Are mark 1's always the best ones?

[Playsatan]

If manufacturers put so much time and money into improving their products why are the first ones always the most popular.

I genuinely can't think of a mainstream car were I don't prefer the older version. Is it just me or is it a PH trait?

[Raize]

Vauxhall Senator

[The Moose]

Nostalgia?

[V8RX7]

Personally I prefer:

Mk1 M3
Mk1 MX5
Mk2 Golf Gti
MK1 & 2 Escort are a tie
Mk3 RX7

So not always IMO

[sleep envy]

HF Integrale

[10 Pence Short]

OP- of course not. Each example has its own merits.

[Wacky Racer]

Mk 1 "E" Type

Mk 1 Jaguar XJ6

Mk 1 Ford Escort

Mk 1 Ford Capri

[RobM77]

Often producing a car is the ultimate customer clinic, and engineers' dreams of a good driver's car morph into what the majority of mainstream buyers want (a dull polished car to drive to work in that doesn't look like an Audi, but is one in every other sense!)which is the effect the OP describes. Many cars have actually got quantifiably better, although strangely the mk1s are often referred to as better, for example the Elise and some may say the 911 as well.

[iva cosworth]

V8RX7 said:

Personally I prefer:
MK1 & 2 Escort are a tie

I was mulling over Fords and decided the MK 1 escort is less boxy and couldn't think of any

genuinely better than most MK 1 versions....

How about the Zephyr range ? or maybe Granada ?

[DoctorX]

Focus certainly was IMO

[Hav]

Great topic OP.

Going against the norm...

The performance C Class Mercedes have improved overtime massively.

Focus Mk2 RS500 are considered better than the original Focus RS, even though i would actually prefer a MK1.

Lotus Esprit, has improved overtime in terms of driveablity, but that beautiful styling was disolved.

I think that MK1's will be always held in higher regard, because they often break a certain mould...

[mildmannered]

iva cosworth said:

V8RX7 said:

Personally I prefer:
MK1 & 2 Escort are a tie

... I was mulling over Fords and decided the MK 1 escort is less boxy

"They're boxy, but they're good! (Brewster's Millions, Volvo tag line)

I used to want a MK II X Pack, so bad! Just had a quick Google, and RS versions looked even better!

[parabolica]

Mechanically cars always tend to improve with revisions; I think it's the cosmetics that are susceptible to suffering. For example I much prefer the looks of the original 300c compare to the new version which just looks so bland; same with the pre-dame Edna 9-5.

[GravelBen]

I like the Mk2 Escort better than the Mk1, and the Mk2 MX5 better than the Mk1. Is there something wrong with me?

[Bear Phils]

I prefer the mk2 escort to the mk1 myself.
Mk6 Corvette as well for me.
So not always, I think it's just that the original version of a popular had to be good to establish itself, so tends to be looked back on with admiration.

[Jaaack]

EK9 Civic Type-R was the best. (I know its technically a MK6 but it was the first CTR.)

Then the FN2 was less good than the EP3.

Good job Honda.







Still all very good cars though. Just some aren't quite as good.

[GravelBen]

Jaaack said:

EK9 Civic Type-R was the best. (I know its technically a MK6 but it was the first CTR.)

A mate of mine had an '85 Civic Si (Mk3 I guess), the JDM pre-VTEC 1.6 DOHC predecessor. It was really surprisingly quick - we never figured out how standard the engine was or wasn't though, it had a few interesting stickers in the engine bay, a slightly lumpy idle and happily screamed past 8000rpm.

Edited by GravelBen on Sunday 18th August 02:37

[pthelazyjourno]

RobM77 said:

Often producing a car is the ultimate customer clinic, and engineers' dreams of a good driver's car morph into what the majority of mainstream buyers want (a dull polished car to drive to work in that doesn't look like an Audi, but is one in every other sense!)which is the effect the OP describes. Many cars have actually got quantifiably better, although strangely the mk1s are often referred to as better, for example the Elise and some may say the 911 as well.

A better car doesn't necessarily make for a more fun or entertaining car.

Elise is the perfect example, and I have a couple of friends who have gone from newer Elises/Exiges to S1s because they found the older models more fun to drive. I agree with them. Many won't, for a number of different reasons. Horses for courses and all that!

[GC8]

mildmannered said:

"They're boxy, but they're good! (Brewster's Millions, Volvo tag line)

Wasnt that a Dudley Moore film about mentalists starting an advertising agency?

[rotta]

True in a lot of cases but not all I actually prefer golf mk2 over mk1 but mk1 escort wins over mk2 every time. it seems after the 2nd variant of a lot of cars things go wrong and as I said probably not always the case though.