Whats your car of the decade.
01-01-10, 10:29 PM
#1
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Whats your car of the decade.
We are in 2010 so looking back I was wondering if you had to pick one car (ONLY 1) what car would you say would be the best car made over the last decade and why????
I have to say although there are many cars that can be put on this list , like the Prius which is a very close 2nd place because it represents the future, butI have to give my vote to the Bugatti Veyron. Never in automotive history has there ever been a car as expensive, powerful, or technologically advanced. In my opinion the car represents the pinnacle of automotive engineering. Its the type of vehicle that will probably never be matched in power delivery or even design. Cars are heading in a different direction. Cars like the Veyron don't come along every 10 years. In fact they don't even come along every 100 years.
Who gets your vote guys???? WHY????
I have to say although there are many cars that can be put on this list , like the Prius which is a very close 2nd place because it represents the future, butI have to give my vote to the Bugatti Veyron. Never in automotive history has there ever been a car as expensive, powerful, or technologically advanced. In my opinion the car represents the pinnacle of automotive engineering. Its the type of vehicle that will probably never be matched in power delivery or even design. Cars are heading in a different direction. Cars like the Veyron don't come along every 10 years. In fact they don't even come along every 100 years.
Who gets your vote guys???? WHY????
01-01-10, 11:04 PM
#2
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I changed my opinion on the Bugatti and also now celebrate it. I also find it to be exactly what was wrong with this decade. Chasing numbers and doing whatever it takes to make the number. So yes, in a way it truly represents the decade, excess which seemingly was created no matter the cost. The Bugatti won't make a dime and while the car it beat the F1 was simply designed to be the best, the Bugatti was designed to be the fastest and most powerful. There is no denying its performance is simply breathtaking, especially acceleration.
It has influenced some vehicles now trying to beat (or has beat) the top MPH figure and HP figure and/or price. Amazingly though, I don't think most people even know about the car. Ask most people what a Bugatti is and they will be puzzled.
The Prius was not the first hybrid but it pushed the technology to the forefront. It showed you COULD make money selling hybrids (it took a few years). Its influence is far reaching, from complete knock-offs like the awful Insight to half hybrids like the Tahoe to crazy hybrids like the X6 Active and LS 600h L. When you say hybrid, you think Prius. The Prius is now one of the top selling cars, so no longer is it a niche car but a credible alternative to the family sedan. No its not a sports car but we can't really argue with anyone which hybrid is THE hybrid. With sports cars, some might prefer the Bugatti, the Pagani, the Lambo, the Enzo, etc. Its arguable. You can't really argue with the Prius as the best and most influential hybrid. The Prius also has helped with the "green/eco" trend that seemingly is not a trend but now a choice people live with (I'm not here to say its right or wrong).
The funny thing is the Prius has technology that cars costing many times more does not have or offer. The new Prius extends on that and is a legitimate 50 MPG vehicle. Earlier in the decade it influenced hybrid tax credits for owners. It also is one of the most hated vehicles, a conversation piece for many.
When gas hit $4 a gallon, all the talk was hybrids, diesels, Prius, Prius, Prius. Even with current gas stable and lower, the Prius continues to sell well.
This is pretty tough for me but I will give the slight edge to the Prius as my car of the decade.
(the LFA should not be included as it is a 2011 model)
It has influenced some vehicles now trying to beat (or has beat) the top MPH figure and HP figure and/or price. Amazingly though, I don't think most people even know about the car. Ask most people what a Bugatti is and they will be puzzled.
The Prius was not the first hybrid but it pushed the technology to the forefront. It showed you COULD make money selling hybrids (it took a few years). Its influence is far reaching, from complete knock-offs like the awful Insight to half hybrids like the Tahoe to crazy hybrids like the X6 Active and LS 600h L. When you say hybrid, you think Prius. The Prius is now one of the top selling cars, so no longer is it a niche car but a credible alternative to the family sedan. No its not a sports car but we can't really argue with anyone which hybrid is THE hybrid. With sports cars, some might prefer the Bugatti, the Pagani, the Lambo, the Enzo, etc. Its arguable. You can't really argue with the Prius as the best and most influential hybrid. The Prius also has helped with the "green/eco" trend that seemingly is not a trend but now a choice people live with (I'm not here to say its right or wrong).
The funny thing is the Prius has technology that cars costing many times more does not have or offer. The new Prius extends on that and is a legitimate 50 MPG vehicle. Earlier in the decade it influenced hybrid tax credits for owners. It also is one of the most hated vehicles, a conversation piece for many.
When gas hit $4 a gallon, all the talk was hybrids, diesels, Prius, Prius, Prius. Even with current gas stable and lower, the Prius continues to sell well.
This is pretty tough for me but I will give the slight edge to the Prius as my car of the decade.
(the LFA should not be included as it is a 2011 model)
01-01-10, 11:40 PM
#3
Lexus Champion
I think they Bugatti Veyron is the "best" car of the decade, but the honor of "THE" car of the decade goes to Toyota's Prius IMHO.
Hybrids, hybrids, hybrids. It's all we here about the future of cars and all of that is because of the success of the Prius. With the exception of Honda, no one thought this technology was viable or profitable. Toyota proved everyone wrong and now they are the leader in hybrid sales.
Hybrids, hybrids, hybrids. It's all we here about the future of cars and all of that is because of the success of the Prius. With the exception of Honda, no one thought this technology was viable or profitable. Toyota proved everyone wrong and now they are the leader in hybrid sales.
01-01-10, 11:41 PM
#4
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
I feel that the Bugatti really stretched the realm of automotive design and engineering. 16 cylinder, 4 turbos, 10 radiators, 1001 hp, top speed of 253 mph, and a braking system that resembles a planes than anything we have seen on a car before.Its sad to think that there will never be another car like it.
