Which car would you kill off?

"JR1" (type35bugatti) 02/05/2016 at 09:39 • Filed to: what car kill, wck

1

70

The Ford Mustang

BMW M3

Porsche 356

All three of these cars started dynasties. One started the muscle car era, one started the beloved company that produces some of the worlds finest sports cars, and the other started the era of performance and luxury all wrapped up into one, the sports car for the family man. Assume once you kill one of them their influence on the automotive world never happened.

You have to kill one of them. Which do you kill?

TheHondaBro > JR1 02/05/2016 at 09:42

0

Mustang.

Also technically the M1 started all that, not the M3.

Your boy, BJR > JR1 02/05/2016 at 09:44

5

M3. Easily. Keep luxury boaty, goddamnit!

dsgolson > JR1 02/05/2016 at 09:45

5

The Porsche, because the Beetle would still exist and thus the 911 would still be possible.

Mercedes Streeter > JR1 02/05/2016 at 09:45

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Mustang, because the Camaro, Challenger, and Corvette would likely still exist. So least impact on History.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > JR1 02/05/2016 at 09:45

5

The BMW.

Man I’ve hated that stupid BMW grille forever and in every application.

(Really cool new game btw, can I recommend a meta tag of “CarKiller”?)

scoob > JR1 02/05/2016 at 09:45

2

Mustang.

/SorryNotSorry

/ComeAtMeBros

/EuropeanAndJapaneseCarLover

Thomas Donohue > JR1 02/05/2016 at 09:46

0

Up until last year, I would have said Mustang. I was never really an American muscle car fan. And then the new GT350 happened. So goodbye to all the M’s and AMG’s and every RS I’ve ever wanted. And I’ve wanted a lot.

not for canada - australian in disguise > JR1 02/05/2016 at 09:47

3

Mustang. Muscle cars technically were around before the Mustang, and even if it was the Mustang that kicked the muscle car trend off, something else surely would’ve started it. And, besides, the Barracuda was launched earlier than the Mustang, and I’d much rather have one of those.

cazzyodo > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 02/05/2016 at 09:48

1

I echo your sentiments, sir. Fuckin’ love the Mustang and Porsche has proven to be the only real European sport car I lust for.

‘MURICA.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > JR1 02/05/2016 at 09:49

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On the grounds that the Mustang’s disappearance would make the music video for Martha and the Vandella’s Nowhere to Run significantly less awesome, and the 356 would be mean to Janis Joplin, DEATH TO THE M3.

KnowsAboutCars > TheHondaBro 02/05/2016 at 09:49

1

The M1 wasn’t their first homologation special nor it was the first M car.

jariten1781 > JR1 02/05/2016 at 09:50

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Porsche. Pony cars were inevitable as were German bruisers...if Ford or BMW hadn't lead the way someone else would have. Rear engine sports cars not so much.

Wacko > JR1 02/05/2016 at 09:52

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Mustang did not start the muscle car era, it started the pony car.

duurtlang > JR1 02/05/2016 at 09:54

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Mustang. Unlike the other two, the Mustang has mostly had a regional influence. In a region of the world I don’t live in.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > JR1 02/05/2016 at 09:54

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I like pony cars, and without the Mustang there would be no Camaro/Mustang/Challenger shootout now, then or ever.

I like sports sedans. The idea that you can transport 4 people quickly in a fun way is great. Prefer them to the 2-door versions actually. I know you are showing a 2-door, but we wouldn’t have a 4-door M3 without that car, so...

Never been big into supercars, which is what the 911 has become. Since that owes it’s existance to the 356, and since I prefer (in most cases) sports sedans to true sports cars, the 356 dies.

dailydoseofmindlessness > JR1 02/05/2016 at 09:55

1

¯\_()_/¯

EL_ULY > JR1 02/05/2016 at 09:56

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The VW

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > cazzyodo 02/05/2016 at 09:57

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ugh don’t say murica (pet peeve)

anyhow, i’m not a big fan of Porsche either, mainly because I’m pretty sure they don’t even keep designers on staff but that grille on BMW seems so freaking forced on so many of their cars. Like this is how it goes down when the designers present a car for approval:

Designer: hey we designed a nice car!

