Which cars are classy these days?

[braddo]

Monkeylegend said:

Raudus42 said:

There are hundreds of classic cars which are without doubt classy, but it seems the number of cars in current production that could be, you could count on one hand.

Abu Hamza's.

[fel71]

PomBstard said:

But what if you drove it through a big puddle...??

In any case, white Porsche = classless

These three RS's look classy to me in white.

[DoubleD]

fel71 said:

These three RS's look classy to me in white.

Lol

[Leins]

wildcat45 said:

BMW got it just right with the original M5. It was so understated that it looked not unlike a 518 with a set of posh wheels.

The original E28 M5 is one of the few top-end performance models I can think of that (in non-MTech, standard trim) is actually more discreet than some of its lesser brethren





The Golf Mk2 Limited being another

Edited by Leins on Sunday 5th March 15:28

[RBH58]

Matt80M said:

Porsche 911 Targa

Much less shouty than anything else in the Porsche range.

And pretty too. The 991 is the first series where I've actually liked the targa.

[NickCQ]

Matt80M said:

Porsche 911 Targa

Much less shouty than anything else in the Porsche range.

The car in your picture would look a lot classier with 'classic-style' wheels a couple of sizes smaller.

[Zad]

Good point earlier about the Focus RS. Whilst I don't think it could really be called classy, it is a lot more subtle than many other cars in the same segment. I had walked past a black one earlier this week, without realising it was an RS, I only realised on the way back when I saw the badge (that is probably a hanging offence on PH). If the windows weren't drug dealer spec, and if the wheels had been standard silver, it would look quite subtle from the back. No overblown chrome and tyres that are a good profile ratio (especially for the horrible roads here). Indeed, the conservative design has been one notable area of criticism.

[Wills2]

DonkeyApple said:

MarshPhantom said:

Rolls and Bentley used to be fairly understated.

When was that?

Never, they were always huge and imposing compared to what the peasants used to drive.

[phib]

We seem to have got as far away from 'Classy' as you can get !!

Maybe a test could be ... would the queen drive one of these ? If not ... it's probably not classy !!

Phib

Edited by phib on Monday 6th March 20:31

[MaxSo]

phib said:

We seem to have got as far away from 'Classy' as you can get !!

Maybe a test could be ... would the queen drive one of these ? If not ... it's probably not classy !!

Phib

Edited by phib on Monday 6th March 20:31

?

[mickyveloce]

Not the most expensive or quickest car I've owned, but imbued with style and distinction. It's loved by women, admired by men, socially acceptable and recognised as an expression of personal luxury and good taste the world over.

And it only cost £5k.

[Manta A]

kapiteinlangzaam said:

A modern Fiat 500 in a dark blue or grey colour, small/discrete alloys, no chrome and a nice interior passes the classy test IMO. You've no idea if the owner is worth tuppence or millions and it can be parked anywhere from a multi-storey to outside a very expensive hotel and itll fit straight in.

Eg

I agree. I think the 500 wins it for me. A very elegant design that never ages. Bought for it's beauty and subtlety, rather than to impress. A hallmark of classy people I would suggest.

Then I'd say the yeti if you needed a bigger car. I really think this a very well proportioned car that like the fiat doesn't need to seek attention. And as an added bonus the Skoda badge would put off those without class.

And I can say all that after never owning either.

[Zad]

I wasn't saying the Focus RS was classy, in fact quite the opposite. It was more to point out that cars that used to be classy have just got cheap and tacky with shiny bits stuck all over, whereas a car that really should be gauche and over the top (direct descendent of the Sierra RS500 after all) can be surprisingly subtle with the right options. Or, put another way, it isn't what you do, but how you do it.

[Trabi601]

Manta A said:

I agree. I think the 500 wins it for me. A very elegant design that never ages. Bought for it's beauty and subtlety, rather than to impress. A hallmark of classy people I would suggest.

Around these parts, usually driven by a young, orange shop assistant with eyebrows drawn on with magic marker.

The polar opposite of classy.

[DonkeyApple]

mickyveloce said:

Not the most expensive or quickest car I've owned, but imbued with style and distinction. It's loved by women, admired by men, socially acceptable and recognised as an expression of personal luxury and good taste the world over.

And it only cost £5k.

I thought it just said you part owned a restaurant, used Just for Men and partook in tax fraud and were on your third wife?

It's definitely one of those cars that only begins to gain positive merit in age. Which I think is valid for most Mercs. They need to age to the point that the Loads a Money community stop buying them and start considering them trash for poor people, inferior to them and it is at that point they start becoming 'classy'.

[spreadsheet monkey]

MaxSo said:

?

Jag in BRG without tints or massive wheels? Seems classy enough to me.

Or am I supposed to think "OMG Mondeo in drag LOL"?

[MarshPhantom]

Wills2 said:

DonkeyApple said:

MarshPhantom said:

Rolls and Bentley used to be fairly understated.

When was that?

Never, they were always huge and imposing compared to what the peasants used to drive.

But the Shadow wasn't a great deal larger than a contemporary Jaguar XJ.

[DonkeyApple]

MarshPhantom said:

Wills2 said:

DonkeyApple said:

MarshPhantom said:

Rolls and Bentley used to be fairly understated.

When was that?

Never, they were always huge and imposing compared to what the peasants used to drive.

But the Shadow wasn't a great deal larger than a contemporary Jaguar XJ.

Yes it bloody well was. When I was young my parents had both. The Shadow was a big tank next to the lower, sleeker XJ. It even made the old Rangie that sat there look less big.

And don't forget that the XJ was also a big car back then. Both of them dwarfed all the other cars on the road apart from things like the Granada and a few others.

The key is that while cars almost as big did exist they were few and far between as there simply wasn't the retail lending facilities to cater for the desire of bigger cars. So when you saw a Shadow it was surrounded by cars from the Mini to the Cortina, it was sticking out of parking bays and not fitting into garages. It looked enormous.

[MarshPhantom]

DonkeyApple said:

MarshPhantom said:

Wills2 said:

DonkeyApple said:

MarshPhantom said:

Rolls and Bentley used to be fairly understated.

When was that?

Never, they were always huge and imposing compared to what the peasants used to drive.

But the Shadow wasn't a great deal larger than a contemporary Jaguar XJ.

Yes it bloody well was. When I was young my parents had both. The Shadow was a big tank next to the lower, sleeker XJ. It even made the old Rangie that sat there look less big.

And don't forget that the XJ was also a big car back then. Both of them dwarfed all the other cars on the road apart from things like the Granada and a few others.

The key is that while cars almost as big did exist they were few and far between as there simply wasn't the retail lending facilities to cater for the desire of bigger cars. So when you saw a Shadow it was surrounded by cars from the Mini to the Cortina, it was sticking out of parking bays and not fitting into garages. It looked enormous.

According to wiki the Shadow was roughly 5in longer/taller and 2in wider.

[DonkeyApple]

MarshPhantom said:

According to wiki the Shadow was roughly 5in longer/taller and 2in wider.

And taller. While all being box-like in shape. 40 years on the Phantom is only 3 and a bit inches wider than an XJ.

And how does it contrast to the average car on the road back then?