![]() 07/29/2017 at 12:00 • Filed to: USELESS LISTS, RENAULT, VOLKSWAGEN, TOYOTA, BMW, ALFA ROMEO, VOLVO, ASTON MARTIN, PORSCHE, HONDA, MAZDA, AUDI, FERRARI, NISSAN, CITROËN, LAND ROVER, MERCEDES-BENZ, JAGUAR, TVR, MASERATI, LOTUS, SUBARU, MITSUBISHI, FORD, PEUGEOT, GM, MOPAR, FIAT, SAAB, LAMBORGHINI | ![]() | ![]() |
Three years ago, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! was made on Oppo, let’s see how far we’ve gone since then…
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Subcompact: Renault Twingo GT
Because it’s a rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive hot hatch for under 15k GBP!
Compact: VW Golf GTI
The king, now with lower insurance rates and a diff that kills understeer.
Midsize: Toyota Mark X
It looks fantastic and sports a V6 with RWD or AWD, that’s surely enough.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Compact Luxury: BMW M2*
Proof that BMW still remembers what made them great - it’s the new E30 M3.
Entry-Level Luxury: Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio.
Gorgeous, and with a Ferrari-sourced V6. Nothing compares.
Midsize Luxury: Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Estate
I heard you liked the CTS-V Wagon - so here’s a much prettier version of it.
Fullsize Luxury: Lagonda Taraf
No room for peasants here. Just a V12 and acres of pure luxury.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Grand Tourer: Aston Martin V12 Vantage**
Big engine, small car - great recipe. Also, you can’t beat its looks.
Supercar: Porsche Cayman GT4***
Lotus by Porsche. Limited in production so as to not sidestep the 911.
Convertible: Honda S660/Mazda MX-5
I’m appreciating both as some of the few slow-car-fast vehicles left.
Roadster: Audi TT RS
Speaking of dying breeds, here’s one of the last 5-cylinders around. It sings.
Muscle Car: Dodge Viper****
The best of American muscle in one package, sadly production ends in August.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Hybrid/Electric Car: Ferrari TheFerrari Aperta
Finally some good news: this car is better than a Chevy Volt.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Minivan: Nissan Elgrand
No longer RWD, but with this many toys - who cares? This is sci-fi luxury.
Cargo Van/Passenger Van: Citroën Berlingo
My favourite purely because it has the best name - Citroën Berlingo.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Compact SUV: Alfa Romeo Stelvio
Aced the safety tests, yet it drives like an Alfa should. This is your pony CUV.
Midsize SUV: Volvo XC90
Breathing new life into the stereotypical big Volvo, the interior says it all.
Fullsize SUV: Land Rover Range Rover
Limitless off-road capability with Mercedes S-Class-grade luxury. Yes please.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Midsize Pickup Truck: Toyota Hilux
Granted, it looks a bit silly now, still indestructible though.
Fullsize Pickup Truck: Toyota Land Cruiser 70
Some argue Toyota’s quality was better in the past, hence they still make this.
Heavy-Duty Pickup Truck: Any kei truck
Specialised for agricultural/work-related purposes. So, they define heavy-duty.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
*Fullsize class is nearly dead, so it’s replaced with ‘Compact Luxury’ here.
**When production ends this year, replace the Aston with a F-Type or a Maser.
***When production starts, replace the Porsche with the new TVR.
****When production ends next month, replace the Viper with the Bass 770.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
And there we have it - quite an interesting time for the car industry indeed. Let’s see how the future goes from here
![]() 07/29/2017 at 12:05 |
|
Interesting list. Promoted. However, wouldn’t the Twingo fall in the citycar segment, not the (larger) subcompact segment?
![]() 07/29/2017 at 12:07 |
|
Correct, I just tried to comform to the catergories of the original post to avoid getting things too complicated.
As far as actual subcompacts go, I’m leaning 208 GTI.
![]() 07/29/2017 at 12:09 |
|
I love the Mark X. I wish we had it here.
![]() 07/29/2017 at 12:10 |
|
You can only get it in Asia infact. The 355bhp supercharged version is super tempting too.
![]() 07/29/2017 at 12:20 |
|
Yeah. The original one is still 12 years away from being importable, but I may get one when it is. I know it looks like a mutant IS, but that’s what makes it cool.
![]() 07/29/2017 at 12:43 |
|
...I may love FIAT, but I think if I were to ever live in Europe, I would definitely have to add the Twingo to my ‘potential’ list....I love the current gen! Mind you, despite it being in a different class, I like the current-gen FIAT Panda as well....I wish they would sell it here, especially in 4x4 and Cross trim for Canadian winters!
![]() 07/29/2017 at 12:44 |
|
If the Twingo were available in Canada, I would totally consider one for a daily.
![]() 07/29/2017 at 12:46 |
|
They’ll be available for import in 2029 at least, that’s around 12 years.
![]() 07/29/2017 at 12:46 |
|
Double post, can’t delete it. Kinja’d.
![]() 07/29/2017 at 12:50 |
|
Or he could get a Smart.
![]() 07/29/2017 at 12:52 |
|
Yeh, though the Twingo-based Forfour isn’t available in Canada, they only get the Fortwo.
![]() 07/29/2017 at 12:54 |
|
The Panda is bigger than the Twingo in its current gen, but it’s always been marketed as a competitor to it (the prices match too).
But yeah, if I had a ‘Mini SUV’ category, the Panda 4x4/Cross would definitely be on this post.
![]() 07/29/2017 at 12:58 |
|
Hell, I would be perfectly happy with a base trim current Panda with no options...I like simplicity! :P
![]() 07/29/2017 at 13:01 |
|
Agreed.
That’s probably why James May had a Panda himself tbh.
It was a second gen in black, like this.
![]() 07/29/2017 at 13:05 |
|
Yup, I remember! I could almost import one of that gen if I wanted to....I think they are legal here in 2 years :P
![]() 07/29/2017 at 13:08 |
|
Go for the ‘sporty’ 100HP version (can be imported in 4 years).
![]() 07/29/2017 at 13:09 |
|
I’ve thought about it! :D
4x4 would make more sense here in Nova Scotia for winters though it I were to daily drive it...
![]() 07/29/2017 at 13:15 |
|
I think you are mistaken in the definition of a heavy duty pick-up truck.
![]() 07/29/2017 at 13:42 |
|
I’m not mistaken, it was just the logical choice for me.
Considering most modern ‘heavy duty’ trims of pickup trucks are unnecessarily large and obnoxiously chrome, I don’t consider any of them to fit the role of a ‘heavy duty’ vehicle - most of them won’t even be used for work.
So I went for pickup trucks that were suited to the ‘heaviest duties’, in this case kei-trucks - as they’re almost exclusively used for work-related activities. No-one aspires to do much more with one, they’re just used for doing jobs - fulfilling duties. Of course they’re tiny compared to official ‘heavy duty’ pickups - but that’s irrelevant as they’re actually getting the heaviest work done in the end.
![]() 07/29/2017 at 19:11 |
|
![]() 07/30/2017 at 06:21 |
|
The appearance of the configurator doesn’t change the wasteful design of the truck or what it’s most commonly used for.
![]() 07/30/2017 at 11:52 |
|
Hmm If you look under the commercial tab of all major auto makers you might be surprised. I used Ford as an example.
It was 4 X 4 because putting on chains suck
has a 8 foot bed. and was 3/4 Ton because 300lbs X 4 = 1,200 lbs. That’s if I had a full load. Driving up to Reno,NV. or driving into Oregon from Sacramento, California.