RE: Vote for the best saloon of the last 25 years!
Discussion
XK120FHC said:
I’m a massive BMW fan, I’ve had an E46, E90 and F80 and I loved them all.
For years BMW have set the benchmark for the best performance saloon.
So there’s a clear winner for me, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, quite simply it’s the best M3 ever made.
I love the way the Quad looks/the engine/the performance, however I get a bit nervous about the crappy dealership experience that I read a lot about though, plus there is also the reliability risk with them I presume too(probably wrongly though). For years BMW have set the benchmark for the best performance saloon.
So there’s a clear winner for me, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, quite simply it’s the best M3 ever made.
cerb4.5lee said:
I love the way the Quad looks/the engine/the performance, however I get a bit nervous about the crappy dealership experience that I read a lot about though, plus there is also the reliability risk with them I presume too(probably wrongly though).
You need to drive one then the rest won’t matter, for me the best thing about them is the quick steering and the way it feels so planted on a bumpy B road.Agree some of the dealers are terrible, I got my latest one from Alexander’s teeside and they were really good to deal with.
cerb4.5lee said:
BrotherMouzone said:
I’m torn between voting for my ‘teenage’ hero’s cars (EVO, Impreza, Accord type R, E39 M5 etc), or cars that I actually would buy today / suit my use case the most (W204 C63, B7 RS4, E60/1 M5, XJR etc).
Great list of cars.
I found myself torn in the same way too. Back in the day I absolutely loved stuff like the EVO/Impreza/Accord Type-R etc as well. Just too many great cars to choose from on this list I reckon. The other 2 lists were a doddle to choose a favourite car in comparison to this one for sure. Great list of cars.
On balance I’d go with the Guilia, even though it’s auto only. I think. Not too big, RWD, great styling and the guilia platform was designed as a ‘sports’ platform. Just a shame there was no uk manual option for some extra interaction.
This, I guess, is where the E39 M5 comes in being manual, not too big or too powerful, like the latest 4WD supersaloons that do nothing for me. Peak M5.
Having said that, how many people would choose the E39 if it was a ZF 6 speed auto only?
My other favourite is the quattroporte, specifically the 4.7 sport GT S. Maybe a bit big for the win, not the fastest etc but this one was certainly designed as a sports saloon, albeit a ‘luxury’ one. Practicality was low on the list, styling, handling balance with the front mid-engined layout ruled. Only ever had V8 Ferrari petrol engines fitted, never a diesel variant. Much more of a Ferrari 4 door than the new purosangue I’d say.
As is the guilia QF to me, which is more performance orientated than the quattroporte, lighter too, so that’s why it wins for me.
I like the XFR too, and the GSF. Great cars.
I went for the ones I've owned.
XFR - just a lovely thing and probably the best performance car bargain available these days. Mine was 11K and was (other than minor foibles like the door locks) reliable.
Giulia - had a veloce for two years and it is the car I've loved the most (even more than the XFR). I can only imagine that the QV is even better
E39 M5 - although I've not owned one, it's reputation proceeds it. Still think it's the best looking M5.
XFR - just a lovely thing and probably the best performance car bargain available these days. Mine was 11K and was (other than minor foibles like the door locks) reliable.
Giulia - had a veloce for two years and it is the car I've loved the most (even more than the XFR). I can only imagine that the QV is even better
E39 M5 - although I've not owned one, it's reputation proceeds it. Still think it's the best looking M5.
XK120FHC said:
cerb4.5lee said:
I love the way the Quad looks/the engine/the performance, however I get a bit nervous about the crappy dealership experience that I read a lot about though, plus there is also the reliability risk with them I presume too(probably wrongly though).
You need to drive one then the rest won’t matter, for me the best thing about them is the quick steering and the way it feels so planted on a bumpy B road.Agree some of the dealers are terrible, I got my latest one from Alexander’s teeside and they were really good to deal with.
It is great to hear about how planted it is on a bumpy B road too, and that is the biggest gripe that I have about the F82 M4 because it rides too hard/is too stiff for my liking.
cerb4.5lee said:
BrotherMouzone said:
I’m torn between voting for my ‘teenage’ hero’s cars (EVO, Impreza, Accord type R, E39 M5 etc), or cars that I actually would buy today / suit my use case the most (W204 C63, B7 RS4, E60/1 M5, XJR etc).
Great list of cars.
I found myself torn in the same way too. Back in the day I absolutely loved stuff like the EVO/Impreza/Accord Type-R etc as well. Just too many great cars to choose from on this list I reckon. The other 2 lists were a doddle to choose a favourite car in comparison to this one for sure. Great list of cars.
Feels wrong to leave out Accord Type R, EVO VI, ST220 etc though but just don’t see myself ever owning them!
JordanM200 said:
Impreza STI (Blobeye). Or any Impreza in fact, I'd personally go hawkeye.
When new back in 03, not much would keep up on a damp back road. Even now 20yrs on it would hold its own against modern day fast hatchbacks. The gold standard.
