Yeah right. Interesting to look at this video now, a good 20 yrs after it was made. After having owned the winner, a top of the line GTV and then now owning an E36 (although not a Coupe, but a convertible), while also having experience with a 406 V6 coupe, this bimmer is just miles better than the other two. The Alfa's Busso V6 is incredible and really is the best of all of them, but once you go through a corner you feel the BMW is just superior.
@@fredrich99 Have you ever driven an E36 with a proper suspension and a 6 cylinder petrol engine? I've driven E46s and an E30, I own an E36and I can tell you you're VERY wrong. Absolute bullshit. It drives better and goes faster than the E30, and feels more involving than the E46.
@@matkirk4783 I planned to get a 328i E36 convertible to restore after selling my previous project, the Alfa GTV. Sadly even though I was looking for 6 months, I could not find a good one for a reasonable price so I went with a 20i which I have now. Got a good deal on it, it had a bad softtop bht came with the ultra rare factory hardtop as well, also in a rare Boston Grün Metallic colour. Took a lot of time and money, but now it's absolutely mint, and I can tell you it turns heads like crazy. I went with the full stock look, not even an m-packet as it came without it and I got to like it more this way, looks more elegant which goes with the colour. Also did a decat but who doesn't :) It also shoots up in value quick so the money I spent on it could actually come back if i sold it now, even better if I keep it and maintain it further. Amazing machine, with the new suspension it is absolutely great in corners despite the weight, can keep up with MX-5s if you try hard enough. Has that oldschool mechanical feel to it. I might do a 28i engine swap while keeping the old engine.
@@fredrich99 I own an E36 328i Touring M-Sport and having driven E30s, E46es, E90s, F30s (and many 5 Series and other Bimmers too) in wagons, sedans, and coupes, manuals, autos and diesels I've got to tell you that while E36 might look stale as BMW was going with that kind of a look it's far away from boring and after the E30 which feels very raw it is the purest driving experience and by far in my opinion they feel the best to drive, even though the newer cars might objectively be smoother and better around a track and what not but the E36 is still my favorite gen.
I finally tend to understand why that Cougar is so ugly : it's an American design ! I get a picture of the car now : a slow 4-speed automatic gearbox, a V6 with 4,2 liter volume and 160 BHP. And, front wheel drive, cause it's a "small car"
The Ford Cougar was better than all the other coupé cars they tried - firstly it had GENUINE space for adults front and rear, and secondly, it had a sizeable boot that you could actually use everyday.
Scotty Kilmer recommends WD40 for seized locks. Just no. It'll only work to get it loose, then it'll seize again, possibly permanently. Such a basic error I unsubscribed from him after 2 episodes. Plus dark prescription sunglasses on all the time are a BIG red flag.
@@kristianTV1974 You do realize that in his videos he does NOT use WD-40, but rather a WD-40 branded lithium lubricant... right? He also said the brand doesn't matter, kinda ruins your argument.
@@virtualmidwest3394 I couldn't agree more. The bloke is a boomer that can barely string a sentence together & doesn't offer anything new in the way of content. All he does is push the alleged virtues of his 30 year old Toyota Celica, if it were up to him you wouldn't buy anything else lol.
@@phil955i There isn't much new content to be had in car mechanic channels. Also yes. The Celica or Corolla. Most reliable cars he's ever seen. Of course he's gonna recommend them he's not an JB Power idiot. And yes he does acknowledge other, faster, newer, more luxurious cars, he tells you they are quite nice and fun to drive, but not to own. Because maintaining and repairing the things, plus paying for the insurance is really expensive. And about the sunglasses some other dummy mentioned? Not sure why that would be a red flag, let alone a big one, but I digress. He is an old man, working mostly outside, living in Texas. TEXAS FFS! If you think he shouldn't protect his old eyes in that sun scorched land then I have no idea where. Why, maybe you want to make fun of him wearing rubber gloves too huh? He very nicely explained why he wears them. You should listen to his advice.
The E36 beemer and Silvia s14 are by far the winners. Because back then that was his opinion to vote them off, but today 2014 the e36 6cyl and Silvia's are kings of the rwd car scene standing the test of time
i agrre with you.nice words. i cant say it better. e36 is a good standard car since you buy it. and the s14a is a 2Lturbo easy to overpower with few mods.
Very nice build mate, fair play to ya. Sure so long as it makes ya happy it doesn't matter what price is on it, I've a 1999 e36 m3 rep, running the 325 straight 6. 190 bhp. She had a full engine rebuild a year ago and that was costly, head skimmed, cylinders honed and ported and polished. She's still sweet as a nut to go :)
yes.i recall my old man looking at an e36 318is and a 200sx but he ultimately chose the nissan just over 21 years ago.i was disappointed he chose a 200sx as he was more of a european car man.
You've never driven a GTV6. But honestly, the Prelude is by far the best-looking and best to own out of the lot. The E36 really doesn't compare to either of those two in terms of driving pleasure (GTV6) or reliability (Prelude).
I had a e36 328i and it was fantastic, bought it with 147k miles 12 months MOT as a trade sale for £405 back in 2011 and it was a great car, superb in fact. I loved it and it never put a foot wrong while I owned it before I wrote it off and it saved me from dying in that crash too. Brilliant car, if I was about when they were new I’d have loved to have owned one back then as well.
@@Tidtistsjfhzhzf I feel like here it's the other way around especially when it comes to 325is or 328is... And also there are still tons of Compacts over here but I don't really like the rear and I hate that they've changed the interior compared to the other models...
Almost impossible here too my wife hates my 96 328is says its too low wants me to sell and buy another but impossible to find or asking price out the roof
Danny puffin:... problem is, BMW ownership, isn't just about the car, the owners come into play at this point, too. And, as someone with over 30 years in and around cars, (promoting, buying, selling, driving, fixing and valeting them) I can honestly say, BMW, far more so than any other make, have earned the right to be the subject of the joke: "why is a (put vehicle manufacturers name here) the opposite of a hedgehog? Because a hedgehog has all its pricks on the outside!!!" And it's BMW every time!!!
