Jalopnik
All the enlightened discussion yesterday of the worst generational car changes sort of depressed us, and on our first day and everything. Impalas, Eclipses, M3's, Malibus, Impulses, Cutlasses,Taurusi. There are so many good examples of bad changes. But that's not the way it always is. We're a species defined by progress. Kitty Hawk to Chuck Yeager to the F22. Barney Miller to 21 Jump Street to The Wire. Blythe Danner to Gwenyth Paltrow. Progress!
So make me feel better. Let's end this week on a positive note. What car keeps getting better?
Comments
The RX7 gen change in the early '90s. FD3R to FD3S, I think?
You mean besides George41 to George43?
Skyline R32-R34. They kept getting meaner and more aggressive-looking. Same thing for the M3 E30-E46. The E46 is possible the most beautiful BMW ever created.
@A strolling player:
Right on. The RX-7 FD, the Supra MKIV, those were the greatest designs of those cars.
Anything 1st gen Hyundai to toda. ie Excel to Accent.
Not easy.
Corvette? Altima? Stretching...
Nissan Z31 to Z32
C4 to C5 was a huge step.
@RalphieDC: to today
GTI Mk IV to Mk V
@tonashideska: Yes, that's worked well for all of us.
I'm going to say that Vette keeps getting better and better from its nadir point in the 70s (leaving out the old classics).
That's easy - 280ZX > 300zx.
MGB to RV8
Mk1 to Mk2 Scirocco.
Mk1 to Mk2 Prelude.
Z31 to Z32 300zx.
And C3 to C4 Corvette.
@tonashideska: I think you meant to post that in "worst generational change"
Corvette. C4
@ApolloV: You may not find alot of fans of that jump here but 1st gen 300zx to 2nd gen 300zx definitely.
As eveidenced by my icon...
'52 Studebaker to '53
Also...
'98 Escort to '99 Focus
'26 Model T to '27 Model A
'77 GM C and B body to '78
Let me go ask my z32.
Mustang SN95 to S197
The Supra made significant progress until it's life was tragically cut short.
She says "2005 Mustang" hmmmmmm.
I like the new Bill Clinton. He apparently is past giving a shit what people think of him.
The new Malibu is also apparently good.
@abgwin: I did that.
1984-1985 Ford Tempo to 1988-1991 Tempo.
Disagree... I prefer Z31 to Z32, but hate the S130s...
Also, the 1988 SS Z31 = teh awesomness...
These are all true, but none (so far) as much as yesterday's contrary examples. There are many occasions where a fabulous car has fallen flat on it's face, but has a truly crap vehicle ever become excellent?
77 "Pintostang" to 78 Fairmotstang - with the turbo.
@A strolling player: The change you're thinking of was from FC3S (2nd gen) to FD3S (3rd gen)
Truckwise? 2008ish Tundra, 2004 F150.
Also, Infiniti G20 to G35 around 2003.
Now that I'm thinking about it again, the answer to yesterday's question is Lexus IS300 to IS250/350.
Both Miata gen changes. Not because they made it so much better, but just because they managed to not ruin near perfection.
C6 > C5 > C4 > C3 > C2 > C1, for the most part.
Come on guys...the Model T to Model A? Thats a HUGE generational change, and all for the better...
Z31 to Z32 was quite a nice change
@BlackIce_GTS: I think Hyundai has come alooooong way...
Toyota Supra in the 1990's
BMW E21-E30
Isuzu Amigo when they brought it back in 1998
Ferrari F40-F50 Both great, but significant improvements made when F50 was introduced.
Virtually all cars get better in some ways with each model update, if you define better as larger, safer, more luxurious and more powerful. However, a few examples do stand out because of the scale of the improvement:
Mini vs. original (space, safety, performance)
Fiat 500 vs. original (space, safety, performance)
Mazda 2 vs. previous (smaller & lighter for a change)
Corvette conv. mk6 vs. mk5 (stiff spaceframe)
Maserati Gran Sport vs. previous (tuned manumatic)
Mazda RX8 vs. RX7 (rear seats, suicide doors, price)
BMW E21 to E30 was a nice change, though evolutionary. The 320s were always underpowered, despite their relative lightness. But the 325s of the 80s were a big improvement and of course the basis for the first M3.
Course it's great fun to drop a lot of power into the E21s because they are light and still very simple.
@bmrfile: I agree!
I agree with all the Vette ones esp. C3 to C4. I've owned both.
MAXFORREST32: How about Model A to V-8
Don't forget 54 Chevy to 55 Chevy. The intro of the Small Block Chevy.
Some Euro ones...
10. Jaguar 420G to XJ6 (1968)
9. Jensen C-V8 to Interceptor (1966)
8. Alfa 155 to 156 (1997)
7. Austin Maestro to Rover 200 (1989)
6. Citroen C5 to C5 (2008)
5. Peugeot 309 to 306 (1993)
4. Lotus Elan M100 to Elise (1994)
3. Ford Escort to Focus (1998)
2. Range Rover P38a to Range Rover (2001)
1. Maserati Quattroporte IV to V (2004)
/Virtually all cars get better in some ways with each model update/
rgseidl <-- Somebody skipped class yesterday.
@cyclopticgaze: I always thought it'd be really cool to put one of those 80psi F1 engines into a stripped out E21.
@p161911: I don't think the change was as dramatic or drastic between the A and the V8, but it was a big change as well. All this talk of BMW's makes my head hurt...
With a BMW, you always had a fuel pump, gears that you shifted with your hands, a foot throttle, most likely a radio, windows...
Just about every post-Malaise era Ford, especially the Thunderbird and Mustang.
@p161911: Speaking of the SBC, just read a story this morning about a buy in WI whose '93 pickup is about to turn a million on the odo: Loads of trannies/water pumps/etc., but the motor's never been apart. Good old pushrods.
I liked the Lieberman->Hardigree change. [/suckup]
Car: 2006 Lancer to 2007 Lancer
SUV: Buick Rendezvous & Rainier to 08 Buick Enclave
Truck: Current F-150 to 2009 F-150
Other: Maserati Gran Sport to Gran Turismo
- I dont know anyone who could argue with those...
buy@beercheck: buy = guy.
Latest Audi A4 just released. Beautiful!
@rgseidl: Mazda RX8 vs. RX7 (rear seats, suicide doors, price)
Ban, ban, ban this poster.
C4 to C5 was huge and made the Corvette a real sports car and track car again. The move from the fox Mustang to the current platform was equally huge, and new Camaro is going to be a similar situation compared to the F-body.
Moves from FWD to RWD deserve special praise. Off the top of my head I can think of the Chrysler 300M to 300C and the Infiniti G20 to G35 (although these are completely separate car lines in Japan).
Oh, and Cavalier to Cobalt - they managed to compress about 15-20 years of evolution into one model change.
@Skydiver: COTD, COTD
First series to second series Porsche 917s? I prefer when my car doesn't go out of its way to kill me in a big, fire-ey explosion at two hundred miles per hour. Cobra to Daytona Coupe? 86 to 87 Grand National? Dangit these are Fantasy Garage-ers. MaxForrest32 is right about the Fords, though.