Best car you've ever driven?

Aside from my current 430, my Porsche 993 Carrera S was the best car I have ever driven. Real manual box, incredible brakes, and everything the car did was an input from me. No electronic aids to speak of. Sorry I sold it.

I've driven way too many non sports cars that were great, hard to say which was best. Probably one of the many BMWs.

 

Carrera GT

 

Outside of my current 328 GTS, I'd say a 1992 ZR1 (the old Lotus-powered version)

Jedi

 

Best is such a subjective thing.

I would say the car that was best for me was my old BMW/Dinan M Roadster.

I had more fun with that car than any other.

 

BMW E30 M3 !
Acura NSX is second

 

I know this is going to get a lot of groans because this is Fchat but --- I have to say my 458.

And, I have some specific reasons.

First, for a car to be really great, it has to deliver on all the senses. It has to be visually appealing and make you feel special when you drive it.

Next, it has to excite you to want to drive it. You have to feel sorry that you didn't drive it more when you step out. Yes, it should get you from point A to point B but you should remember the drive instead of it being just being a generic experience. Driving should be a pleasure, not a simple activity.

Next, it has to exceed your expectations. You expect a lot but it should deliver even more in performance and comfort than what you would expect. It should impress you.

Next, it has to do a lot of things well -- not just a few. It has to have few flaws or obvious problems or shortcuts. It has to avoid that "one annoying thing" that drives you crazy (on my F430, it was the impossible to use radio or the clock that only showed military time).

Next, it has to excite OTHERS. When people compliment your car or are impressed by it, they are impressed with you because you chose it.

Next it has to be reliable. On this, I don't have enough time in it time in it but I would say I have complete confidence to drive it anywhere.

The next best car I've ever had was an F430. It hit all these things too for its time but the 458 just takes everything to the next level.

I'm not saying only Ferrari can deliver all these points. It's just that the 458 has delivered them best to me over all the other cars I have owned or driven.

 

Best ever,as a compromise of comfort and performance?
Ferrari FF.
Car that made the biggest impression and gave me the most satisfaction?
In the Fall of 1986,Porsche 928S4 without any doubt.

 

Had an '87 S4 (mid to late '90's) and I would agree. At the time, the only car I would truly have rather owned/driven was the F1. My ongoing thought was that if the 928 didn't scare me when I wanted it to, it wasn't running quite right & I should look into it. Didn't often happen, but when it did, it was usually a vacuum leak that was fairly easily traced.

 

The car which killed my need to buy new sports cars was an Ariel Atom with a supercharged Ecotec. Other-worldly quickness, yet totally docile when puttering around town. Every performance car I've driven since just feels slow, heavy, and dull by comparison. Perhaps that's a slightly unfair assessment, but that's just been the outcome.

The new versions are available with a true windscreen. I'd go for that option if I was to purchase another.

 

best in terms of power, sheer excitement: Ferrari Enzo
best in terms of just fun: my Ferrari 360 because it's mine so I can relax more when driving it, plus it's a real manual so i felt more connected to the car.

One of the most fun times I had was with my old e36 m3 at a track. That car felt amazing and was the most amazingly forgiving car to drive at the limit. It really made you feel like a hero.

 

As the past owner of many MR2's, '85,'87,'88 and '92 Turbo, I must agree yet there is also a special place for the AE86. It was the first car I ever owned that taught me about the connection between a driver and the car. Having driven a 308GTB and as a passenger in an F40 they come very close but since I was not the owner of either I cannot comment on pushing their limits even to the slightest degree.

 

This is why I am still hanging on to my 1996 993 Targa.

 

Maybe not the very best car ever, but certainly the best Corvette ever. I had one of the last 1995s for about 5 years.

 

The FF. It's on another level.

 

Everyone has his own definition of "Best". If I had to say the "best overall", it would probably be the Porsche 993 coupe. It ticks all the boxes for me:

Performance: fast, great brakes, great gearbox (manual) -- rewarding car to drive.

Quality: 993s still feel like German vaults; 996/997 lost that, 348/355 never had it. A 993 feels like an expensive car. The fit of the panels is astonishingly good.

Looks: You have to go back to the 1973 and earlier 911s to get anything as pretty as the 993. They're still nice and compact, very much sports cars (996 and later are more tourers). IMHO, the base coupe is the cleanest, but they all look good -- modern and classic at the same time. The interior has the traditional clean analogue gauges, no digital crap on the dash. It is a classic interior, despite airbags.

Fun factor: Nice and loud, essential technology but not smothered in nannies (like a 996/997, Ferrari 360/F430/599, etc.) You actually drive a 993. If you're an idiot, the car can kill you. Not sure whether that's "fun" per se, but there is a whiff of danger about it that is exciting. It strikes a good balance.

Significance: Last air-cooled 911, and the rarer ones are appreciating modern collectibles, emerging as a sort of cult classic.

Reliability: Nearly bulletproof, and if something goes south Porsche has one of the best high end dealer networks in the world.

Utility: It works as a daily driver or PCA event car, has acceptable a/c and is reasonably safe.

There are other cars that are better looking (Daytona, 246 GTS, 328 GTS, Porsche 356 Speedster, Merc 300 SL roadster, etc.), but they aren't uniformly great. Classic Ferraris are huge fun, but they feel fragile and the interiors wear poorly (and turn to goo in the post-328 cars).

The cars that I most want, though, aren't necessarily the "best".

 

Very well put and the term 'Best' is subjective. I hope my driving experiences will increase so my opinion could have some form of merit regarding highend sports cars.

 

Countach, yes others may hate it but every time you drive it, it is an occasion. Just walking up to it the looks are still out of this world, then the doors of course. And unlike modern cars you have to work to drive it. Heavy clutch, hard to shift, no power steering, the noise, all of it combined makes you part of the experience. Unlike most modern cars where you just feel along for the ride. When driving the Countach it takes concentration, all you think about is driving, everything else disappears.

Maybe not the best car to own but the best to drive.

 

Just about two days ago I tuned into TopGear and James May drove a beautiful example and his impression was spot on with yours regarding what can be percieved as negatives. I like your opinion though, fawk it and drive it like it is stolen!!

 

Still searching.

I think the late model S-Class Mercedes Benz is right there though.

 

My old TVR280i weird car but like riding a go cart on the street. You are totally connected to the road. My Lotus 7 is like that as well but the TVR was a bit more civilized.

 

WOW I am amazed to hear a reference to the TVR280i, excellent!

 

Ford GT....so simple and very raw. Having that supercharger right behind you provides an instant grin at the push of a peddle.

 

Although I love my F430, I have to say the best car I have driven is the 458.

If I had to keep one car for the rest of my life though, it would be my 997, it does everything a car should be able to do at any time without any worries.

 

F430.