Michael Rawson So fucking daft. I can say as a 20 yr member of the bmwcca that you are so far from right on this one. Maybe since your the common denominator when dealing with bmw owners.......your the prick? Mercedes has a way worse owners problem.
Im very biased becuase my first car was a e36 328i 5sp convertible, but I really do feel it is best looking after the clk, and I know some will disagree on clk, but I like the styling, but seriously for 191hp that 2.8L engine in the bmw was amazing there was power pretty much all the way through the rpms plus the steering was bar none.
Ehhhhhh, not really. It just looks like a sedan with the back doors lazily chopped off. The Honda was the best-styled (and is better to own and more fun to drive), the Alfa is one of the best-handling FWD chassis's of all time, and the Nissan is cheaper to maintain and easier to work on. Honestly, the E36 isn't even good enough to make the shortlist out of these choices.
Niko Yochum the E36 wasn't outdated in the early 90's, but mere months before the launch of the E46 it would have been a daft purchase. If nothing else, you could wait until the E46 was launched and get it for cheap! As for the vanos, mine didn't hsve that. I had a '92 320, with the M50 engine. Vanos didn't appear until a couple of years later. Still loved that car though, I still think it was a helluva lot more fun than my current E60 525i :p
The Volvo C70 is sleek, flashy yet beautifully discreet, fast enough to scare little boys with old Bimmers at the crosswalk. That old 1998 C70 was the best car I've ever owned. Well, wait... It's because after 512.000km I still have it and it still kicks some serious arse! André Borges from Curitiba/Brazil
You are right! I have a CLK mkII and it is the perfect car for me, I may never sell it. The Peugeot, Alfa and Fiat are achingly beautiful; we will never see their like again. All of these coupes are still considered stand out cars among their respective marques.
Dominik Kus I was gonna agree with rims but you lost credibility with lowering it. Lowering your car is terrible for your tires and alters handling. Not to mention not very practical for driving unless you want to scrape your bumber. lowering or lifting your car is lame nuff said
booboo4459 it's not lame, it's not terrible for your tires, it does not alter the handling in regular driving, it does, however, make the ride stiff, and, like you said, it "lowers" it, so you must be weary of your car's new ride height, but most car enthusiasts are. Plus, it offers a much nicer stance. Everybody has their own taste, just because someone convinced you of these lies doesn't make them true.
booboo4459 Lowering a cars CG is definitely good for handling but at the same time you alter the suspension geometry (wheel alignment) which if not sorted can lead to bad handling & uneven tyre wear. I guess a lot of the show guys might not bother with it but you must have the car properly aligned which a lot of the time involves getting fully adjustable suspension arms, top mounts etc. Im not personally a fan of the "hella flush" slammed to the ground thing but lowering a car can have a positive effect on body control.
+Sigma Octantis *you are stupid because you cant argue against Clarkson when he says the bmw looks like a sedan and he would be right with the new one too the 4 series looks like the 3 series sedan, this is done to sell more 3 series to those that like the coupe, this test isn't about driving characteristics and I can see how when the cougar just came out was better looking than the bmw, you lose*
Looking back on all these old videos, it always strikes me how well BMWs have aged compared with the others (and I'm no BMW fan - I think they're overpriced and not that great to look at, but that's just my opinion). Could it be that BMW have simply been less daring with their design iterations and the result is a more obvious and appealing lineage to every model in their current range?
My Pelude is very reliable and still drives like new car. absolutely problem free, great handling with the 4WS and the engine have got 200BHP. I don't see this Alfa on the road anymore.
I saw one this week and it turned my head, unlike the Prelude you have. Is yours a Type SH with the ATTS diff - possibly the worlds first torque vectoring system?
I ran many 200sx back in the day, all the way from an '89 version with the popup headlights to the version shown here (mine was 99) - I believe the actual BHP was around 220 on my model. Best little cars I've ever driven and the most fun I've had.
I own a Spider, they have aged extremely well in the looks department. Mine is the 2.0 twinspark. Robust engine, but the interior creaks, shakes and rattles to a point of it being unpleasant to drive. The Honda Prelude deserved better ranking
That E-36 Coupe brand New looks a lot better than anything Chris Bangle put his hands on as my humble opinion of a proud owner of a deeply loved and cared for 1994 325i Sedan with 140,000 miles!
The Preludes final generation design is timeless, looks years younger than the competition. I love the Celica as well but I could be a bit partial with a 96 GT4 in the garage lol
Oh dear! Clarkson's perennial hard on for Alfas switches his brain off (a well known male condition). "Panting with desire", Jeremy? We've all known that, but we've grown up since then.
2 door coupés have one big problem, tight rear legroom for adult passengers. The Ford Cougar, based on a Ford Mondeo platform, has genuine space for 4 adults and a sizeable boot you can actually use.
@@oliverattwell8013 And who doesn't? Some people do like a bit of proper 4 seat capability in a coupé and proper bootspace, that's why it was built by Ford in the first place to cater for this possibility and I agree 100% with the strategy and reasoning behind this.
@@anthonyperkins7556 While other coupes might be even worse, I (182 cm/6 foot tall) have to tilt my head to fit in the rear. Can't imagine anyone above 170cm/5.6ft being able to sit straight.
I worked for Honda when that Prelude came out and everyone hated the styling. The Celica in this video is the worst looking generation of Celica they made. In period it came with either a slow NA motor or a incredibly fast GT4 turbo which was rare and way too expensive. The GTV had a great reputation back in the 90s.
