This thread is for cars that may not be pretty, or fast, or any of that. This is for cars that are genuinely fantastically engineered, sturdy, and will last forever. Any car that you think fits that description, throw a picture down and why you think it belongs here.
The first generation Subaru Legacy. This car is Subaru's first foray into WRC, and came in either a more economical front wheel drive setup, and an optional AWD set up. The engine is a SOHC 2.2L (EJ22) boxer that will last much longer than the surrounding metal, and the metal will only go when the environment erodes it away decades after the car is made. My own car can attest to this at 200,000 miles. The AWD system is fantastic in any surface that is loose or slippery, and the car's handling dynamics allow it to be thrown into a slide and to hold the slide effortlessly. In stock form this car handles excellent for a family car. By just throwing a lower profile tire and rim setup it becomes a dream. The 5-speed manual holds up perfectly fine to hard and fast full throttle shifts as long as the engine is left at stock power levels. The 4-speed automatic lasts decades and can take more than 200HP as it's the same transmission as in the Subaru SVX with the 3.3L flat 6. If the standard Legacy isn't exciting enough, there is the Legacy Turbo that comes with a beefed up EJ22 to handle the boost. It produces 165HP, which is plenty enough as the whole car only weighs 3000 pounds.
I vote for the '99 Ford Focus Ghia. We have one (Well, kinda. Sharing it with my grandfather who can't drive at the moment, but that's not important.) in the colour shown below. It's not ours though. What makes it so good to me is just the fact that it is a nice midsize FWD sedan that looks very decent, is really comortable and has a good economy for its age. Also, the bootspace is fairly decent, about 50% bigger than you'd assume at first. I am talking about the version with the 100hp 1.6l four-pot, but there are also versions with more power.
Toyota Corolla. Bulletproof. Volvo 850. Also bulletproof. And really, really asweome as a T5R in Cream Yellow or Emerald Green. All pre-GM SAAB's. Again, bulletproof.
the Ford Ranger. lots built so the parts should be cheap. if you take car of it, it WILL last. tis either the ranger or the early 90s chevy s10
I know it's going to sound weird, but ANY corvair is cool. the coupe, truck, van, sedan, convertible. the entire fleet.
Most generations of the toyota hilux. They were absurdely overbuilt, even by the standards of the time. The lotus super seven. It was built for a purposes, and it did exactly what it was supposed to. Most things made by Koenigsegg are a marvle of modern inginuity and engineering. First gen Mustangs and Miatas, for the same reason: they were affordable sports cars for the average person. That is just to name a few of course, this list could get quite long with ease. There are shining examples of automotive genius in ever era and genera. Sorry for the lack of pictures, Im on my phone ATM.
