Calling anything the best can be dangerous.
It probably won’t — and it shouldn’t — lead to bodily harm.
But I’m going to ask something divisive anyway because I want to hear from you.
What’s the best car ever?
It’s a question that might get mixed up with one about someone’s dream car. Those two might be the same or they might be completely different. Some people would probably demand that the question be narrowed considerably.I seem to recall knowledgeable people calling the Mazda Miata the best sports car ever. That was probably with some caveats, but I’ve been in a Miata and enjoyed the ride. It’s definitely a favorite in some circles.
“Road and Track” offered an explanation that makes sense to me:
“Miatas, in various forms, landed on more lists
of more people’s most memorable drives than any other car. … Miatas are tuned to bring joy to every drive, even the boring ones.”
Does that make it the best car? Not necessarily, of course.
I asked a few experts with different automotive backgrounds to weigh in. Here’s what they picked:
Andrew Comrie-Picard, a rally racing champion, X Games medalist and Hollywood stunt driver:
“1928 4.5L Bentley tourer. Built like a locomotive, so you can still realistically drive it from Peking to Paris. Then classy enough to park in front of the Ritz while you go to dinner. The complete car. I’m looking for a good one.”
Matt Anderson, curator of transportation at The Henry Ford:
"If we define ‘best’ as the car that most fully achieved its design objective and left the greatest legacy, then it’s hard to top the Ford Model T. Admittedly, I’m a little biased here, but Ford Motor Co. had a clearly defined vision behind the T: to create a light car with a modern engine, built of quality materials, and priced within reach of the mass market. The Model T met each of those requirements and, through the 1910s, seemed to meet them more completely each year as manufacturing methods improved and sales prices fell. Of course, Ford held onto the design far too long into the 1920s, but by that time the Model T had completed its singular achievement of transforming the automobile from a plaything for the wealthy into a part of daily life for most Americans. That’s an impact that no other car can match.”
David Schmidt, vice president of the Society of Automotive Historians:
"I will reach back in time and say Locomobile. It was an exceptionally well-engineered luxury car, quality workmanship and materials, durable and is the only American marque to win any of the 13 prestigious Vanderbilt Cup races between 1904 and 1937. I have seen two, one in a private collection and the other at the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum in Fairbanks, Alaska.”
Schmidt noted that “like beauty, the best car is in the eye of the beholder.” He called his personal 1989 G body Porsche 911 “practically bulletproof, a pleasure all its own on the back roads, nimble in traffic, easy to park and can perform on the track.”
His point about the subjective nature of the question gives us wide latitude. There really isn’t a right answer. For me, I loved driving the Alfa Romeo Giulia when I had the chance. Amazing on the road, and it looked fantastic. It may not have the reliability that I’d want for a best-car designation but that might not matter.
The most reliable car I ever had was my 1994 Mazda Protégé, which topped, if I remember correctly, 315,000 miles or so before I parted with it. It might have been the best car I ever owned, even without air conditioning. It was peppy and handled well. It was also my last stick shift.
I can’t imagine that particular make and model tops any best-car lists today. But it does beg the question, how important is a factor like reliability in picking a best car?
Most folks probably think of other factors, maybe power or design, informed by their own sense of nostalgia.
I imagine a Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette or even a Plymouth Barracuda might be on some other lists. Bugattis, Ferraris and Lamborghinis would be on others.
So tell me what you think. What’s the best car … ever? You pick the criteria (SUVs and trucks, if you must), but tell me why it should top the list. Limit your explanation to a few sentences and send it to elawrence@freepress.com. I’d like to publish some of your responses, so include your name, your town and how old you are.
You won’t be judged for your picks. At least by me.
Eric D. Lawrence is the senior car culture reporter at the Detroit Free Press, and he also writes about recreational vehicles, boats and bikes. Send your tips and suggestions to elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Model T, Miata, Porsche 911. What's your pick for the best car ever?