Management: Where’s the grille?

D: Seriously that thing again?

M: You’re god damn right it needs the grille

D: Come one it completely wrecks this design

M: Doesn’t matter put it on.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Your boy, BJR 02/05/2016 at 09:59

5

Fast is fine. “Luxury car that has hard enough suspension to corner” is less great any time you have a straight road. It’s supposed to be a low-flying first class aircraft, not a leather couch taped to a performance midsize.

Thomas Donohue > TheHondaBro 02/05/2016 at 10:02

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I wouldn’t call the M1 a sports sedan. No one ever daily drove those to work, or took the kid(s) to school, like they do with M3/M5 etc.

cazzyodo > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 02/05/2016 at 10:07

2

‘MURICAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Every time I type or hear that I imagine my old roommate saying it. Basically a joke haha.

Anywho, yes on the grill. 100%.

Porsche, I just like the flow. Can’t say why because it goes against all my other tastes in vehicles but if I had to pick between similarly priced European vehicles I’d take Porsche. Other than that, American muscle all day every day.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Mercedes Streeter 02/05/2016 at 10:10

8

The Corvette would still exist, but the Camaro (I believe) was created in response to the Mustang. The Challenger didn’t come until a few years later. The big three of muscle cars today probably wouldn’t exist without the Mustang, but I bet there would still be some sort of muscle cars around, just not the ones we have today.

/pedant

Tripper > JR1 02/05/2016 at 10:12

1

The Mustang, because I like the other two.

Future next gen S2000 owner > JR1 02/05/2016 at 10:23

1

BMW M3.

Luxury and performance need not go together.

BJ > JR1 02/05/2016 at 10:24

1

Mustang, ‘cause muscle cars were inevitable?

Chariotoflove > JR1 02/05/2016 at 10:27

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BMW. Honestly wouldn’t shed a tear if the whole company never existed.

Steve in Manhattan > JR1 02/05/2016 at 10:33

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356? Lots of people would be living still had ze Chermans not put ze engine in ze wrong place.

But no, it’s the Mustang. Overpowered cars derived from family sleds that won’t go around corners were a bad idea, and continue to be.

Stapleface > JR1 02/05/2016 at 10:34

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I think the one to kill would be the Mustang, as it would have the least overall impact. While pony cars might not have been a thing, they were close enough with muscle cars.

I almost voted Porsche here because I figure this is a niche that someone would have filled if Porsche didn't.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > cazzyodo 02/05/2016 at 10:36

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Hahaha. I imagine a fat guy on a rascal driving into walmart with a CSA flag while yelling it.

FromCanadaWithLove > JR1 02/05/2016 at 10:37

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Porsche, because the Beetle already existed. Maybe we’d just have a much faster Beetle, which would be cool.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Mercedes Streeter 02/05/2016 at 10:50

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Nah those guys were late to the party (as always)

haveacarortwoorthree2 > JR1 02/05/2016 at 10:50

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BMW. I don’t understand the idea of killing the Mustang because muscle/pony cars were inevitable and someone else would have done it. You can make the exact same point about every other car, invention, idea, etc.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > TheHondaBro 02/05/2016 at 10:51

1

stupid grille fits so poorly on the front of this thing that it bumps above and below

cazzyodo > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 02/05/2016 at 10:57

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The joke started on Marathon Monday. We were living off campus along the Boston Marathon route and were on the third floor. Our bedroom windows overlooked a back alley, then a 15 foot drop to the neighborhood behind us. All said, we were about 50 feet above those homes.

7am rolls around and we wake up to some drunk kid yelling “WOOOOO ‘MURICAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!”

I looked at the time, rolled over to my open window and yelled “Shut the fuck up” then went back to sleep.

