Best British Car (National Car Thread 1, Now With Poll)

  • Thread starter Thread starter YSSMAN
  • 145 comments
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Thus Far: What is the Best British Car?

  • Jaguar XJ

    Votes: 2 4.3%

  • Jaguar XKE

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Lotus Esprit

    Votes: 2 4.3%

  • Lotus Elise/Exige

    Votes: 3 6.5%

  • MINI

    Votes: 2 4.3%

  • TVR Griffith

    Votes: 2 4.3%

  • TVR Tuscan

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Vauxhall-Lotus Carlton

    Votes: 3 6.5%

  • McLaren F1

    Votes: 7 15.2%

  • Ford Transit

    Votes: 4 8.7%

  • Ford Escort

    Votes: 2 4.3%

  • Ford GT40

    Votes: 3 6.5%

  • Ariel Atom

    Votes: 2 4.3%

  • Aston Martin DB7

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Aston Martin DB9

    Votes: 2 4.3%

  • Aston Martin V8 Vantage

    Votes: 1 2.2%

  • Lotus Elan

    Votes: 2 4.3%

  • Bentley Arnage

    Votes: 1 2.2%

  • Bentley 8 Litre

    Votes: 1 2.2%

  • Rolls-Royce Phantom

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Original Mini

    Votes: 6 13.0%

  • Range Rover Mk1

    Votes: 1 2.2%
  • Total voters
    46
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Vote for the Exige I say! Your brother was smart enough to invest into one, so why not support his choice?!?

This car easily outhandles every other car in its segment, even doing some good damage to models a few price brackets up.

YSS: I would suggest to avoid more lengthy debate, the second round of each nationality's top car thread should only have presentations of why to vote for Car A, and nothing should be discussed of why not to vote for Car B.

Why should you vote for Car A, but no posts about why not to vote for Car B.
 
Famine
Except... the Elan (assuming the S1) didn't do much either. I suppose it created a market, but the market didn't exist. I can only think of a couple of similar cars down the years - Alfa Spider, Triumph Spitfire, MGB... All it did was allow the Mazda MX-5 to be a good car 20 years later.
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Out of all the cars on the list you've picked on the two most influential British cars mentioned!!!

What the hell did the Escort or DB7 ever do for anyone?
 
Famine
All it did was allow the Mazda MX-5 to be a good car 20 years later.
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I wouldn't say that's all it did, everyone who looks for a pure driving feeling looks to a light, front engined-rear wheel drive sports car - something the Lotus Elan is still the best at. Plus it's technology for the time helps it stand out; while it may not have had as big an impact as the Transit van or F1, what it did for driving enthusiasts is what makes it my British number one.

LotHV01o.jpg
 
And think of the safety of the Elan! Imagine gtetting struck by an SUV! The glassfibre panelling and frame could do wonders to protect you!
 
TheCracker
Out of all the cars on the list you've picked on the two most influential British cars mentioned!!!

What the hell did the Escort or DB7 ever do for anyone?
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Well quite - that's why I said I couldn't really vote for any of the cars. Not many of them moved the game on at all, the McLaren F1 didn't really move the game on for anything other than million-dollar supercars and the Mini - though helped along by crass idiocy and blind patriotism - killed its boss.

KSaiyu
I wouldn't say that's all it did, everyone who looks for a pure driving feeling looks to a light, front engined-rear wheel drive sports car - something the Lotus Elan is still the best at.
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And to how many cars can you apply "light, front engined-rear wheel drive sports car"?

It was a nonexistant market at the time and has only really been occupied by 4 or 5 cars since - the last being the MX-5 (and even that's starting to pork up a bit and use 2 litre engines).

That's not to say that any of them aren't good cars - I think the DB9 and V8 Vantage are the best cars in the world right now - but they don't really say "World! This is Britain! This is what we can do! Tremble, puny Earthlings!". The McLaren F1 did, but was stupidly expensive. The Mini did, but killed its owners. The Transit did, but isn't a frickin' car...

Mind you, I suppose the problem is that we can't really say that about much.


EE - He bought an Atom, not an Exige.
 
And to how many cars can you apply "light, front engined-rear wheel drive sports car"?

It was a nonexistant market at the time and has only really been occupied by 4 or 5 cars since - the last being the MX-5 (and even that's starting to pork up a bit and use 2 litre engines).
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That's what makes it all the more special - hence the meteroic success of the MX-5. Being crowded with all these FWD "sports cars" based on the shapes of the old British roadsters doesn't compare with the original, and best Elan.

