Just thought that this recent article/video from the Top Gear talking heads might get a rise from some of you:

BMW: The Greatest Car Ever Made Says Top Gear?s Hammond | Breakout - Yahoo! Finance

I'm a firm believer in German automotive capabilities, but I suspect that Karmman and the Benz folks might take issue.

Some of the reader comments are worth their weight in gold...

Who died and made these clowns the last word on automotive engineering...

 

The words of the Big Lebowski fit this situation well, "Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man."

 

Agree completely.

I read the article, and read the comments. A recurring theme I saw was "Brilliant to drive, Hell to own".

In order to earn the badge of "Best Car Ever" one needs to be the best in its field, in all fields.

I will say this much: Porsche and BMW both seem to have a knack for keeping the competition guessing, and somehow the competition always seems to fall short. No other brand can claim as many perennial "best-in-class" wins. No other brand has caused more anger. Mercedes is great but there have been some dull years. European Fords are brilliant but the US models always leave something to be desired. Hondas and Toyotas are appliances -- reliable but uninspiring.

I think a majority of us would agree that, in general, Germany makes the best car, year after year.

 

Owned 2 of them, loved them, sold them.

I think they are great cars, and if you look over the last, say, 30 years, as John points out, they have more awards and have managed to stay relatively fresh over the years. Not to mention they are always the ones to beat and are often imitated. I think they would rank right up there with anyone, but it is hard to say 'best' about any of the good ones...

 

You don't think that a little pride is coming your way...He is a "Brit" you know? Like if it was a Japanese host that the Lexis would get more press? Media is who is giving the opinion. hahahahaha

 

I see Nissan is noticeably absent from this list, is that a slip of the pen or does your boss read this forum?

 

Why would a Brit be proud of a German car??? He's not reviewing a Jaguar or Lotus.

 

I will say that the X5 I owned was a big piece of crap. It handled well but that was about it. Throttle & transmission mapping sucked. The interior did not hold up. Compared to my ML (just for example) the interior looked 4 times as aged. Meaning the interior looked about 12 years old after only 3 years.

The 330 sucked also. The stock tires last no miles and got very greasy with any heat. The throttle and transmission mapping sucked. On an autocross course by the time the acceleration kicked in you had to get on the brakes.

The 335's have a ton of issues.

I love BMW's on paper but the reality is much different.

All of that being said an M Roadster is much more of a drivers car than the Crossfire. I am not saying it is faster but it is more involving, has a better seating position, etc.

 

Maybe he thought BMW stood for British Motor Wehicles.

 

I work for BMW and have driven the new 3 series or F30. I think it is better than the E90 mainly due to the new interior it also has a few nice features but with that being said, I would buy a C Class instead. The interior trim pieces on past BMW models have not held up. They tend to peel around the steering wheel, door handles, cup holders, radio trim, door sill plates and center console. People complain about that everyday and I replace a lot of those pieces under warranty. I will say that BMW do handle really well. I haven't had the chance to really drive too many Mercedes so I can't compare them too well...I did drive a 2003 SL500 we had on the lot a couple of days ago and I absolutely loved it...If it had been a SL55 I might have tried to buy it...I would take one of those over anything we make

 

Uh....isn't the BMW "Mini" built in the UK?

 

Mini's are pieces of crap....DO NOT BUY ONE...

 

Actually it's a very popular 2nd. car for many here on the forum.

Personally I'm more into Asian cars, (purchased the Crossfire inspite of the fact it's German) but have never regretted it.
That being said, I'd love to have a Z8.....or an NSX.

 

No omission, Nissan is more about being "quirky and innovative" than anything else these days.

Example: Juke, Cube, Leaf, Murano Cross-Cabriolet... ugly cars that sell like crazy. Why, I don't know.

We offer a few appliances (Versa, Sentra, Altima) but the brand as a whole is trying to distance itself from that moniker. The 2013 Altima is basically a baby Maxima... it's a hoss.

The Infiniti JX offers the feature that prevents you from backing over something that crosses your path. The QX56 and Nissan Rogue offers 360° cameras so you can have a bird's-eye view of your car's surroundings at all times...

Clearly, our GT-R is a step in the right direction. If the 370 could go on a diet, it would be a contender as well. The GT-R has always been a legend, but with the North American availability of the R35 we've really made that platform accessible. This has undoubtedly increased our brand exposure and relevance in the global market.

We've never been a big threat to Bimmer, but they've never really been our target.

 

I think they are just as nice, if not more so, but at least BMW still offers a manual transmission in a sports car.

The ultimate driving machine.... maybe.

 

No mention of any American cars? I'm not going to say any car is the greatest ever made because the argument is subjective but I don't think anyone can deny that the majority of American cars are better than they've been in a long time.
Obviously I'm partial to Cadillacs and if I had the money a new CTS-V wagon would be in my driveway right now.

 

My first "new" car was a 1980 Buick. The transmission went out at 50, 000 mi (just out of warranty). I swore not to get another GM car. Later I broke down and bought a 2007 Cadillac CTS. The differential went out at 21, 000mi (just out of warranty- timewise).
I do not think I will get another GM car.

 

Uh....is Richard Hammond reviewing the Mini?

 

To present the other side of the coin though, I own a 1990 Cadillac Seville STS that I've had since 2005. It has over 140K now and when I was in college it regularly did 2.5 hours trips back home and 6 hour trips to MA. I've never had a problem with the car, performed general maintenance and last month it sailed through emission inspection while the Crossfire failed and cost me $800.
My father owns on of the same Cadillacs since it was new, it has over 200K on it and it still one of the most reliable cars in his collection.

 

Amen, brother. Mine would be a hennessey 700