What are your votes? Is it the S2000? Is it the Zonda...? Maybe it's the Prius...?

 

How about a "top ten cars of the decade"? It's too hard to choose just one.

 

Actually I think you nailed it, the Prius. Whether you like it or hate it.

 

Challenger of course

 

Done! Well, I didn't give it a number...

 

Shit son.

Theres too many to list. It was a good time to be a car guy!

E46 M3
Z06
ZR1
S2k
Murci
F430
997
E39 M5
Infiniti G35c (gave the brand a comeback IMO)
Hyundai Genesis

So much more!

 

s2k first year was 99 no, doesnt count

 

nevermind, realeased in 99 as a MY2000

 

In no order (and no supercars):

E46 M3 - (obvious reasons)
Audi RS4 - (ditto)
Current Jaguar XKR - (returned Jag to relevance)
Current Euro Focus - (The car that will ultimately save Ford)
Hyundai Genesis Sedan - (Not as big a deal as Lexus in 1992 but close)
Infiniti FX - (the first desirable crossover?)
Nissan 350Z - (return of the sports car for the common man)
Current Mercedes S-Class - (for its engineering accomplishment)
Mazda 3 - (showed everyone that small cars can be profitable without Honda or Toyota on it)
2nd Gen Prius - (because of the engineering achievement and not because people are sheep and bought 1000s of them)

 

I was mentally creating my list as I was reading this thread and am shocked how many cars we'd have had in common. I don't include the exotics because I don't think they were as influential as the others mention, though I think you could argue a very good case to the contrary and I would probably not argue much, in particular the F430. And I have a hard time including the Genesis, it still is fairly new I have seen very few on the road and while it was very hyped it hit the market at the worst possible time and it seems the hype is dying and while I'm not hearing bad reviews they are not as glowing as I was hoping for. When I think about cars of the decade I think of cars that changed the way we look at things, influence other brands. I would have Mini Cooper on my list, probably the Prius as well(as much as it pains me to say this) and the Veyron would complete my version of your list.

 

Each is significant in its own way(s)

In no order:

05+ Ford Mustang
Mazda 3
Honda S2000
Hyundai Genesis
Dodge Challenger
Nissan GT-R
Ford Fusion
Acura TL (3rd gen)
Nissan G35
Honda Fit

 

I was gonna say the same thing. A lot of those cars were quite significant to a widespread audience and they still remain relevant today among car enthusiasts. I still feel the E39 M5 is one of the classiest looking cars BMW has ever built.

I also think Ken's list is good too. Hell I don't know what else I'd add. I'll throw in the Evo and WRX/STi because for a while Mitsubishi and Subaru didn't really have a true performance car in NA. It totally changed the high school landscape, most of us were stuck on Hondas and Toyotas and the like until we saw the strange looking WRX in my 2nd year in high school, then followed the Evo. It became the in cars and today they still are, except now some of my friends are buying them with their own money!

 

Chevrolet Corvette Z06/ZR1
BMW E46 M3 and E39 M5
E92 coupe
CTS-V(Wow, what a redesign!)
Audi S5
Koenigsegg
Pagani Zonda
Carrera GT
911 GTx cars (GT2, GT3)
Ariel Atom
F430
Nissan GT-R (Questionable design, unparalleled performance)
Hyundai Genesis Coupe and Sedan

many more out there.

 

Forgot about the Mini, I would replace the murci with that.

As for the Genesis, i think the hype of that one car helped the whole brand. Look at their sale numbers from this year alone. Hyundai has done a great job it seems in making cars that people want and in their budget. Its not easy to go after Toyota or Honda.

Its why i threw it up on the list.

 

Zonda? Seriously..no Veyron?

 

Wow, if you insist....

C6 Corvette (a nice improvement)

BMW 3 series (you have to include them all)

Audi A4 and its variants (all excellent, like the BMW)

Cadillac CTS (revived Cadillac, single handedly)

Dodge Challenger (the lone desirable they make)

Toyota Prius (yes, I know. The batteries are an ecological joke, but they made hybrids mainstream)

Honda Fit (right car, right time)

Acura TL, 3rd Gen (pushed the envelope for luxury and performance at a reasonable price)

Ford Mustang (I don't like them, but they re-established the Mustang as Ford's prodigal son with the "retro redesign")

Jaguar XKR (they are finally building a world class car, latest gen only)

Hyundai Genesis (the new kid on the block that was the fat, slow kid. Now the lean and mean one)

 

Nissan GT-R - Godzilla indeed
Mustang 05+ - the way retro-future is done
C6 - truly a breakthrough - even Clarkson was impressed
Hyundai Genesis Coupe - shocking at how good and good looking it is
Jaguar XF - reintroduced us to how a four-door sedan can be sexy
MINI - excellent relaunch of the brand
Dodge Challenger - 40 years later, the design is still stunning
Honda Clarity FCX - I think this will eventually be more important in the timeline of automobiles than the Prius.
CTS - along with the Escalade, it saved Cadillac. The current CTS-V is..wow.

 

Totally forgot about Mini. I guess that says a lot about the job they've done establishing the brand.

 

The Zonda is a carbon fiber dream, but the Veyron is the most advanced technical street car ever built... and fastest, and most powerful, most turbo chargers and radiators...

 

I'll come up with a list soon...I'd like to throw in the Ariel Atom.



Also, I have a soft spot for the Impreza WRX. It counts, right?

 

i'm slightly biased, but s2k all the way

 

I'd also consider the Lotus Elise/Exige.

 

CTS - brand saver

CLS - trend starter

X3 - also a trend starter, but was the first to start filling the void where there was much demand

MINI - if you consider where it was 10 years ago. do most ppl care? not really.