Steven the generation before this one was the best, with the pop up headlights. I had one as a track car that was meant to just be beaten to death till I crashed it. Had the 2.2 liter gts. It dealt with being turbocharged well until I destroyed the front end.
omaifakingad You need to drive one before making your opinion. It is absolutely brilliant, and the E36 doesn't even approach the driving pleasure of the Alfa. Sure, you'll hate yourself for buying it during the 6 months of each year that it won't run, but when it works, there's hardly a better FWD car in existence.
Damn right. Had my s14a 11 years now and i love them... With some pretty basic tuning I have better power to weight than a Cayman S too. I she can go sideways at a wink 😉
I assume that this episode is around 1998 or 1999. I am 49 and bought my first new car last month. It is only the second car I have ever owned. From the time I started driving until now I have had nothing but trucks. The reason I have not owned cars in thirty years is because starting in the mid 80's they all started looking like this lot. To me the styling has been featureless curves. I know that realiability got better starting in the late 80's, but the looks of vehicles where sacrificed to improve gas milage. My father used to refer to cars like these as "Rat Turds with Windows". Seriously who would prefer one of the new cars in this episode over the Capri in opening. BTW despite having lesser performance than the Camero or Mustang, I bought a 2016 Challenger SXT Plus. After a month I still look out every morning and think "Damn that is a good looking car".
It's hard to beat the practically and reliability of a good American pickup truck but cars are way more fun to drive. I feel like a situation has happened recently that mirrors what you said. It seems like the only sedans out there are angular FWD 4-banger-driven economy boxes with no sense of style or performance. I'm a fan of cars like the Ford Crown Victoria and P2 chassis Volvos since they are somewhat unique compared to the rest of the 4-Door competition.
alessio'r roadies if Clarckson was an authentic prick, he was a damn good one. And i don't think anyone can fill his shoes in Top Gear, or become as popular like him. :-)
Jordan Thomas No they replaced him with a ginger, but do not fret. the guys are working on a new show with amazon prime, each episode will have a 4.5 million pound budget (that's nearly 7 million dollars) They be able to buy Super Cars and smash them up for fun.
Alfa always had a warm spot in Clarkson's heart. He always says a true petrol head has owned at least one Alfa. Even to this day the current Top Gear boys all agree with this. I personally think the superior coupe here is surely the Bavarian E36.
then top gear boys are blind sheep to listen to this buffoon. alfas suck. pretty sure the majority of petrolheads are middle class or working class, but are following a europhile snob? fuck outta here
The Nissan is the best! The Nissan is a proper coupe! It's RWD, powerful, handles well! It may not be the most eye catching to look at, but it's still a good looker
GTV6 is the rightful winner. It has the best engine and style in stock form. Yeah, it's FWD, but then again none of these cars were designed for the track in mind.
Clarkson got it wrong , 200sx looks better than that fugly Alfa. In later years he rubbishes them and the way they devalue like a falling stone or words to that affect.
Steven Farrington You can say that about the E36, but the S14 was designed to be a coupé and was built on the S-platform only used for coupés and fastbacks if you don't want to call them coupés. The S14 was a 2+2 coupé whilst the two door E36 was just a two door E36 sedan with more angled back windscreen and bigger doors.
I do know why he choose the Alfa. E36 is just plain and boring. That's just like buying a Mercedes S-Class while for the same money you could buy a gorgeous Maserati Quattroporte
+Ernesto dí Terríbílé the s class won't break after a few years, and is cheaper to maintain. The e36 is more widely modified, you can get it to 600bhp for pennies and cents - and in my opinion it just looks a lot better.
Bro i had a 328i cabrio e36. That thing was just going sideways all the time. I had it 2 years ago, bought it when i was 20. But you know. After i had the e36 i also had a full Tool case.
BMW drivers at the time were frowned upon. The ultimate driving machines could only be afforded by the rich dicks of the era, hence BMWs (i.e the owners of the day) were never given way at side turnings. Now that people like us can afford a used one, we are slowly starting to love and appreciate the marque.
@@ZxRx7 what do you mean ' frowned upon at the time' - they still are. You're right about rich dicks back then, and now the are avaliable to everyone and along with Audi, and Merc they are simply 'cocks' cars if they are old enough to be affordable.People still don't let them out of side turnings.
@@greengrass9572 Hey, All I am saying is we are approaching a time that the e46 will be purchased by ppl that admire the car as opposed to ppl that want to be seen in them (because at the time they were expensive cars). If the ppl in the UK still do not let anyone driving an E46 out of side turnings, that is a problem that the English have and is not the case everywhere (at least in my country it is not). When they were new, they were expensive cars that were bought by the limited few dicks of the era. Nowadays to buy one and keep them in good working order, (since the dicks sold them because they started to break down and could not be bothered to keep them in running order) it is obvious that the few that will be around would be driven by enthusiasts, not posers. There will come a time where they will be so rare to see that yes, ppl will let them out of side turnings just to admire them and reminisce of when they wanted to own one and couldn't. Well, that is my opinion anyway. take care.
I own several cars from different marques (Audi, BMW, Ford, Volvo, Mercedes and 3 Alfas), so I guess I am able to make a statement. Personally I love Alfas and most people who says they aren't good cars, never owned or even drove one, so it is more like a stereotype than anything else... "I have heard this or that, someone told me ... " There are many differences between Alfas and they aren't all special but some of them are passionate cars to own and drive, even though they are not for the "average" driver. As a petrolhead I love cars, but there is something in an Alfa that I hardly feel in other cars... Seems like they do have a Cuore! Besides, never forget the great V6 Busso, the Bialbero and even the Boxer (for some).
And now the E36 and the 200SX are the most desirable.
Yeah right. Interesting to look at this video now, a good 20 yrs after it was made. After having owned the winner, a top of the line GTV and then now owning an E36 (although not a Coupe, but a convertible), while also having experience with a 406 V6 coupe, this bimmer is just miles better than the other two. The Alfa's Busso V6 is incredible and really is the best of all of them, but once you go through a corner you feel the BMW is just superior.