Yes Subaru used to make real cars when everyone else makes toys. They still do of course but refuse to stuff two fingers to the authorities and import them as a speciality brand.When new back in 03, not much would keep up on a damp back road. Even now 20yrs on it would hold its own against modern day fast hatchbacks. The gold standard.
Only thing comparable to my various Imprezas even now is the GR Yaris, but that's not really useable in the same manner. Great to drive around the Scottish highlands and islands but probably not the best way of getting there.
I think that a Tesla should at least feature on this list.
A model S plaid or a model 3 performance. Even a lowly model 3 dual motor on 18 inch steel wheels has more than 400bhp and would keep a great many of the selected 25 honest. If it didn’t, tap the app for even more power…they really are playing a different game.
A model S plaid or a model 3 performance. Even a lowly model 3 dual motor on 18 inch steel wheels has more than 400bhp and would keep a great many of the selected 25 honest. If it didn’t, tap the app for even more power…they really are playing a different game.
lotus116tornado said:
Surely the M3 (E46) is not a saloon, it was only sold in coupe and convertible format and therefore is irrelevant. If it's in you would surely have to add other coupe's.
If only there was an article to accompany the photos to explain these things......Edited by lotus116tornado on Monday 27th March 15:03
XK120FHC said:
cerb4.5lee said:
I love the way the Quad looks/the engine/the performance, however I get a bit nervous about the crappy dealership experience that I read a lot about though, plus there is also the reliability risk with them I presume too(probably wrongly though).
You need to drive one then the rest won’t matter, for me the best thing about them is the quick steering and the way it feels so planted on a bumpy B road.Agree some of the dealers are terrible, I got my latest one from Alexander’s teeside and they were really good to deal with.
cerb4.5lee said:
TheAntics said:
On basis you can vote up to three cars (you don't have to pick three) and that if you do vote for three you can't rank the vote...there is only one car in that list which I find exciting. E46 M3.
Have you driven one? I was a bit disappointed when I had a go in one sadly. If you drive it in 2023, it's underwhelming.
The world has moved one.
Itsallicanafford said:
I think that a Tesla should at least feature on this list.
A model S plaid or a model 3 performance. Even a lowly model 3 dual motor on 18 inch steel wheels has more than 400bhp and would keep a great many of the selected 25 honest. If it didn’t, tap the app for even more power…they really are playing a different game.
I am guessing there's a "Best EV of the last 25 years!" coming. Which would put the S Plaid against the Taycan, with a dogged iPace in there somewhere and probably the original Tesla roadster. Don't know if there are 25 of them to vote for, mind... A model S plaid or a model 3 performance. Even a lowly model 3 dual motor on 18 inch steel wheels has more than 400bhp and would keep a great many of the selected 25 honest. If it didn’t, tap the app for even more power…they really are playing a different game.
XK120FHC said:
cerb4.5lee said:
I love the way the Quad looks/the engine/the performance, however I get a bit nervous about the crappy dealership experience that I read a lot about though, plus there is also the reliability risk with them I presume too(probably wrongly though).
You need to drive one then the rest won’t matter, for me the best thing about them is the quick steering and the way it feels so planted on a bumpy B road.Agree some of the dealers are terrible, I got my latest one from Alexander’s teeside and they were really good to deal with.
I had 5 years in one. Loved it. Probably the best car I have ever had and the only car I kept for more the 3 years and STILL didn't want to let it go at the end of the 5 years. The description of it being a 4-door Ferrari, are bang on. Nothing even comes close within it's contemporaries.
But the shocking dealers were the sole reason why I'd never have another Alfa. One tried to defraud me of nearly £7,000. Two others misdiagnosed a problem that ended up costing me £1,600 when it should have cost nothing. For a car that had less problems than any other car I've owned, the ownership experience was the most problematic.
julian64 said:
Julian Scott said:
julian64 said:
I'm getting very close to retirement now and I find myself being unable to vote for anything with flappy paddles, no matter how pretty it looked.
....but you've done more damage to the Julian fraternity with your original comment, we'll never be seen as more than out of date, grumpy old men if we insist on ignoring technology that has been on the best cars for approaching 20yrs.
cerb4.5lee said:
That looks absolutely gorgeous!
It is great to hear about how planted it is on a bumpy B road too, and that is the biggest gripe that I have about the F82 M4 because it rides too hard/is too stiff for my liking.
The current M3 has been lauded for its improvement in ride quality. By all accounts it's a cracking car, just not pretty! It is great to hear about how planted it is on a bumpy B road too, and that is the biggest gripe that I have about the F82 M4 because it rides too hard/is too stiff for my liking.
E90_M3Ross said:
cerb4.5lee said:
That looks absolutely gorgeous!
It is great to hear about how planted it is on a bumpy B road too, and that is the biggest gripe that I have about the F82 M4 because it rides too hard/is too stiff for my liking.
The current M3 has been lauded for its improvement in ride quality. By all accounts it's a cracking car, just not pretty! It is great to hear about how planted it is on a bumpy B road too, and that is the biggest gripe that I have about the F82 M4 because it rides too hard/is too stiff for my liking.
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