Favourite car from your birth year?

[Knugcab]

A little fun and relaxed survey/forum game-ish thing that might make us know each other a little bit closer or something…

Let’s say that you had to choose a car (just one) from your birth year. Price doesn’t really matter, but you have to keep it, you’re not allowed to sell it. You’re allowed to own other cars, so for example, you don’t have to pick an MPV just because you have kids even though you wanted a sports car. What’s your pick then?

Mine:
1986 BMW M5

I am not even a BMW fanatic but…
Supercars? Sure. But getting close to supercar performance in a sedan in 1986 was just mental. Combine that with the devilish and sinister looks that IMO makes the E28 one of the best looking sedans ever, despite me generally have a preference for coupés, I actually can’t think of anything from 1986 I would rather have. It is more or less unique for its era and it took other manufacturers a while to catch up.

YOUR TURN!

[randomtuner]

I got very lucky here as it turns out my favorite car happened to line up perfectly with my birth year, that being 2007 and the car being the Alfa Romeo 8C

Front engined GTs have always spoke to me as something special, this is perfectly proportioned to not fully take on the shape of a luxury comfy cruiser but still feeling more refined that any regular sportscar could dream to be.

The late 2000s to early 2010s was a time of more drawn back, simple designs focusing on having a more elegant touch rather than aggressive and overdone as cars that proceeded this era tended to be. As this period was something I grew up with my stance may be biased. The 8C fits the time period very well but sticks out in how well it executes the very same traits in such an exceptional way.

[Ch_Flash]

1967 Mercedes Benz 250 SE

So many beatiful cars was made this year, but this Merc is my favourite, quality and an elegance that combines the best from Europe and US at the time.

[DuceTheTruth100]

In my humble opinion, 1979 didnt have a lot going for it design wise on the American front. Cars were getting downsized, power was getting cut, and to me, a lot of the designs for that year fuckin sucked. BUT, there were a few standouts. Ironically two of my favorite “would like to own one day” cars come from that era, of which one of them I couldn’t stand at one point.

My choice goes to the 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am…

Preferably with the bigger aftermarket honeycomb wheels, but stock is cool too

[Hshan]

1995 BMW 850 CSi

I mean, I’m not even remotely a BMW fan, but that’s one of their coolest models ever. A sleek GT with pop-up headlights and a powerful V12, what’s not to like? And I really like that slightly angular, simple styling, especially in this gorgeous blue. The shape of the car does most of the visual effect, as it should be. And with this engine I’d say this is as much of an "M"8 as the new “M8” (which IMO is just a glorified M6).

Other possible cars: Maserati Quattroporte 2.8 (V8 appeared a year later… shame), Acura Vigor (far more realistically).

[abg7]

If I had to limit myself to cars that were on sale during my birth year of 1992 (not necessarily launched in it), it would have to be the Mazda RX-7 FD. Although it was introduced at the 1991 Tokyo Motor Show, a few months after the quad-rotary-powered 787B won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it didn’t go on sale in export markets until early in the following year.

Growing up, I was amazed that a relatively small company like Mazda could deliver a world-class sports car that was supremely capable, highly attractive, lightweight, and most unexpectedly of all, affordable. Here is what Road & Track had to say about it at the time:

The 1992 Mazda RX-7 Gave Rival Brands Nightmares

Looking back, the circumstances that led to the FD RX-7’s birth will never be repeated, but it left behind an incredible legacy:

Mazda RX-7 Gen3 - Shannons Club TV - Episode 113

https://www.whichcar.com.au/features/modern-classic-mazda-rx-7

Why We Love Them: FD Chassis Mazda RX-7

For me, the FD RX-7’s legacy was cemented when it was chosen as one of eight cars to appear in the first Need for Speed game - it wasn’t the fastest car, far from it in fact, but it was the best-looking, and it would make many more video game appearances (in Gran Turismo, Forza Motorsport/Horizon, Race Driver/GRiD, etc.) in the years since:

The Need for Speed SE - Mazda RX-7 Showcase

Unsurprisingly, clean examples of the FD are now sought after, with the best ones fetching big sums of money at auctions. Pre-facelift cars (Series 6 and 7) look best, but the later Series 8 examples (especially the Type RZ, Type R Bathurst R, and Spirit R Type A) are even better to drive.

Mazda RX-7 Type R Bathurst R Review

I’m not sure if (and when) the RX-7 will ever be directly replaced, but had Mazda done so, it would have come out in 2014, and looked like this:

What if Mazda made an RX-9 in 2014?

The fact that Mazda is still working on a next-gen rotary engine (and even offers one as a hybrid range-extender today), despite its inherent drawbacks, is testament to its legacy:

Why the Rotary Engine Failed

But there will never, ever be anything quite like the FD RX-7 - a singular work of rotary-powered art that brought light weight, blistering performance, and class-leading dynamics to the common man.

Mazda RX-7 FD - review, history, prices and specs | Evo

[Knugcab]

That’s right, it only had to be on sale in that year, not launched.