TheHondaBro > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 02/05/2016 at 10:57

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But it’s tradition.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > cazzyodo 02/05/2016 at 10:58

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Hahahahahahahahahaha

best response ever

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > TheHondaBro 02/05/2016 at 10:59

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But it’s UGLY

TheHondaBro > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 02/05/2016 at 10:59

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No.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > TheHondaBro 02/05/2016 at 11:05

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JR1 > scoob 02/05/2016 at 11:06

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You are advocating for the death of power to the people. You monster!

JR1 > Thomas Donohue 02/05/2016 at 11:07

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Amazing that one car made such a big difference.

TheHondaBro > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 02/05/2016 at 11:07

1

Is this better?

camaroboy68ss > Mercedes Streeter 02/05/2016 at 11:10

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Corvette would still exist, Challenger maybe because the Barracuda would still be out because it unveiled two weeks before the mustang.

The Camaro would be iffy, originally the Corvair was Chevys response to the mustang, it took Naders book “Unsafe at Any Soeed” to hurt the image of the Corvair to get the Camaro pushed into production. So if there was no outside force like the mustang on Chevy I could see them still refining the Corvair over building the Camaro.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > TheHondaBro 02/05/2016 at 11:17

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Much thank you

Though I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t have shaped the grille that way if it weren’t for the kidney’s

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > JR1 02/05/2016 at 11:21

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Mustang. Lowest amount of impact, along with the fact that they can’t turn.

CALUSA > JR1 02/05/2016 at 11:33

2

356, not so special to me.

Master Cylinder > JR1 02/05/2016 at 11:33

2

M3 easily for me. The Mustang is good, cheap, attainable power. The Porsche is (was) a focused sports car without any unnecessary fripperies.

The Bimmer is cool and the M3 is a great car but it’s just about as unattainable for the average Joe as a Porsche without the purpose-built sports car mentality. Not that that exists all that much in Porsches these days, either. Part of the blame for that could probably be laid at the M3's feet, to be honest.

JR1 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 02/05/2016 at 11:46

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M3 is the least reliable anyway!

JR1 > Wacko 02/05/2016 at 11:46

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So you are okay without any pony cars?

JR1 > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 02/05/2016 at 11:47

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I am with you. The other two are more attainable and therefore should live

JR1 > Future next gen S2000 owner 02/05/2016 at 11:48

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You have to admit thought it does make for the best of both worlds

JR1 > Chariotoflove 02/05/2016 at 11:49

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But then no sports sedans and that would make me sad

Wacko > JR1 02/05/2016 at 11:54

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don’t tell the others, but yes I could live without the pony cars.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Steve in Manhattan 02/05/2016 at 11:57

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You’ll want to be blaming the ‘49 Olds for that one (overpowered cars derived from family sleds, etc.), not the Mustang in the least. Even in lightweights, by ‘63 GM had already jumped to a turbo Olds and a turbo Corvair, and Ford had a 260V8 in the Falcon and a 390 in the fullsizers and the Tbird. It’s much more accurate to credit the Mustang with a whole subclass of lightweight fun car and a Have It Your Way (tm) trend in car ordering.

JR1 > haveacarortwoorthree2 02/05/2016 at 12:26

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I disagree without the Mustang I am sure would have not gotten cars like the Camaro.

JR1 > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 02/05/2016 at 12:26

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Maybe internationally but nationally the impact is immense

RallyWrench > JR1 02/05/2016 at 12:28

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You’re killing me here, these are three of my all time favorite cars. It pains me to say it, but I think it’s the E30 M3. The Mustang and 356 have a far, far greater influence and legacy than the M3 does, and BMW would have come up with something else cool if not the M3 (and in fact did, the M5 and 6). The 356 gave Porsche life, and the Mustang led to generations of aspirational pony/muscle cars. It’s safe to say that most Americans have a Mustang story, and that would be a shame to lose.