FORD - (insert car) - a pure example, and the best example, that Private Equity funding could do so much for a car company. cant stress how important this is for the industry looking forward.

Volvo S60 - something done right for a good price, like the TL. although volvo is currently in the gutter, i believe they will be back to their 80s-like prime within the next 5-10 years. they have all the goods, its only a matter of time until someone takes them to the top.

Prius - High volume hybrid. However, I have more respect for its following than its technology/efficiency. the prius itself doesnt represent a good example of the future of hybrid technology, but it proves that buyers can commit.

G35 - Envision Infiniti 10 years ago...the sales of the G funded a company's luxury segment to flourish. the G also single handedly re-invented the mainstream sport/luxury market. Acura CL doesnt make the cut here.

Acura TL (3rd gen): although Acura was able to create a beautiful, affordable, high volume sedan, they did a better job with the Legend in the 90s.

BMW 3 series - This car deserves as many design awards as it does performance. sales numbers further confirm this. theres not much you cant say about the progression of the 3 series over the course of the decade.

 

Car – Reason

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 – 1000+ HP in a mild mannered car
Nissan GTR – Very affordable Supercar
Toyota Prius – Car that started the hybrid age
Audi R8 – Supercar for all seasons
Mitsubishi Evo – All wheel drive family rally car
Smart car – City run about car size of a shopping cart
Any Aston Martin – Gorgeous looks
Corvette Z06/ZR1 – Enzo power with Wal-Mart price tag.
Tesla – First electric Supercar

 

i forgot to mention hyundai! ill pick the sonata. top 10 seller that established brand identity- what hyundai truly needed. i think hyundai will be the next big contender, esp. given their competition for middle-america sales.

 

forgot the Tesla!

 

i thought the tesla was horrible for what it was

 

CL Type S

'07+ E55

 

The engine was changed to a 6.2 normally aspirated V8 after 2007.

 

The same can be said, and supported for the Prius, I think time will tell if the Tesla was an innovator or a lame duck. Either way it was a radical departure from what was thought possible from an electric car.

 

An electric sports car? Sure was terrible.

 

The following cars, I feel made an impact:

-WRX, WRX STI/Lancer EVO
-E46 M3
-Honda S2000
-Corvette C6/Z06/ZR1
-Pagani Zonda F (Best exotic interior)
-E55 AMG
-SL65 AMG/Black Series
-Porsche Boxter S/Carrera/GT3/911
-Tesla Roadster
-Toyota Prius

 

I really struggled with that car. It had very good looks, and I fell in love with it at first sight. However, once you drive it, you notice all its Flaws. Worst of all being visiblity, which any good sport coupe should have. I think it did popularize infiniti, and gathered quite the fanboy gathering, but in the end, its a crapy design, and its not standing the test of time at all. Sorry for the blunt harshness. Please, infiniti people, no flames!

 

Top 10

- C63 AMG (drive it almost everyday at work, the most breathtaking drive everytime I hop into that car. For $63k CDN you wont regret it)
- Nissan GT-R (affordable supercar and its JDM)
- E92 M3 (for its handling and styling)
- G37 Coupe (VQ-series engine is very impressive)
- 2010 E-Class sedan/coupe (overall an amazing mid-side sedan)
- Audi S5
- WRX STi
- Audi R8
- 3rd Gen TL
- IS-F

 

If this is the top car of the decade, it would have to be the Nissan GTR...look back on how many ZR1 versus GTR threads all over the net. I don't think any car in history had that much attention. GTR won in more ways than one.

 

I can't ever recall a car getting that much attention.

The best bang for the buck on the planet.

 

bmw m coupe... pure secks

 

I have one for each category...

Technological Tour de Force
Toyota Prius - What else is there to say? The Prius made the term 'hybrid car' a household name in North America.

Halo Car of Company Progress
Hyundai Genesis & Genesis Coupe - In my opinion, no company has come farther faster than Hyundai and the Genesis twins are living proof of that.

Bang-for-the-Buck Fun Car
Mazda RX-8 - Rev, corner and high-speed happy, the sharply-styled RX-8 brought the rotary engine back to life and gave Mazda an amazing sports car.

Most Versatile Family Car
Audi Allroad - It's an Audi wagon with an adjustable air suspension and Quattro. It can go off-road and gets better mileage than an SUV. What's not to love?

Most Underrated Luxury Car
Acura RL (2005-2008) - Subtle yet classy lines, a roomy interior and an incredible all-wheel drive system let down by piss-poor marketing. Sad...

Most Beautiful GT Cruiser
BMW Z8 - Still gorgeous after ten years, the Z8 gave BMW a model to toss into the upper echelon of touring convertibles.

Greatest Come-Back Car
Ford Taurus - What other car went from company-saving icon to rental fleet reject and back again? The new Taurus is not the lame bull it morphed into over the past ten years.

Most drop-dead Gorgeous Car
Audi R8 - Sleek lines, a throaty 4.2 liter V8 and it set the trend for Audi's LED daytime running lights. Undoubtedly the most beautiful car Audi has ever made and without question the most beautiful of the decade.

The Most Unnecessary Car
Bugatti Veyron - Honestly, does anybody need 1001 horsepower, 0-60 in 2.3 seconds and a top speed of 254 mph? Nobody. But if you can afford it at a million six, you really don't need to justify your purchase.

 

Why include a car that is one of the most unreliable cars besides the Range Rover? Doesn't make sense to me.

 

What's great about a Top Cars list is that it doesn't have to be all things. It's a great looking vehicle. It's sporty. It's pretty conservative on gas. Why not?