Was 1994 The BEST Year For Driver's Cars? A Retrospective...

...Here we come to the rather more controversial side of my argument: it’s not just that 1994 saw the maturity of the car and the removal or curing of most flaws, but it marks a point in time when cars were simpler, less cluttered with technology and, most importantly, had realistic performance, before matters started to get out of hand. The ‘E34’- generation (1989-1995) BMW M5’s straight-six engine produced 315bhp. Today, that power output is exceeded by several hot hatches. It weighed 1650kg and was 1750mm wide. The current M5 has 591bhp, weighs 1855kg and is 1903mm wide.

For me, this isn’t progress.

Am I a luddite peering through rose-tinted spectacles? To find out, we’ve gathered two other old-timers who, like me, drove 1994’s cars when they were new. You know Andrew Frankel and Richard Bremner well. Each of us has chosen two cars from 1994 (that were available in that year, not necessarily launched in it) as our favourites from that period which perfectly illustrate the points I’ve made above. These six cars will also be driven by Autocar’s current road testers, several of whom were in nappies when the cars were built. It will be interesting...

TomM - 9/23/2018 8:36:09 PM

+1 Boost

I am sure that if you asked that question in 1993 - you would have come up with a reasonable answer for another year before then as well.

THe problem is - of course - your personal definition of a "drivers car". When I was younger - a car was largely defined by its acceleration in a straight line - and cars were built with that in mind. "Road Race" cars - were largely a group of underpowered British roadsters that were actually horrible cars otherwise.

However - virtually every generation has "breakthroughs" that they can hang their hats on to make a case for their cars being the best. And while current electronics have allowed many different ones - there is a lot to be said about cars that had ONE vacuum line and carbs.

For me - the best year for driver's cars was the year I actually had the money to be able to BUY a new one - instead of having to assemble them from Junk Yard parts - and yet some of those assembled cars could still blow away some cars of today. What good is having the cars available - but out of your reach?

MDarringer - 9/23/2018 9:47:56 PM

-1 Boost

I actually find the TVR Griffith in that article to be the nadir of TVR styling. It's exceedingly dull to look at in pictures and in person. I've been offered several by folks in the UK that know I enjoy TVRs and have turned them down. I equally despise the Tamora. A real Griffith, M, Tasmin, Tuscan, and Sagaris all are better embodiments of TVR than the boring looking Griff.

PUGPROUD - 9/24/2018 8:23:09 AM

+1 Boost

Sometimes it seems the best driving car is either the one I just sold or the next one I want to buy. Been chasing my tail for years but a few do stand out above the others.

MDarringer - 9/24/2018 8:54:16 AM

+1 Boost

I have the bad habit of getting something I like and selling it the second someone offers me profit money.

Holydude - 9/25/2018 10:52:37 PM

+1 Boost

F355 was my first Ferrari, it handled like it was on rails at that time, lots of memories in that one!