One of the worst cars BMW ever made I much prefer the E30 or E46 . BORING CAR
@@fredrich99 Have you ever driven an E36 with a proper suspension and a 6 cylinder petrol engine? I've driven E46s and an E30, I own an E36and I can tell you you're VERY wrong. Absolute bullshit. It drives better and goes faster than the E30, and feels more involving than the E46.
@@matkirk4783 I planned to get a 328i E36 convertible to restore after selling my previous project, the Alfa GTV. Sadly even though I was looking for 6 months, I could not find a good one for a reasonable price so I went with a 20i which I have now. Got a good deal on it, it had a bad softtop bht came with the ultra rare factory hardtop as well, also in a rare Boston Grün Metallic colour. Took a lot of time and money, but now it's absolutely mint, and I can tell you it turns heads like crazy. I went with the full stock look, not even an m-packet as it came without it and I got to like it more this way, looks more elegant which goes with the colour. Also did a decat but who doesn't :)
It also shoots up in value quick so the money I spent on it could actually come back if i sold it now, even better if I keep it and maintain it further. Amazing machine, with the new suspension it is absolutely great in corners despite the weight, can keep up with MX-5s if you try hard enough. Has that oldschool mechanical feel to it. I might do a 28i engine swap while keeping the old engine.
@@fredrich99 I own an E36 328i Touring M-Sport and having driven E30s, E46es, E90s, F30s (and many 5 Series and other Bimmers too) in wagons, sedans, and coupes, manuals, autos and diesels I've got to tell you that while E36 might look stale as BMW was going with that kind of a look it's far away from boring and after the E30 which feels very raw it is the purest driving experience and by far in my opinion they feel the best to drive, even though the newer cars might objectively be smoother and better around a track and what not but the E36 is still my favorite gen.
The tub of lard is more pleasant to look at than the Ford Cougar.
I finally tend to understand why that Cougar is so ugly : it's an American design ! I get a picture of the car now : a slow 4-speed automatic gearbox, a V6 with 4,2 liter volume and 160 BHP. And, front wheel drive, cause it's a "small car"
Engines with bad head bolts and blah.
@Juden Arier it's a 2.5l v6 so it's only a little weak. Still an awful awful car
The Ford Cougar was better than all the other coupé cars they tried - firstly it had GENUINE space for adults front and rear, and secondly, it had a sizeable boot that you could actually use everyday.
Yeah, not aged well, I always thought the Puma looked better and still does. Designed by the same bloke as the Aston DB7.
*eliminates Celica*
Scotty Kilmer is not amused.
@@virtualmidwest3394 he is not idiot now in all fairness!!
Scotty Kilmer recommends WD40 for seized locks. Just no. It'll only work to get it loose, then it'll seize again, possibly permanently. Such a basic error I unsubscribed from him after 2 episodes. Plus dark prescription sunglasses on all the time are a BIG red flag.
@@kristianTV1974 You do realize that in his videos he does NOT use WD-40, but rather a WD-40 branded lithium lubricant... right?
He also said the brand doesn't matter, kinda ruins your argument.
@@virtualmidwest3394 I couldn't agree more. The bloke is a boomer that can barely string a sentence together & doesn't offer anything new in the way of content. All he does is push the alleged virtues of his 30 year old Toyota Celica, if it were up to him you wouldn't buy anything else lol.
@@phil955i There isn't much new content to be had in car mechanic channels.
Also yes. The Celica or Corolla. Most reliable cars he's ever seen. Of course he's gonna recommend them he's not an JB Power idiot.
And yes he does acknowledge other, faster, newer, more luxurious cars, he tells you they are quite nice and fun to drive, but not to own. Because maintaining and repairing the things, plus paying for the insurance is really expensive.
And about the sunglasses some other dummy mentioned? Not sure why that would be a red flag, let alone a big one, but I digress. He is an old man, working mostly outside, living in Texas. TEXAS FFS! If you think he shouldn't protect his old eyes in that sun scorched land then I have no idea where.
Why, maybe you want to make fun of him wearing rubber gloves too huh? He very nicely explained why he wears them. You should listen to his advice.
The E36 beemer and Silvia s14 are by far the winners. Because back then that was his opinion to vote them off, but today 2014 the e36 6cyl and Silvia's are kings of the rwd car scene standing the test of time
i agrre with you.nice words. i cant say it better.
e36 is a good standard car since you buy it.
and the s14a is a 2Lturbo easy to overpower with few mods.
Tim Kidane put a video LOL
Wow nice combo, a lot of work went into that. I'd say whatever about mounting the engine and trans I'd say the loom was a nightmare?
Very nice build mate, fair play to ya. Sure so long as it makes ya happy it doesn't matter what price is on it, I've a 1999 e36 m3 rep, running the 325 straight 6. 190 bhp. She had a full engine rebuild a year ago and that was costly, head skimmed, cylinders honed and ported and polished. She's still sweet as a nut to go :)
E36 kings of the RWD car? E46 shits all over it.
200sx and e36. everything else is lard
CaptainD00M thank you sir
CaptainD00M I'd take the C70 any day
Cool e36
yes.i recall my old man looking at an e36 318is and a 200sx but he ultimately chose the nissan just over 21 years ago.i was disappointed he chose a 200sx as he was more of a european car man.
200sx and prelude 4 ever.
I'm convinced Clarkson was trolling. The E36 and S14 were the only cars worth a shit.
+e30rik Clarkson never used to love German cars until recently, he had a mercury cougar ffs
+Mateus Brinati Yes that's why they also now make the 'Z' range of actual coupes to make up for the deficiencies of the others.
He only went for the Alfa because its an Alfa
You've never driven a GTV6. But honestly, the Prelude is by far the best-looking and best to own out of the lot. The E36 really doesn't compare to either of those two in terms of driving pleasure (GTV6) or reliability (Prelude).