I hope there's going to be a thread like this that includes Swedish cars too.... ;)
 
Famine
All it did was allow the Mazda MX-5 to be a good car 20 years later.
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Not quite all it did, the Elan was the first Lotus to use the steel backbone chassis frame, a chassis structure that was the core of almost every Lotus road car design upto the Elise.

Might not make it an important British car, but it does make it a bloody important car for Lotus.

5fe9e5d0.jpg


Regards

Scaff
 
My problem with the list is that i don't know what i'm supposed to be voting for exactly?
 
KSaiyu
That's what makes it all the more special - hence the meteroic success of the MX-5. Being crowded with all these FWD "sports cars" based on the shapes of the old British roadsters doesn't compare with the original, and best Elan.
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I'm not denying that it's a good car. I'm saying that it advanced almost exactly nothing in the world of cars. It didn't say "World! I am Elan! Phear me, for I am British and mighty!". No-one else changed anything because of the Elan (unlike the Mini, Transit and F1). It was just a nice, pretty little car that handled well.
 
Aye, which is what I conceded in my earlier post, however I hope that this thread isn't ultimately decided on which cars had the biggest effect on the car world, otherwise it could be decidedly dull for some of the other nations.
 
KSaiyu
Aye, which is what I conceded in my earlier post, however I hope that this thread isn't ultimately decided on which cars had the biggest effect on the car world, otherwise it could be decidedly dull for some of the other nations.
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:lol: That's true...
 
I've just thought of one that may meet Famine's criteria.

The series 1 Range Rover

range_rover_series_1.jpg


Now this was a car that arguably invented the luxury off-roader (and I mean still a real off-roader), but has stayed the benchmark for the segment both in terms of luxury and ability.

While at time not the last word in reliability it was better than the vast majority of its BL stable-mates, sold well across the globe, and is seen as truely British.

It even had its own dealer network that was a world better than the BL/Austin Rover/Rover Group dealers, and actually turned a profit on each unit sold.


What do you think?

Regards

Scaff
 
Can't disagree with that.

Plus nominating it will piss off many, many greenies.
 
Famine
Can't disagree with that.

Plus nominating it will piss off many, many greenies.
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Then it gets bonus points 👍

Only problem is its not on the poll and I've voted already.

Scaff
 
exigeracer
... hence my user title.
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I certainly wouldn't say your unknown. Hell, the first case was to do with The Cracker. I think it's just my change of 'tar (Changed, but who would want to look at that old 'tar I had?)

I think I need to dig up some new dirt on the Transit. It's down to second :(

[EDIT] Okay I couldn't find anything good, but here's my attempt at getting you gangsters to vote.

Security Man Cuffed to Own Van
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/5076460.stm

Van used by cash Machine Raiders
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/4452579.stm

Three Men held over Van mystery
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/4148220.stm
 
Range Rover is a spectacular suggestion. Why did no-one think of that before? While it's obviously changed its scope, even the current one is essentially the benchmark for these things, and the Range Rover name is probably worth as much as any brand name in any field. And that doesn't even mention the workhorse older models.

I wouldn't vote for it as best British car though, simply due to the reliability issue.
 
However, the current one is only slightly more British now than the New Mini, mostly because it cribs most of it's internals from the also-British-at-one-time Jaguar. The BMW engined ones? Forgetdaboutit.
 
Toronado
However, the current one is only slightly more British now than the New Mini, mostly because it cribs most of it's internals from the also-British-at-one-time Jaguar. The BMW engined ones? Forgetdaboutit.
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I agree. But it's not like it should be included in the Best American Car thread. I suppose it makes more sense here than anywhere, and most everyone considers it a British car. At the end of the day both vehicles are also manufactured in Britain, too (though that's rarely a determinant).

It's all moot though since the new thread is out and the Rover didn't even get in this poll.
 
exigeracer
Oh, sorry. I thought he went from one of those special WRX's (WR1?) to the Exige 240R, I hadn't heard anything about the Atom.
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I think Famine said his brother had a Prodrive Impreza, then bought a Atom. It's my step-bro who has the Exige 240R.
 
I'd have to go for the brand new Jaguar XK.

It's simply stunning to behold...

xkconv07.jpg
 
I'm going with the McLaren F1, because of the masterpeice it was at the time, and personally still is.

Mad performance and good looks.
I'd say close behind it are the Lotus Esprit and Vauxhall/Lotus Carlton
 
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