siko

The modern cars that did make the cut are certainly deserving. Who can deny the greatness of the Bugatti Veyron? The Ferrari F430 is the other representative of the here and now; we might have selected the still-modern 308 GTB instead, but there's no denying that the F430 is a faultless choice, explained by Ezra Dyer in hilarious prose. The selection of cars such as the E30 M3, Jeep, Lotus 49, even the 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 raided from Ralph Lauren's garage suggests not only are the folks at Automobile on the ball when it comes to being auto enthusiasts, but there was more to compiling this list than creating a spreadsheet of instrumented test numbers.

The arguments for and against what ultimately made the list must have been epic. Limiting it to just 25 doesn't leave room for those slightly less broad cars - the ones that deserve some kind of recognition, but definitely give something up to those cars with TOMA. Luckily, Automobile has provided further armchair quarterbacking ammunition by providing the list of all the nominees. Check it out below, and see if your rankings match up to the ultimate selections.


Driver's Cars

1. Lotus Elan
2. BMW M3 (E30)
3. Volkswagen GTI (A1)
4. Austin Mini
5. Alfa Romeo GTV
6. Bugatti Type 35
7. Porsche Boxster
8. BMW 3-series / 2002
9. 1961-64 Lincoln Continental Convertible
10. Acura Integra Type R
11. Porsche 911
12. Mini Cooper S John Cooper Works (modern)
13. Ferrari F40
14. Lotus Elise
15. Porsche 911 2.7RS
16. Alfa Romeo Guilia Sprint GTA
17. Mazda MX-5
18. Caterham Seven
19. Jaguar E-type
20. Stutz Bearcat
21. Duesenberg SJ roadster
22. Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray
23. Alfa Romeo Spider
24. Subaru WRX
25. Chevrolet Corvette Z06
26. Ferrari F430
27. Porsche 911 GT3
28. Porsche Cayman S
29. Jaguar XKSS
30. Lancia Aurelia Gran Turismo
31. Maserati A6 GS

Technologically Marvelous

1. 1980 Audi Quattro
2. Porsche 959
3. 1955 Citroen D519
4. Bugatti Veyron
5. Jaguar E-type
6. Tucker Torpedo
7. Citroen Traction Avant
8. Original Dodge Caravan
9. Cord 810 / Cord L-29
10. Toyota Prius
11. Audi TT DSG
12. Cadillac Automatic
13. 1912 Cadillac Electric Start
14. Mini Austin Seven
15. BMW 2002 Turbo
16. 1958 Lotus Elite
17. 1992 McLaren F1
18. Mercedes-Benz S-class
19. Ford Model T
20. 1940 Oldsmobile Automatic
21. 1955 Cadillac with Air Con
22. 1886 Benz Patentwagen
23. 1895 Panhard et LeVassor
24. 1901 Mercedes 35 hp
25. 1946 Volkswagen Beetle
26. Chevrolet with Small Block V-8
27. 1968 Lamborghini Miura
28. 2004 Porsche Carrera GT
29. Saab 99 Turbo
30. Fiat 128

Supercars

1. McLaren F1
2. Lamborghini Miura
3. Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona
4. Ferrari F40
5. BMW M5 (E28)
6. Acura NSX
7. Dodge Charger 440 +6
8. Ford GT
9. Porsche 959
10. Ferrari F430
11. Bugatti Veyron
12. Plymouth Superbird
13. Mercedes-Benz 300SLR Gullwing
14. Lamborghini Countach
15. Mercedes-Benz SSK
16. Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster
17. Ferrari Enzo
18. Ferrari 250 GTO
19. Ford V-8
20. Blower Bentleys
21. 1949 Cadillac Series 62 V-8
22. 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray
23. Porsche 911 Turbo
24. Porsche Carrera GT
25. Shelby Cobra 427
26. Alfa Romeo 8C 2900
27. Chevrolet Corvette Z06

Racing Cars

1. Lotus 49
2. Bugatti T35
3. Porsche 917
4. Cooper T45 / Cooper Climax
5. Porsche 935
6. Plymouth Superbird / Dodge Daytona
7. Ford GT40
8. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
9. Shelby Cobra 289 / Daytona Coupe
10. Mini Cooper
11. Audi Quattro
12. Auto Union V16 / Type C / Type D
13. Chaparral 2J
14. Brabham Cooper Indy Car
15. Blower Bentley
16. Porsche 956 / 962
17. Jaguar D-type
18. Audi R8 / R10
19. Modern F1 car
20. Henry Ford's 999 Land Speed Record Car
21. Spirit of America Land Speed Record Car
22. Watson-Offy Indy Roadster
23. 1926 Miller 91
24. 1972 Gurney Eagle
25. 1977 Lotus 78
26. WRC Group B
27. Mercedes-Benz W154
28. McLaren MP4/2
29. Maserati 250F
30. Miller 122
31. Lotus 25

Icons

1. Porsche 911
2. Volkswagen Beetle
3. Ford Model T
4. Austin Mini
5. Shelby Cobra
6. Chevrolet Corvette
7. Willys Jeep CJ
8. 1959 Cadillac Eldorado
9. 1968 Chevrolet Camaro
10. Aston Martin DB5
11. 1932 Ford V8
12. Jaguar E-type
13. 1957 Chevrolet
14. Ford Mustang
15. Chrysler Minivans
16. BMW 3-series
17. Jeep Cherokee
18. Duesenberg J/SJ
19. Bugatti Royale T
20. Stretch Limousine
21. American pickups
22. Jeep Wrangler
23. BMW M3
24. Mercedes-Benz SL
25. Ford F-150
26. Cadillac Coupe de Ville
27. GM EV1
28. Ferrari 250 GTO
29. Cadillac Series 62
30. Packard Twin Six

Bruce

No Zonda... You bitches

Just joking. I can understand why it didn't appear Automobile's list; after all, it's an American magazine. You can be sure had EVO or CAR had completed a similar test the Zonda would have made numerous appearances.

Anyways, that's quite enough of my bitching.

Glad to see the 959 finally get nod for being the technological masterpiece it is. I'm also glad to see the Carrera GT mentioned on the technological list and of course, the NSX on the supercar list ('bout time!).

cawimmer430

1961-64 Lincoln Continental Convertible

"Driver's car"???

rev

Beyond doubt!

lambornima

WRX more of a drivers car than a GT3 or F430? ok.

SDNR

Stupid list

cawimmer430

Agreed. Whoever made it missed out on some great cars that actually deserved to be on that list.

GTA8.5

And some on that list that just don`t cut it. I agree with the both of you.

Imhotep Evil

Driver's car:
BMW 328 - first real/prototype sports car

Techno marvels:
Rumpler Tropfenwagen - the reason why F1 cars today are mid engined and aerodynamic

Auto Union C type streamliner record car in witch B. Rosemeyer died - the first ground effects/downforce car.

Racing cars:
Alfa P3 Monoposto - first real GP racer
Benz RH Tropfenwagen - first mid engined and aerodynamic GP car
Williams FW14/B, FW15C and McLAren MP4-8 - the most advanced GP cars ever

Mr. Mercedes

Agreed!