Perhaps now, but things were clearly different 20 years ago
200SX, 328i or Prelude for me.
herrgolf Yeah prelude gets a bad rap but a bloke at work has one and it looks NIIIIICE.
Always preferred an Integra over a prelude to be honest
I cant lie i was lowkey digging the celica or Clk
I had a e36 328i and it was fantastic, bought it with 147k miles 12 months MOT as a trade sale for £405 back in 2011 and it was a great car, superb in fact. I loved it and it never put a foot wrong while I owned it before I wrote it off and it saved me from dying in that crash too. Brilliant car, if I was about when they were new I’d have loved to have owned one back then as well.
E36 328i with 192hp. Most of them had limited slip diffs too. By far the best here. I love the Silvia too though :)
I love my E36 328!
the 325i has 192hp the 328i has more
sami zabat E36 325i has the same power like 328i, only less amount of torque.
Oh sorry i thought it had more
sami zabat it has 1 more. 325i is 192 328i is 193 (at least that's what they claim in germany)
Clarkson and Alfa Romeo best love story ever.
I've just bought an E36... As a sedan though... Turns my head everytime I leave it...
I’m trying to find a 328i for ages now. All i see is the 4 door sedans. These coupes are non existent here. Fml
@Demscout Yes I do... And I still love it although I now admit that I should've bought a six cylinder...
@@Tidtistsjfhzhzf I feel like here it's the other way around especially when it comes to 325is or 328is... And also there are still tons of Compacts over here but I don't really like the rear and I hate that they've changed the interior compared to the other models...
Almost impossible here too my wife hates my 96 328is says its too low wants me to sell and buy another but impossible to find or asking price out the roof
Just bought a coupe.... Couldn’t agree more!
so. you eliminate the FIAT for reliability, but not the Alfa? oh, come on...
Rapscallion2009 Fiats here in Brazil are crap cars.
BMW E36 M3 yeah. but is an Alfa any more reliable?
Spot on!
Fiat is Alfa's ugly sister.
Funny enough Fiat can take +350whp on the stock engine
Amazing how time has gone by. I wonder if Jeramy ever looks back and wonders what he was thinking by saying the cougar looked good?
@Teamgeist listen man I’m a bmw man myself but the clk is one of the best looking benzs out there. They got the coupe lines just right with that one
Beauty is the eye of the beholder, I personally think it looks good
The GTV really was a stunning car in its day, and now a classic admired by many. The Cougar was soon forgotten.
the cougar what a joke
you could never compare that "thing" to an alfa romeo
200SX is the best one - Comes with 200hp, rwd and a limited slip diff as standard, Mine was red with beige leather and looked very nice.
MagicAyrtonforever
Nerd
Agree with Nissan
The celica doesn't look too bad either. Actually one of my favorite looking cars!
I Like Potatoes just a Btec supra though lets be honest
@@Honda_Man_Sam what's btec lmao
E36 smokes the lot of them.
Agreed!!!!
+flavourboss BMW Forever
***** Too much 245 section rears!
Top kek.
+Royalbigness shut up alfas are fun unlike boring bmws
1/18 Model Cars You know how Alfas are ugly, Don't you?
In modern Top Gear, Jeremy bragged about the E36 M3. "third, its a BMW..." Well thats actually a reason why its one of the better performing cars
It's an empty argument, but if one is running without arguments, it's the best thing to do ! So, the best car is an Alfa ? Yeah, right.
cyberdel Do you even listen what this pseudo car journalist says?
Danny puffin:... problem is, BMW ownership, isn't just about the car, the owners come into play at this point, too. And, as someone with over 30 years in and around cars, (promoting, buying, selling, driving, fixing and valeting them) I can honestly say, BMW, far more so than any other make, have earned the right to be the subject of the joke: "why is a (put vehicle manufacturers name here) the opposite of a hedgehog? Because a hedgehog has all its pricks on the outside!!!" And it's BMW every time!!!
glynnejones1 “broken Monday Wednesday”? That’s literally the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Doesn’t make a lick of sense. Moron.
Michael Rawson
So fucking daft. I can say as a 20 yr member of the bmwcca that you are so far from right on this one. Maybe since your the common denominator when dealing with bmw owners.......your the prick? Mercedes has a way worse owners problem.
thought for sure e36 had it. good looking, best of its time
it was outdated at the time and everyone was waiting on e46 as he said
Im very biased becuase my first car was a e36 328i 5sp convertible, but I really do feel it is best looking after the clk, and I know some will disagree on clk, but I like the styling, but seriously for 191hp that 2.8L engine in the bmw was amazing there was power pretty much all the way through the rpms plus the steering was bar none.
e36 wasn't outdate... it had VANOS FFS!
Ehhhhhh, not really. It just looks like a sedan with the back doors lazily chopped off. The Honda was the best-styled (and is better to own and more fun to drive), the Alfa is one of the best-handling FWD chassis's of all time, and the Nissan is cheaper to maintain and easier to work on. Honestly, the E36 isn't even good enough to make the shortlist out of these choices.
Niko Yochum the E36 wasn't outdated in the early 90's, but mere months before the launch of the E46 it would have been a daft purchase. If nothing else, you could wait until the E46 was launched and get it for cheap!
As for the vanos, mine didn't hsve that. I had a '92 320, with the M50 engine. Vanos didn't appear until a couple of years later. Still loved that car though, I still think it was a helluva lot more fun than my current E60 525i :p
Funny thing is, the prelude and celica aged well compared to the rest.
+VolkswagenGamer I think the bmw has aged the best. The front of the celica has aged horrendously
I honestly don't know why I thought that. I guess I was easily taken aback by Clarkson's abruptness. XD
yeah he does have that effect on people lol!
