Are mark 1's always the best ones?

[g3org3y]

The Moose said:

Nostalgia?

A bit of this along with rose tinted specs. It also depends on what criteria one judges the car to be the best.

[fel71]

Mostly regarded better because they are worth more IMHO.


But not in this case.

[Vince70]

I always preferred the mk1 escort myself but I guess it's because it was my 1st car I would love to get another 1968 1300gt for £50.
I'm not really a Renault fan but I had a MK 1 rti 16v Laguna and it was a fantastic car,
Good on fuel a lovely engine and very well built.

Then I replaced it with the mk2

It was the complete opposite and can honestly say that I think Renault shouldn't of been able to sell this as a car as it was misleading.
It should only of been sold as a static display.

[Tom74]

When things get old, and this doesnt just apply to cars, originality is desirable, the mk1 is the original.

It's probably not the most mechanically sorted but usually deemed to be the most aesthetically 'pure', compare mk1 e-types to the mk3. Lots of classic owners buy a 'look' so that would guide prices.

[New POD]

V8RX7 said:

Personally I prefer:

Mk1 M3
Mk1 MX5
Mk2 Golf Gti
MK1 & 2 Escort are not a tie
Mk3 RX7

So not always IMO

But usually IMO

Mk1 MR2
mk1 fiesta supersport 1.3
mk1 nova sport 1.3
mk1 astra GTE
Ascona A
Vectra A

Without being too contentious:

Bmw Mini Pre-facelift Cooper S 2001-2006. To me this is the Mk1 and is better than all the later cars.

[danp]

well the gen2 (or subsequent) is inevitably bigger, heavier, more mechanically complex (/poss fragile) and as mentioned is less likely to make such an impact aesthetically...so the gen1 is more likely to have a cult appeal to "enthusiasts" a few years on... joe public would probably much prefer genX however.

Edited by danp on Sunday 18th August 08:26

[mike9009]

Agree with what other are saying and from personal experience mk1 mr2 (not driven mk3 though), mk1 mx5 and mk1 MINI Cooper S are better than their later siblings.

What is driving this though? Is it legislation? Is it genuine nostalgia? I don't know...

Mike

[nagsheadwarrior]

Generally mk1for me too with some exceptions-

Mk3 Capri over Mk1, own one n prefer the hatchback n 80s styling,love mk1s too tho.

Controversial but Mk2 facelift Granada over Mk1,same reason as above.

Mk3 Prelude over all others,a poor mans Nsx!

Mk2 or 3 Cortina over mk1,Aubergine 1600e on Rostyles with black vinyl roof please!

[LC2]

I give you the Mk3 RWA MG Midget...
1275 A series is preferable to the 1098 in the MK1.
Round Wheel Arch has a more pleasing look than the earlier (and later) Square wheel arches.
Better Hood.
Alternator rather than dynamo.

Compared to the Frogeye Sprite...
It may be argued that the Frogeye shape is nicer, but downsides would be:
A boot that can only be accessed from inside the car.
Interesting handling at the limit due to the quarter elliptic leaf springs.

[brickwall]

I think there are plenty of facelifts out there that have definitely made cars better e.g.
Aston V8V
Jaguar S-Type

And there are also a number of cars where I think the mk1 was definately not as good as later/current incarnations:
- Jaguar XJ
- Jaguar XK
- Land Rover Discovery (the mk2 was a shocker)
- Range Rover
- Range Rover Sport
- VW touareg
- Audi TT
- Mercedes E class (I'm firmly of the opinion that the W124 was the best)

[HaloGen8]

When a Mk1 is launched it's a new model car therefore everyone generally likes that car.
Every variant from then on is just that.....a variant....and strays away from the style we recognise as that particular model.
Therefore the Mk1 of a car is usually the most fondly remembered before the manufacturer messes with it to make it more 'modern'.

• all the above applies excluding the Seat Ibiza. Remember the 1st edition of those?? System Porsche etc!!

[J4CKO]

Good topic OP, dont think this has ever been done before as a question.

Mk 1 Capri, by far the prettiest, MK2 was a bit of a non event but had the all important hatch, mk3 addressed the looks, the MK3 was the most developed (by Capri standards, i.e. not much), the mk1 is what started it, as for best, cant really say, no point in trying.

MK1 Golf was, like the Capri the prettiest and best proportioned, but the MK2 drove better and is my choice, Mk3 was dumpy looking and a bit of a dissapointm,ent, MK4, a decent car but I think by then, its so far on from the MK1 it doesnt bear comparison, it is just a name.

Cortina wise, I think the Mk3 was athe standout model, but the MK1 and 2 were both very distinctive as well.

MK1 Granada, loved those, anyone remember the coupe and the Consul version ?

[laam999]

I like mk1 mr2 best, but that's due to style and practicality, next is the mk3 which drives just as well if not better. The mk2 has all the power but both sling and diving it wasn't for me.

Mk1 is still the best just due to how good it looks :-)

[marcosgt]

No, they're not, but often the objective of providing my comfort, refinement and quality increases the weight of a car, so latter versions lose some of the 'purity' of the Mk1.

"Boxy But Good" was "Crazy People" I think.

M.

Edited by marcosgt on Sunday 18th August 09:32

[exgtt]

Vince70 said:

I always preferred the mk1 escort myself but I guess it's because it was my 1st car I would love to get another 1968 1300gt for £50.
I'm not really a Renault fan but I had a MK 1 rti 16v Laguna and it was a fantastic car,
Good on fuel a lovely engine and very well built.

Then I replaced it with the mk2

It was the complete opposite and can honestly say that I think Renault shouldn't of been able to sell this as a car as it was misleading.
It should only of been sold as a static display.

Totally agree, even now the mk1 Laguna makes a great shed, they're one of the cheapest cars out there too!

My old boss had a mk2 estate diesel, pretty smart looking thing, expired in the works car park - diesel run on - pretty much the whole office watched as this thing smoked itself into oblivion.

[Hub]

It is perhaps hard to judge those that have been around for decades. The mk1 Fiesta for example was a simple car for example and you could argue that the current one is a lot better in terms of performance, handling, equipment, rust proofing etc. Some of which is technological advancement, but is it better? Looks are subjective.

Some manufacturers are generally improving - Hyundai with the Coupe perhaps?

Audi TT mk1 a more iconic looker but perhaps not the better car?

[J4CKO]

laam999 said:

I like mk1 mr2 best, but that's due to style and practicality, next is the mk3 which drives just as well if not better. The mk2 has all the power but both sling and diving it wasn't for me.

Mk1 is still the best just due to how good it looks :-)

Prefer the MK2 myself, dont mind the MK1 but they do look like a bit like steam iron, the Mk2 did loose some of the crispness and got quite a bit bigger but on balance I think it was an improvement.

[matchmaker]

parabolica said:

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.

Certainly the case with the Octavia - to my eyes the Mk 1 looks a lot nicer than the Mk 2, although the latter is better mechanically. Mind you, the Mk 3 is a cracking looking car!

[Randy Winkman]

I think that, given the passing of time, all versions are "out of date" mechanically, so you might as well get the best looking one i.e the first one.

Having said that, everybody is mad for the Miura SV (the final one).

[danp]

Randy Winkman said:

I think that, given the passing of time, all versions are "out of date" mechanically, so you might as well get the best looking one i.e the first one.

Having said that, everybody is mad for the Miura SV (the final one).

wouldn't the muira would be updated mechanicals in the same shell? (and no gen2)

end of line spec in a limited run of the original shape can be a winning combo, e.g. m3 sport evo, mk1 golf gti "campaign", delta integrale evo 3.

Edited by danp on Sunday 18th August 11:44