If people don't know what a Bugatti Veyron is its just because they are not car people. Saying Bugatti Veyron should be like mentioning the name of a great song. It will be remembered for decades and will always make you smile. I have a smile on my face just thinking about it. CArs like the Bugatti are the only cars that will totally eclipse the acceleration of a ferarri and make it seem relatively weak. The guy in the Bugatti would say " hah 600 hp?? how do you manage to live with that pathetic normally aspirated V12. Quad turbo W 16 is the only way to fly.
If people don't know what a Bugatti Veyron is its just because they are not car people. Saying Bugatti Veyron should be like mentioning the name of a great song. It will be remembered for decades and will always make you smile. I have a smile on my face just thinking about it. CArs like the Bugatti are the only cars that will totally eclipse the acceleration of a ferarri and make it seem relatively weak. The guy in the Bugatti would say " hah 600 hp?? how do you manage to live with that pathetic normally aspirated V12. Quad turbo W 16 is the only way to fly.
01-02-10, 10:51 AM
#6
Lexus Fanatic
I'm with Mike.....the Prius, hands-down.
I'm generally not a fan of the 1Gen or 3Gen model (the 2Gen, IMO, was clearly the best), but the Prius, IMO, is clearly the Car of the Decade. Though the miniscule 2000 Honda Insight hybrid beat it to the American market by about 6 months (I got to test-drive one of the first Insights in my area), the Prius was the first gas-electric hybrid to use the technology in a reasonably versatile, usable car. The first 2000 Insight got better mileage then the Prius, but it was a 1-2 seat commuter and little else (its payload of passengers AND luggage was only 350 lbs.). The original Prius was also ahead of the Insight (and still is) by offering a true, parallel-hybrid system, whereas the Honda IMA system was basically a gas engine with an electric stop/booster feature, though the Honda systems have come a long way.
Overall, though, I'm not impressed with the 3Gen Prius, despite its more efficient drivetrain and somewhat better handling. I won't go into all the reasons here why (see my review for the details), but basically, Toyota cheapened the 3Gen model with thinner sheet metal and interior trim materials. The center-console and a number of controls also remain quirky.
The VW TDI and BMW/Mercedes Bluetec diesels, along with the cleaner, low-sulfur diesel fuel, have the potential (if people will buy them) to have a huge impact on the next decade, but they just don't seem to be selling that well here in the U.S. People who look at them and test-drive them are generally impressed (as I was), but much of the public is still living in the past, with too many memories of the 70s-80s junk diesels that people simply don't want to forget.
I'm generally not a fan of the 1Gen or 3Gen model (the 2Gen, IMO, was clearly the best), but the Prius, IMO, is clearly the Car of the Decade. Though the miniscule 2000 Honda Insight hybrid beat it to the American market by about 6 months (I got to test-drive one of the first Insights in my area), the Prius was the first gas-electric hybrid to use the technology in a reasonably versatile, usable car. The first 2000 Insight got better mileage then the Prius, but it was a 1-2 seat commuter and little else (its payload of passengers AND luggage was only 350 lbs.). The original Prius was also ahead of the Insight (and still is) by offering a true, parallel-hybrid system, whereas the Honda IMA system was basically a gas engine with an electric stop/booster feature, though the Honda systems have come a long way.
Overall, though, I'm not impressed with the 3Gen Prius, despite its more efficient drivetrain and somewhat better handling. I won't go into all the reasons here why (see my review for the details), but basically, Toyota cheapened the 3Gen model with thinner sheet metal and interior trim materials. The center-console and a number of controls also remain quirky.
The VW TDI and BMW/Mercedes Bluetec diesels, along with the cleaner, low-sulfur diesel fuel, have the potential (if people will buy them) to have a huge impact on the next decade, but they just don't seem to be selling that well here in the U.S. People who look at them and test-drive them are generally impressed (as I was), but much of the public is still living in the past, with too many memories of the 70s-80s junk diesels that people simply don't want to forget.
Last edited by mmarshall; 01-02-10 at 07:17 PM.
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01-02-10, 11:45 AM
#8
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The Prius was not the first hybrid but it pushed the technology to the forefront. It showed you COULD make money selling hybrids (it took a few years). Its influence is far reaching, from complete knock-offs like the awful Insight to half hybrids like the Tahoe to crazy hybrids like the X6 Active and LS 600h L. When you say hybrid, you think Prius. The Prius is now one of the top selling cars, so no longer is it a niche car but a credible alternative to the family sedan. No its not a sports car but we can't really argue with anyone which hybrid is THE hybrid. With sports cars, some might prefer the Bugatti, the Pagani, the Lambo, the Enzo, etc. Its arguable. You can't really argue with the Prius as the best and most influential hybrid. The Prius also has helped with the "green/eco" trend that seemingly is not a trend but now a choice people live with (I'm not here to say its right or wrong).
)
Well said. I will have to agree with you here.
Toyota Prius is probably the most significant car in the last 2 decades and probably in many decades to come. It fundamentally changed the way many people think about automobiles.
01-02-10, 11:46 AM
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The Jetta TDi, I think that this car is the car of the decade because it shows that there is more then one way to achieve great fuel economy and with the TDi you dont have to sacrifice handling, trunk space, power!!, and looks in order to save some coin.
01-02-10, 04:01 PM
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I can agree with people on the Bugatti... But not the Prius. Sure it is innovative and has some neat features, but I just hate the design of it and personally, would never own one. Not to offend anyone and to who ever has one, great, you like the car. As for me... Nope, not one bit.