+Christian Arreguin I thought the same thing
+VolkswagenGamer The Nissan's design came into style 10 years after they stopped making it.
I vote for the E36 and s14 for the best coupes
Clarkson sounds like someone doing a Clarkson impression. The best one "in the world".
The Volvo C70 is sleek, flashy yet beautifully discreet, fast enough to scare little boys with old Bimmers at the crosswalk. That old 1998 C70 was the best car I've ever owned. Well, wait... It's because after 512.000km I still have it and it still kicks some serious arse!
André Borges from Curitiba/Brazil
Do they have Citroën in Brasil?
all these cars are actually really good better than the shit they have out today
+Craig Tucker yes why does everyone drive pickups that are unessarcely lifted and suvs
+cdude100 Because they are so small, they need to make themselves look big and noticed.
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You are right! I have a CLK mkII and it is the perfect car for me, I may never sell it. The Peugeot, Alfa and Fiat are achingly beautiful; we will never see their like again. All of these coupes are still considered stand out cars among their respective marques.
They all look the same nowadays, at least these coupes all looked different !
you cant make a frontwheeldrive car the best coupe
Lol
Yes you can
Put an auto locking diff to the Alfa Romeo GTV and it will be the best car you will ever drive
You completely miss the point
Oh and you actually can make a front wheel drive the best coupe. Most coupes are front wheel drive
@@konstantinoszabelakis1215 Coupes are about fun. Front wheel drive is boring.
So he chose the worst one lol.
What is wrong with you?
The Alfa is stunning
I own a gtv6. That engine makes everything else pale into insignificance. Plus it still looks incredible.
@@konstantinoszabelakis1215 It looks like it’s suffered a major accident.
@@andysykes9139 i owned a GTV6 as well and i now own an e36 .the alfa is no match for the bm.I will admit i did like the engine in the alfa.
totaly dissagree. 200sx and e36 are the kings !!
Heck ya. Buy either one put some badass rims and lower it and your set.
Dominik Kus I was gonna agree with rims but you lost credibility with lowering it. Lowering your car is terrible for your tires and alters handling. Not to mention not very practical for driving unless you want to scrape your bumber. lowering or lifting your car is lame nuff said
booboo4459 it's not lame, it's not terrible for your tires, it does not alter the handling in regular driving, it does, however, make the ride stiff, and, like you said, it "lowers" it, so you must be weary of your car's new ride height, but most car enthusiasts are. Plus, it offers a much nicer stance. Everybody has their own taste, just because someone convinced you of these lies doesn't make them true.
booboo4459 Lowering a cars CG is definitely good for handling but at the same time you alter the suspension geometry (wheel alignment) which if not sorted can lead to bad handling & uneven tyre wear. I guess a lot of the show guys might not bother with it but you must have the car properly aligned which a lot of the time involves getting fully adjustable suspension arms, top mounts etc. Im not personally a fan of the "hella flush" slammed to the ground thing but lowering a car can have a positive effect on body control.
dri fter true the 200sx is a beast
I would go for the CLK, its big and comfortable and with the right motor it moves really fast!
Really, a FWD car won? I'll stick with my BMW 3 series thanks.
+Sigma Octantis me too
+Sigma Octantis yawn boring
+Sigma Octantis *you are stupid because you cant argue against Clarkson when he says the bmw looks like a sedan and he would be right with the new one too the 4 series looks like the 3 series sedan, this is done to sell more 3 series to those that like the coupe, this test isn't about driving characteristics and I can see how when the cougar just came out was better looking than the bmw, you lose*
Club Bmw Amg Who gives a shit if it looks like a 2 door sedan? So does the Nissan Skyline GTR and look how popular that is.
How on earth he can name that alfa beatiful... In my eyes it looks like shit, i would chose beemer as well
Looking back on all these old videos, it always strikes me how well BMWs have aged compared with the others (and I'm no BMW fan - I think they're overpriced and not that great to look at, but that's just my opinion). Could it be that BMW have simply been less daring with their design iterations and the result is a more obvious and appealing lineage to every model in their current range?
My Pelude is very reliable and still drives like new car. absolutely problem free, great handling with the 4WS and the engine have got 200BHP. I don't see this Alfa on the road anymore.
I saw one this week and it turned my head, unlike the Prelude you have. Is yours a Type SH with the ATTS diff - possibly the worlds first torque vectoring system?
And that is what makes it special.
@Ben McMullan their refusal to break down will never make them rare and therefore missed.
Prelude is one of the nicest driving cars I’ve driven
Steven Farrington I saw one on the road and it turned my stomach.
I ran many 200sx back in the day, all the way from an '89 version with the popup headlights to the version shown here (mine was 99) - I believe the actual BHP was around 220 on my model. Best little cars I've ever driven and the most fun I've had.
The fiat coupe is in a different league, beautiful looking car and the 20vt is so quick!
Not to mention the sound!
I own a Spider, they have aged extremely well in the looks department. Mine is the 2.0 twinspark. Robust engine, but the interior creaks, shakes and rattles to a point of it being unpleasant to drive. The Honda Prelude deserved better ranking
Ok but the prelude is a nice looking car thou
The Prelude deserves more
The Prelude was a very good looking car
I am not a fan of the front end but love almost any other angle especially the rear end.
That E-36 Coupe brand New looks a lot better than anything Chris Bangle put his hands on as my humble opinion of a proud owner of a deeply loved and cared for 1994 325i Sedan with 140,000 miles!
give me the 200sx and the e36
@NobleM15fan quick question to demolish your point. what Fiats are the Guilietta, 159, 166, GT, and Brera based on?
The prelude still looks modern enough.
I’m having the 20vt fiat, just love the way it looks and sounds
That awkward moment when the celica and prelude get eliminated for being ugly, but you think they're the prettiest of the lotXD
And the fugly ass Peugeot makes the cut somehow…
The Preludes final generation design is timeless, looks years younger than the competition. I love the Celica as well but I could be a bit partial with a 96 GT4 in the garage lol
Whats the music at 2:24... i recognize it from some where but cant recall the name of it... If any1 knows plz let me know. Thanks! :D
i want to know too, you got it in the meantime?
