I reckon in another 10-15 years that petrol engined cars will be be on the decline and those that remain will be ultra efficient units linked to a large hybrid electric motors.
So just as we celebrate the flying scotsman and the mallard as the pinnacle of steam engines, what will we remember as the best of the petrol driven cars?

For me its the BMW M Coupe from 1999.

Delta S4

very few stand out cars in recent times.

I’d say TT.

Elise series 1, not the pinnacle in the terms you mention in your OP, but surely destined for classic status.

I’m too old school. For me a clssic car has to be capable of being dismantled and rebuilt in a shed by a bloke.

+1 on the R34

Bristol Fighter T, currently the only real “Gentleman’s conveyance” of any quality. Everything else is either a fwd shopping trolley, a rep’s car, a tarted up beetle or some vulgar Italian confection.:)

bmw z4…its proportions just look right and the bangle design works unlike on some of the bigger models

1973 cortina mk111 2.0gxl.

Let’s have some pictures boys and girls!

The original Golf GTI and Peugeot 205 1.9 GTI

Performance, practicality and smiles for the masses how can you not appreciate that.

Of course all the pugs will have dissolved in rust or caught fire from electrical problems by then (those that haven’t been subject to a spot of reverse parking at the side of a wet b-road).

some vulgar Italian confection

No it’s not! (vulgar) And I think you meant concoction anyway.

205 gti oh yeah! understeer, lift off, and go backwards. Where’s surf mat when you need him.

205 and delta are already classics.

No, I definitely meant confection 🙂

Didn’t really mean pinnacle (ie most expensive and technically advanced), but the cars above are exactly what I meant: CARS THAT WILL REMAIN IN OUR HEARTS IN 30-40 YEARS TIME.

Anything with a V12.

VW Sorroco, not the new version the the late 90’s one

What about the Octavia or BMW 3 series 335d? 😉

Lancia Delta Integrale
Honda Intergra Type R DC2
Skyline R34
Escort Cosworth
Focus RS
Audi Quattro (orignal one)

Plenty more too.

CARS THAT WILL REMAIN IN OUR HEARTS IN 30-40 YEARS TIME

Or one very much like that, pic somewhere…

series rs turbo,
renault five (gordini) turbo
XR2 (not i)
Mk I golf gti
Mk II golf gti 16v or g60
Nissan 300zx
toyota supra.

hmmm, best stop or I’ll be on Autotrader.

F40

*Thread now closed* 😉

M4dmatt, you’ve got some great money pits there mate!

op I think you’ll have to start a new thread as folk are posting cars the either are classics already or would be so by now if they were ever likely to be.

ahh, well i see the point with the 205 already being a classic so i will go with the pug 106 rallye as a future classic.

F40 is a classic, it was from the off. Always will be the daddy in my eyes.

Ford focus rs / st / st 170

F40 over priced tat. Apologies to the tifosi

There’s an F40 in a show room I have to drive past on my way to work; the (new shape) GT40 next to it looks pretty dull in comparison.

Back on topic; Honda NSX will surely be a top drawer classic, as will macca F1. If you’re after a more base-level classic (a la Mk2 escorts / moggie minors) then maybe early imprezzas and evo 6/8/9?
MX-5 could be the equivalent of MGB, S2000 the equivalent of a TR6?

volvo 480 just for giggles.

Great touring car……..I look upon mine as an investment 8)

Edit: even JC likes it !
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9MkTttw4NM[/video]

Ford ka
Saxo VTR

Some of you are mad! Who said a ford focus??

I’d say the Audi UR Quattro has to be up there? But if you had to pick a single petrol engined car, it would be the Ferrari F40 hands down.

If you read the OP, it says what will be remembered after petrol cars as we know it are gone, not what car will be a future classic (it just says that in the title to confuse you).

Who said a ford focus??

Not unreasonable, given that Minis and Beetles are now classics.

Fords Ka and Focus, Audi TT, Honda Civic – pretty much any car with standout design. (And I include the Focus on purpose, it was pretty weird looking when it first came out…)

type in the name of any modern car into google, each will have a group of forum members that will swear that its a modern cl**ic 🙂

For me its the BMW M Coupe from 1999.

I might hang on to mine then…

The first series of the BMW mini

I had one as my company car, pepper White cooper with a factory camouflage roof.

Never ever seen another like it (cue abuse!).

A future classic I reckon

Or one of those funny little alfas

Ford Puma