet made everybody an expert on everything.

1986.  Master of Puppets, Reign in Blood, the first EFI 5.0 Mustangs, and you could still get a brand new leftover FB RX-7.

loosecannon said:

You have to commit to one year for this thread-no cheating and giving a range of years. There should be another thread on best year of everything. If that were the challenge, I would pick 1994 because of the music, movies, cars and before smart phones ruined everything and the internet made everybody an expert on everything.

1994 also gave us the Lamborghini Diablo, McLaren F1, Ferrari 348 and 355, Jaguar XJ220 in addition to the bubble cars I named.

I'd argue it was a damn good year for cars.

In reply to The0retical :

those aren't cars, those are jewelry for rich idiots.

Knurled. said:

In reply to The0retical :

those aren't cars, those are jewelry for rich idiots.

So you have to be a rich idiot to own those? Noted.

wheelsmithy wrote:

Good natured argument:

69 XKE

67 XKE

69 Fiat 850 Spider

67 Fiat 850 Spider

My point is that 67 was the last year before the feds moved in. This is, of course, an opinion, and based on cars as sold in America.

You guys must be sick,  I really like the shape of the one in Pink.

The0retical said:

Showing my age here but I'd say 90s bubble cars (1994 if I must commit to a year as it was the facelift of the 3SX cars and first for the FTO)

FD RX7, Miata, 3000GT, 2nd Gen Eclipse, MKIV Supra, FTO, 300ZX, NSX

​​​​​​They're all iconic shapes at this point. (phone so pictures are hard.)

 

Yeah, it really depends on how old you are and what was hot when you first got interested.  I started paying attention to cars when I was in my early 20s (late bloomer, I guess), so it's the 90s cars for me.

Are we grading on appearance or function or both?

One year?  1970..... Look at the full line of almost all the manufacturers. Sure there were notable icon cars in other eras but if you consider all the vehicles offered in any one particular year 1970 probably wins. Even the people mover daily drivers from '70 were cool. Heck, even AMC had cool cars like "The Machine".

Has to be '67. You get the new Camaro, Firebird, C10, Barracuda, F100, and Opel GT, but you still have the iconic Corvette, GTO, Mustang and VW bus.

I think the 1967 argument is persuasive; that is the last year that car designers had a free hand. For example, my 67 datsun roadster has a low windshield with a slim chrome frame and a flat metal dash - the following year model windshield is 2" taller, with a (somewhat) more substantial A-pillar and frame, and a padded dash. Compare the 67 to 68 models of many cars, and you will spot the differences. Of course, some of the regulations were good, like collapsing steering columns, and dual circuit brakes.

wannacruise said:

wheelsmithy wrote:

Good natured argument:

69 XKE

67 XKE

69 Fiat 850 Spider

67 Fiat 850 Spider

My point is that 67 was the last year before the feds moved in. This is, of course, an opinion, and based on cars as sold in America.

You guys must be sick,  I really like the shape of the one in Pink.

Ya wouldn’t say that if you saw her today...

1983-1986, when form followed function.  Audi Quattro, MG Metro 6R4, Lancia Delta S4, Ford RS200, Porsche 911 SCRS, Peugeot 205 T16 Turbo.

My only experience with an example from this year has been 3rd gen F-bodies. But I remember Alex Roy claiming 1987 was the peak year because analog technology was peaked but digital technology hadn't taken over yet. (or something along those lines)

There are some compelling arguments.

Of course in 1987 the Corvette still only had the L98, the SVO Mustang had just been killed off, and a large majority of the cars I'm thinking of that I liked from this year got better in the 90s. 

FWIW, 1969 was also the pinnacle of human design.  

While I like '67-69, I"m going to throw a vote in for '63. Fresh out of the exuberance of the '50s but before the HP wars of the later '80s, the styling was in an evolutionary state, but some pure forms were to be had.

1958...