Oh dear! Clarkson's perennial hard on for Alfas switches his brain off (a well known male condition). "Panting with desire", Jeremy? We've all known that, but we've grown up since then.
2 door coupés have one big problem, tight rear legroom for adult passengers. The Ford Cougar, based on a Ford Mondeo platform, has genuine space for 4 adults and a sizeable boot you can actually use.
But who wants one?
@@oliverattwell8013 And who doesn't? Some people do like a bit of proper 4 seat capability in a coupé and proper bootspace, that's why it was built by Ford in the first place to cater for this possibility and I agree 100% with the strategy and reasoning behind this.
I own a Cougar. While the boot space is SUV-class, I can't put anything resembling an adult in the back seat
@@davidandersson5610 Ford and review magazines say it can take two adults in the rear without issues.
@@anthonyperkins7556 While other coupes might be even worse, I (182 cm/6 foot tall) have to tilt my head to fit in the rear. Can't imagine anyone above 170cm/5.6ft being able to sit straight.
Imo the best looking are Prelude and Celica - and they were removed from the list first :D
Also, Gtv is ugly :/
+TheEquinoxeHD *celica gt-four was too expensive to compare against those*
your no a proper petrol head if you haven own a Alfa :D *Hahaha*
I worked for Honda when that Prelude came out and everyone hated the styling. The Celica in this video is the worst looking generation of Celica they made. In period it came with either a slow NA motor or a incredibly fast GT4 turbo which was rare and way too expensive. The GTV had a great reputation back in the 90s.
Steven the generation before this one was the best, with the pop up headlights. I had one as a track car that was meant to just be beaten to death till I crashed it. Had the 2.2 liter gts. It dealt with being turbocharged well until I destroyed the front end.
TheEquinoxeHD ok Scotty Kilmer, relax. Leave the Celica alone
Always liked the look of that 3 series BMW. But I bet they were the first ones filling up the scrap yards.
200sx wins hands down, the fiat is a troll, and the cougar well look on ebay at the price of them now and I need say no more
seriously? the ALFA? hahahahahah
Have you tried one with a V6?
gorgonzo1a I haven't and I probably never will as long as there are tons of other manufacturers that offer better cars for equal or less money.
You are missing the point, it is epic to drive.
omaifakingad You need to drive one before making your opinion. It is absolutely brilliant, and the E36 doesn't even approach the driving pleasure of the Alfa. Sure, you'll hate yourself for buying it during the 6 months of each year that it won't run, but when it works, there's hardly a better FWD car in existence.
no youre wrong, everything is better lol
I’ll have the Capri. Thanks.
Had a nice blue Capri 1.6 with a 2l engine,she was mint,put some pepperpots on with 205 60s on early 90s ,she was on a Y plate
I vote for BMW and Mercedes, german cars are the best and even Clarkson is a Mercedes fan, but clearly the BMW is the winner here
Gotta love that S14
S14 thats a legend now, the rest is forgotten
e36 coupe is not so forgotten. 318is coupe mtec is appreciated still.
Your right about that one
***** Thanks. slowly but surely, they will be worth money if not chavved up.
Correct. A 318is Mtec will always hold some money if kept OEM.
Damn right. Had my s14a 11 years now and i love them... With some pretty basic tuning I have better power to weight than a Cayman S too. I she can go sideways at a wink 😉
0:00 love the music at the start
For me the BMW was the best
Always had a bit of a "thing" for that shape, could be because I lusted after it when I was in my late teens, but couldn't afford one.
Clarkson is like some bombastic comedian trapped in a day job reviewing cars.
WE LOVE YOU, JEREMY!
Still most people didn't get that even today...
Prelude 5th gen looks better than most of them
I’d be happy drivin a one or two of those today !
BMW is best
Happier simpler time somehow. Miss those days.
I assume that this episode is around 1998 or 1999. I am 49 and bought my first new car last month. It is only the second car I have ever owned. From the time I started driving until now I have had nothing but trucks. The reason I have not owned cars in thirty years is because starting in the mid 80's they all started looking like this lot. To me the styling has been featureless curves. I know that realiability got better starting in the late 80's, but the looks of vehicles where sacrificed to improve gas milage. My father used to refer to cars like these as "Rat Turds with Windows". Seriously who would prefer one of the new cars in this episode over the Capri in opening. BTW despite having lesser performance than the Camero or Mustang, I bought a 2016 Challenger SXT Plus. After a month I still look out every morning and think "Damn that is a good looking car".
98
Joseph Nichols i would only prefer the E36 and the 200sx above the capri
It's hard to beat the practically and reliability of a good American pickup truck but cars are way more fun to drive. I feel like a situation has happened recently that mirrors what you said. It seems like the only sedans out there are angular FWD 4-banger-driven economy boxes with no sense of style or performance. I'm a fan of cars like the Ford Crown Victoria and P2 chassis Volvos since they are somewhat unique compared to the rest of the 4-Door competition.
Whats that song in the beginning called?
darude - sandstorm
Cocaine - J.J Cale
Love that volvo
the look on his face when he says you can't leave it(Alfa) alone is absolutely hilarious! Nymphomanic Clarkson
They'll be replacing Clarkson with a tub of lard, that's for sure!
Jordan Thomas and instead of profits, they will get a tub of lard, that's for sure too.
mclaren855 well sayd !
even if Clarckson was an authentic prick , he will be missed because he is extraordinary
alessio'r roadies if Clarckson was an authentic prick, he was a damn good one. And i don't think anyone can fill his shoes in Top Gear, or become as popular like him.