Steve in Manhattan > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 02/05/2016 at 12:45

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He offered up 3 cars, one of which was the Mustang. QED.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Steve in Manhattan 02/05/2016 at 12:53

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Right, but accepting the flaw in the stating of his premise (“starting the muscle car era”) rather than what he probably meant and what is logical and actually true (“started the pony car era” ) makes for an intrinsically flawed conclusion. I get accepting the question as-stated for the sake of argument, but with what-would-have-been depending inherently on what was and would have been in the market other than the Mustang, accepting the question as stated is completely useless. No Mustang =/= no muscle cars. Not even close.

El Rivinado > JR1 02/05/2016 at 12:55

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The M3. Cuz fuck sport sedans, let me keep my couch on wheels.

Chariotoflove > JR1 02/05/2016 at 13:02

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Aw, don’t be sad. Somebody else would have made them.

CaptDale - is secretly British > JR1 02/05/2016 at 13:10

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Uhhh... I guess the M3. Its the one I lust least for.

JR1 > RallyWrench 02/05/2016 at 13:15

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I like our reasoning. A lot of people seem to think the muscle car era would have happened without the Mustang I am not so sure

RallyWrench > JR1 02/05/2016 at 13:42

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Something would have happened, we had the GTO after all, but not with the fervor and viral enthusiasm that the Mustang fostered. Everything that came after was a response.

haveacarortwoorthree2 > JR1 02/05/2016 at 14:54

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Yeah, that’s my point. Other people are saying kill the Mustang because someone else inevitably would have brought a muscle/pony car to the market, so the Mustang really is irrelevant. To me, that argument misses the point because you literally could say the same thing about every new “thing.” Steve Jobs is irrelevant because someone else would have brought an iPhone-like thing to market. Makes no sense to me.

Jedidiah > JR1 02/05/2016 at 16:18

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I’d be okay if none of these existed.

Muscle cars would have continued to exist because of the GTO. I’d rather have the mid-size than the pony car anyway.

The Porsche has been overpriced, over engineered and backwards since it’s inception.

The M3 has those stupid grilles and was partly responsible for morphing the luxury car into the sports sedan, which doesn’t really make sense to me. If I wanted a sporty car with a firm suspension, I’d buy a sports car not an expensive sedan.

Carbon Fiber Sasquatch > JR1 02/06/2016 at 01:08

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As much as I love BMWs, I have to say M3. It’s just not necessary as a standard E30 was already a great driver’s car, the M3 just started a ridiculous horsepower war for the luxury German brands.

Mustangs and Porsche sports cars invoke an intangible for the public, something that can’t be measured. They were singularities within carculture and defined an era while, honestly, the M3 was an inevitability and not necessarily a leap forward.

If BMW hadn’t done it, Ford and Mercedes had similar cars ready to go, hell Top Gear did an episode about it. New Porsche 911s and Mustangs still invoke the spirit of the originals, while the current M3 is nothing like the original in spirit, the closest is an M4 GTS.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > JR1 02/06/2016 at 10:34

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I think most would say the 64 GTO started the muscle era, though I would broaden that to include all of the GM A-bodies. I might even say the 63 Tempest and 62 Jetfire really got it started. Some even argue in favor of the 1949 Oldsmobile 88.

I wouldn’t say the M3 was the first mix of luxury and sportiness. We look back at the previously mentioned muscle cars, and their bigger full size brothers, as handling like junk, but they were quite respectable for their time (and American roads). That said, there were some luxurious choices by back then standards from Oldsmobile, Buick, Mercury, and eventually Plymouth that would be sporty and fulfill family duties. One crazy extreme that I’ve seen in person was a 1967 Impala with 427, 4-speed, heavy duty suspension, AC wraped in 3 row wagon body complete with wood paneling.

Porsche? Eh. Kill it. There have been plenty of roadsters before it.

wiffleballtony > JR1 02/08/2016 at 17:59

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I’m going to vote to kill the 356.

JR1 > wiffleballtony 02/08/2016 at 20:35

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As horrible as the thought it I would have to agree