The Best Car of All Time

"JR1" (type35bugatti)
06/17/2015 at 17:14 • Filed to: Duesenberg

The Duesnberg Model J was a triumph of engineering. Overhead cams on an extremely smooth 8 cylinder block that produced up to 320hp on the street. It not only was a grand tourer, the Model J was a limo, town car, pheaton, race car, and personal luxury automobile. Name another car that was the fastest in the world, the most luxurious, and a record speed holder all the while still being convinenant enough to hold four people. Also it goes without saying this car still is one of if not the most beautiful in the world.

DISCUSSION (30)

DrScientist > JR1
06/17/2015 at 17:24

obligatory:

it’s a doozy alright.

Cé hé sin > JR1
06/17/2015 at 17:29

I must admit I know nothing about Duesenbergs but at first glance I thought of this

Kinja'd!!!

Your boy, BJR > JR1
06/17/2015 at 17:33

It's like a CL65 AMG!

Bluecold > JR1
06/17/2015 at 17:34

Counterpoint:
It had a chassis that was considered outdated when new. In typical american fashion, it was all motor, nothing much else, and then slathered in leather and wood to create a sense of luxury. Besides the huge and powerful engine, for which the roads, brakes and tires of the day were not ready, it wasn’t pushing the envelope styling and engineering wise in the way the French did (Voisin, Bugatti, Talbot-Lago, Delage, Delahaye). The engine numbers were trump card to boast, but totally pointless in real life.

CRider > Your boy, BJR
06/17/2015 at 17:36

That’s nowhere close to being the fastest or most luxurious car on the road.

JR1 > Your boy, BJR
06/17/2015 at 17:36

That is a great car. Unrealiable but great.

Your boy, BJR > CRider
06/17/2015 at 17:37

Nah but it’s impressive enough that I like it despite its Mercedesness.

JR1 > Your boy, BJR
06/17/2015 at 17:40

By the way here is that link for the Lincoln

http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/5035171767…

JR1 > Cé hé sin
06/17/2015 at 17:40

Mercedes???

JR1 > Bluecold
06/17/2015 at 17:41

How did the French push the envelope for engineering any more than Duesenberg. I'll give you styling though.

Your boy, BJR > JR1
06/17/2015 at 17:47

CRACK PIPE

Cé hé sin > JR1
06/17/2015 at 17:49

770k

Bluecold > JR1
06/17/2015 at 17:51

The Deusenberg was all engine and only engine. The French luxury cars were frequently raced as well, so they had to handle, and keep up with the competition. This forced manufacturers to keep pushing the envelope. This not only goes for the French cars, but the Italian and German (mostly just Mercedes) cars as well, but I feel the French really took the 30’s cake.

JR1 > Your boy, BJR
06/17/2015 at 18:05

It is pretty freaking rough

JR1 > Cé hé sin
06/17/2015 at 18:07

The styling on the 770k is a little bland

JR1 > Bluecold
06/17/2015 at 18:09

The French were pretty Excellant little racers but Duesenberg had made their name in racing as well. Placing high at Le Mans and endurance events on the salt flats out west. Sure it had something to do with the engine but the engine is the heart of the car.

Your boy, BJR > JR1
06/17/2015 at 18:12

I was going on more the fact that even if you pay these people $3700, you still end up with a Lincoln.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > JR1
06/17/2015 at 18:16

You are my hero.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Bluecold
06/17/2015 at 18:17

Styling I’ll contest, given that both Duesenberg and the French were using coachbuilders, and the only reason more Duesys are in restrained American styling is the location of the bulk of the sales, and Duesenberg’s star fading before zany French styling of the 30s reached its zenith. You could get a Saoutchik-bodied J, after all. I’d also say that its list of owners suggests that at least for the late 20s, it achieved more than just a feel of luxury.

I’ll give you that four-wheel leaf on solid axles with torque tube isn’t really pushing the envelope. Not horribly retrograde for ‘28, though.

JR1 > Your boy, BJR
06/17/2015 at 18:19

Could be worse. It could have a wreath and ducks.

JR1 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/17/2015 at 18:20

I figured you would like it

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > JR1
06/17/2015 at 18:21

Not entirely sure what’s up with that front window though.

JR1 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/17/2015 at 18:26

It's a low like speedster window. I quite like it

Steve in Manhattan > JR1
06/17/2015 at 18:51

Perhaps the best car of its time, but all time?

For me, the best car of all time would do it all. Speed and comfort. Useful. Safe - lots of airbags and AWD. And good quality. So probably a German or Swedish wagon with the high-end engine.

Your boy, BJR > JR1
06/17/2015 at 18:52

Yeah, having a wreath and ducks is fuckin’ awful.

Good thing the cars I like have Martins and Laurels.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
06/17/2015 at 20:22

“Not horribly retrograde for ‘28, though.”

Except that Duesenberg’s owner, Cord, launched the L29 about the same time, with every engineering advance known to man. It must have been a deliberate decision to leave all that newfangled shit off the Duesy.

Not that it wasn’t the right call though....

JR1 > Steve in Manhattan
06/17/2015 at 21:29

It's all relative. At the time this was likely the speediest, more comfortable, safest, and of the highest quality. Today's best will be tomorrow's old news.

Steve in Manhattan > JR1
06/18/2015 at 18:49

They’re already working on the Veyron’s replacement. You speak the truth.

I used to think the 300TD was the perfect car. In many ways, it still is.

JR1 > Steve in Manhattan
06/18/2015 at 20:17

The 300TD is a very handsome looking automobile. And they are increadily realable too right?

Steve in Manhattan > JR1
06/19/2015 at 00:01

The ones through ‘85 were dead reliable (W123). I had an ‘87 300D (W124), wanted the TD - could not find one. Based on my sedan experience, the ‘87s would have had fair reliability. Lots of door motors, sunroof motor, and turbo and trap oxidizer all went wrong. Most fixed under warranty.