[abg7]

Other honorable mentions from 1992 include the Dodge Viper RT/10 (the first production car ever to be powered by a V10 engine), Ferrari 512 TR (a heavily revised version of the Testarossa that looked and drove even better than the original), Mercedes-Benz W124 E500 (built partially by Porsche, and sharing its M119 engine with the W140 S-Class and R129 SL) and Bentley Continental R (the first Bentley in over two decades to have bespoke bodywork) - all in all, 1992 was an even better year for cars than I remember.

[Riley]

The 2000’s, an era which I hate in automation, and hate design wise for many generic cars. But there is one art piece that i’d like to own from this era, 2002 specifically.
2002 Pagani Zonda 7.3 S

I fell in love with Pagani because they were styled to be outrageous, the engines a screaming symphony, and very analog. With near unlimited customisation from factory, it’s a reflection of self. It is just that, an art piece.

When I searched this year I saw, CLK GTR, Ford GT, Honda NSX R, Enzo, all cars that are “interesting” but I had no interest in ever obtaining one. This though, the Pagani Zonda 7.3 S this is the dream.

[abg7]

You may have a point. 2002 was indeed one of the best years for new performance cars, as this list shows:

Slideshow: The best cars of 2002

And while the Enzo Ferrari actually did debut at the 2002 Paris Motor Show (as did the Jaguar XJ X350), neither of those would be on sale for a few more months. The Zonda, on the other hand, had been around for a few years by the time the C12 S 7.3 was introduced.

This variant would also appear in Gran Turismo Concept: 2002 Tokyo-Geneva (a PAL-only stand-alone expansion pack for the third game); unlike in all its later appearances (where silver is the only available color), it could also be selected in Blu Francia (as shown in the picture in your post):

Gran Turismo Concept Short: A blue Pagani Zonda S that went away

[Happyhungryhippo]

I second this. These things have so much style and quality, despite the rear axle being prone to oversteer and the automatic gearboxes were still rather rough. They were like $ 20.000 in Germany in 2005, now they come at $120.000. Too bad I only test drove one instead of buying it…

But to avoid double mentions: It was not really on sale, but the 1963 Chrysler Turbine is great in my opinion, at least visually. I didnt know that it existed until I read about it in a magazine while being on vacation in 1990s Florida.

[Madrias]

1991 Lincoln Continental.

I’m a big fan of large sedans, and why not go for something comfortable? Sure, it’s not the best car in 1991, but at least it’d be a good comfortable cruiser. Also, because it’s T-FWD and uses a Taurus engine… If I ever found a crashed Taurus SHO with a good engine, there’s a scary potential engine swap. Sure, it’s a heavy luxury boat with a middle-of-the-road V6 in it, but, it’s not meant to be fast.

[Maverick74]

Wow, OK, this has proved to be an extremely tough answer for me. While there are several cars from my birth year that I like, there isn’t really any one that stands heads and shoulders above the rest in my mind.

So after a lot of thought, I’m gonna go with the 1987 Saab 900.

The '92 900 I had back in college was life changing, it radically altered what my definition of what a good car should be, and I still think of it as the near perfect daily driver. Fast yet economical, fantastic handling yet superbly comfortable, small yet hugely spacious, quirky yet oddly stylish.

Honorable mentions would include the Buick GNX, Renault Alpine GTA, Peugeot 205 GTi, Ferrari F40, Ford Thunderbird, and MG Metro Turbo.

[ErenWithPizza]

Sure, Pagani exists (damn good choice)…

But let me present to you:

the S15 Silvia

had it’s last year of production in 2002. Also happens to be a dream car of mine

[Fayeding_Spray]

First year of production, 1999 Ferrari 360 Modena

[xsneakyxsimx]

JK. It is neat, but not my favorite.

I couldn’t pick between two so I thought I would just show both:

My personal favorites of the Skyline generations. It just looks right and has that history that makes it well known within the sphere of automotive fandom.

Homegrown hero for me. I believe these were some of the last Holden V8s before they switched to using LSs in their vehicles. But just look at it and tell me it’s a pedestrian car with the bodykit and the rear wing.

Also, all three cars are 94 models, even the Mini.

[Hilbert]

Hindustan Ambassador

[GetWrekt01]

2003

Baby Lambo. 1st Gen Gallardo was a bit of a shocker to everyone when it came out, but goddamn did it solidify its place as a testostorone producing “Civilized” monster, and eventually paved the way for the Huracán. Looked amazing and still holds up to this day.

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Funny long-nosed Mercedes, co-engineered with McLaren. Bigass 5.4L Supercharged V8, gullwing doors, and full on GT Luxury specs on the inside. Richard Hammond described this car as “Hypercar Royalty” back then, and damn right it is. While I do like the new AMG GT, I still think few cars out there state “I’m a baller” as good as this car.

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RR layout, 600 horswepower, 6 speed MANUAL, targa top, and possibly one of the nicest Porsche asses out there. Thank fuck they didn’t put the originally planned turbo flat-six in it, and went with the V10.

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Funnily enough, all of these were in Most Wanted.

[xsneakyxsimx]

Hmmmmmm… funny that…

SHAPE!!! SHIFTER!!

[Executive]

i’d have to go for the daihatsu move latte, it’s very cute
2004