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ThomasM
[PuristS]
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Speed listing - ALL TIME GREAT CARS, round 1b: explanations and justifications

Thanks to all for your participation - great lists and of course, in looking at other's lists, we are reminded of ones we forgot, or are prompted to consider others we didn't.

click here  for lists from part 1a

I wanted to 1a to be instinctive, intuitive, with minimal "high level thought" - it would thus be closest to a Rohrschach Test of our tastes, but also a reflection of our upbringing, circumstances, and times, tempered by who we are today.

Now for the intellectual part - for each/any/all of your choices, why? Some of us have already touched on those that we forgot and / or left off...but these are welcome in part 1b as well.

For PPlater, why E38 740iL?

graceful, elegant exterior, projects substance yet restrained good taste. Unlike the ungainly behemoths of the two generation earlier S class, or the later 7 series...(no offense intended, just personal taste in design)

A fantastic mix and use of ergonomic space - incredible rear leg room, spacious wideness, AND a cavernous trunk. And all wrapped in a beautiful, sleek shape. (see above) Usually, it's 4 qualities, pick 2 or 3 for a great large car; the E38 740iL is one of the rare that offer all 4 out of 4.

Handling and ride - excellent for a large sedan cruiser - it's not a sport car or sports sedan, but it can keep up with many of them (and most pretenders)

Drivetrain - mmmm...I believe the 4.4 V-8 will go down in history as one of the great engines, ever, and the tranni is pretty darned good as well - fast when you want it to be, smooth when you want it to be. Yes, it has a reputation for premature death at around 100k, but many suspect this is due to the BMW policy of not servicing it or changing ATF fluids...Overall, for its intended purpose (high performance luxo cruiser) it is close to as good as it gets (compared to what? M-B, Bentley, RR, Lexus, Maserati, Inifinit, Acura, et al - the E38 740iL is, for me and my preferences, the ideal compromise. And typically, I don't like compromises!!!)

Electronics and mechanical gremlins? sure, I've heard about them, and even experienced some -

those damned electric window regulators!

ridiculous (PLASTIC!) cooling system - radiator, expansion tank, pump impeller - argh!

frames and guides (PLASTIC!) for the manual read passenger window shades

display pixel failure

door frame trim, especially around the rear of the rear passenger doors

"clips" for the various body trim - door frame (see above); kidney grills; lower side skirts

but I can live with those, and they are addressible weaknesses.

The comfort seats (with upper body tilt!) are among the most comfortable front automotive seats I've ever experienced (not SPORT seats, but it's not a SPORTS car...) and the leather (buffalo? seems tougher and rougher than cowhide) wears very well without showing cracks, wear and tear, stretching, or stitching stretch.

Door panels fit and operate like one expects of high end Euro  vehicles - reassuring and solid "thunk."

Cool safety features (though can be confusing too) like double click door locks and remotes (only driver door unlocks on first remote click, to prevent someone from jumping in from the other side)

Yep, great driving, great design, great use of space.

So nice I've been tempted several times to pick up low mileage spares for future driving pleasure and use (like when I find a GREAT model of shoes, so I don't have to worry when they discontinue the model)

Anecdotally, the E38 and E39 saw strong upticks in new car sales in their last model year, as some buyers did exactly that.

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why not the E38 750iL? I've been tempted several times; I love the (more) rare; I love 12 cylinder engines.

But ultimately, I was disappointed in how it drove vis a vis the 4.4l V-8 - much more complexity for not much more performance, as offered in the standard 750i/iL execution.

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Navajo - man, Alfa just had this magic in their designs, as much or more than Lambo or Ferrari - they can do hard edged (like Lambo) and they can do soft and flowing (like Ferrari) 

Aside - Lambo's 350/400 were soft and flowing, reminiscent of E type Jag's but with a little harder edge; Jarama and less so the Espada were a little...boring?

Ferrari tried hard edged (308/GT4; Mondial) and they were not so successful. I wish they went into production with the Navajo. Comments already in the original thread on the Carabo - very, very cool design but I see its soul and spirit well represented, and in production too, in the original LP400 Countach. 

Why not the 300SL gullwing? The two I've driven, albeit only briefly, were a bit "trucklike" in its ride and handling.

I have no experience or knowledge with early Auto Union greats, would love to learn (and experience!) more about them.

I'd love to have included the 70s and 80s Aston Martin Vantages and Volantes, especially the Volantes (anyone else remember the Hart to Hart series?) as I remember them fondly as the epitome of 70's and 80's decadent extravagance, like huge collars and bell bottoms; angle flights 100% polyester butt huggers and...and I LOVED their understated, elegant lines that exuded class and yes, money, but in the end, great cars? only in a strickly personal context.

Pantera? if I included the Pantera, I'd have to include the Monteverdi's...and I allowed only 10...

Muscle cars? Mustang Fastback; Dodge and Plymouth Charger Daytona and Roadrunner Superbird; 427 sideoilers and 351 Clevelands and Boss 302s; MOPAR hemis...yep, stuff of red blooded american boy dreams, but great cars?

Love to see other's reasons and justifications!

TM