:-)
Jordan Thomas No they replaced him with a ginger, but do not fret. the guys are working on a new show with amazon prime, each episode will have a 4.5 million pound budget (that's nearly 7 million dollars) They be able to buy Super Cars and smash them up for fun.
+Fuzz Face they didn't already do that
This man thanos snapped the prelude out of existence
S14 and E36 all the way.
What's the song ain the beginning?It was in starsky and hutch movie,I think it's awesome,please tell me,thanks
Alfa always had a warm spot in Clarkson's heart. He always says a true petrol head has owned at least one Alfa. Even to this day the current Top Gear boys all agree with this. I personally think the superior coupe here is surely the Bavarian E36.
then top gear boys are blind sheep to listen to this buffoon. alfas suck. pretty sure the majority of petrolheads are middle class or working class, but are following a europhile snob? fuck outta here
@@unknownninja4430 lol, chill dude
my volvo 850 R wraps around the bends. it is an R version volvo tho they are lower and have anti sway bars
The Nissan is the best! The Nissan is a proper coupe! It's RWD, powerful, handles well! It may not be the most eye catching to look at, but it's still a good looker
Nope
my spider is 18yrs, only a 2ltr and still takes the piss out of most and looks amazing...Alfa, if you don't know you never will x
Off the boil with his view here, I’d take a prelude or a celica on looks over ten of those boxy Mercedes’
How times have changed. I would love a 200 sx right now
the 4x4 turbo calibra is the best
He really called the Prelude & Celica plain but the Peugeot Beautiful?!!🙄
GTV6 is the rightful winner. It has the best engine and style in stock form. Yeah, it's FWD, but then again none of these cars were designed for the track in mind.
Brette Beran I have to agree with you, man. The Alfa GTV is obviously the best car here and sadly it’s not sold in North America. 🙁
Honestly, I think none have aged as well as the Honda. It has that Japanese futurism from the 80s/90s to it.
Clarkson got it wrong , 200sx looks better than that fugly Alfa. In later years he rubbishes them and the way they devalue like a falling stone or words to that affect.
Clarkson was correct. Cry harder
ok i don't understand, why is the 200sx not a proper coupe?
"Petrolhead Heaven - The only way to get there is in an Alfa Romeo"
Wow, that Capri at the beginning is still on the road today! Just some really useful info for you all there ;)
Volvo is still the most beautifull of them all
We have a used alfa GTV rightat the Alfa, Lancia and FIAT dealership I work at. Beautiful car
E36 is dream
E36 isn't a coupe, neither is the 200SX
Yea, my first car was 97' 328i 5spd convertible, needless to say ever since then BMW is my choice over the competitors
Steven Farrington You can say that about the E36, but the S14 was designed to be a coupé and was built on the S-platform only used for coupés and fastbacks if you don't want to call them coupés. The S14 was a 2+2 coupé whilst the two door E36 was just a two door E36 sedan with more angled back windscreen and bigger doors.
Mk1 capri for me
Nissan:)
I had one of those Capris, it was a fun little car.
Nope, wrong. The e36 won, they just didn't wanna tell you.
I do know why he choose the Alfa. E36 is just plain and boring. That's just like buying a Mercedes S-Class while for the same money you could buy a gorgeous Maserati Quattroporte
+Ernesto dí Terríbílé the s class won't break after a few years, and is cheaper to maintain. The e36 is more widely modified, you can get it to 600bhp for pennies and cents - and in my opinion it just looks a lot better.
+A G Gaming A Quattroporte is a much better looking car then a E36 or an S-Class. Why do you want to have the same car that all your neighbors drive.
I would rather have a 930 or an e21 over all of them any day.
Ernesto dí Terríbílé a Mercedes S Class is far from cheap to maintain, though I'll definitely take it over the Quattroporte.
Bro i had a 328i cabrio e36.
That thing was just going sideways all the time.
I had it 2 years ago, bought it when i was 20.
But you know. After i had the e36 i also had a full Tool case.
You can't judge a alfa before you drive one.
Yes, I can. It's ugly, impractical, expensive and will break down all the time - Jeremy literally admitted all of that himself.
@@David-ud9ju then cars arent for you
Did topgear ever do a proper feature on the e36 bmw?
has anybody got a link?
what did he say about BMW ? i didnt get? the 3rd reason is???
BMW drivers at the time were frowned upon. The ultimate driving machines could only be afforded by the rich dicks of the era, hence BMWs (i.e the owners of the day) were never given way at side turnings. Now that people like us can afford a used one, we are slowly starting to love and appreciate the marque.
@@ZxRx7 what do you mean ' frowned upon at the time' - they still are. You're right about rich dicks back then, and now the are avaliable to everyone and along with Audi, and Merc they are simply 'cocks' cars if they are old enough to be affordable.People still don't let them out of side turnings.
@@greengrass9572 Hey, All I am saying is we are approaching a time that the e46 will be purchased by ppl that admire the car as opposed to ppl that want to be seen in them (because at the time they were expensive cars). If the ppl in the UK still do not let anyone driving an E46 out of side turnings, that is a problem that the English have and is not the case everywhere (at least in my country it is not). When they were new, they were expensive cars that were bought by the limited few dicks of the era. Nowadays to buy one and keep them in good working order, (since the dicks sold them because they started to break down and could not be bothered to keep them in running order) it is obvious that the few that will be around would be driven by enthusiasts, not posers. There will come a time where they will be so rare to see that yes, ppl will let them out of side turnings just to admire them and reminisce of when they wanted to own one and couldn't. Well, that is my opinion anyway. take care.
He should've included the Volkswagen Corrado, the best 90's coupé.
Lol
O clarkson. You are as biased as they come.
Ya, rite, point one person here that isn't...
I love looking at old top gear clips, the cars they "good looking" are actually quite dull
Escort mk.1 and mk.2 is beautiful in coupé ;]
would go the s14 myself. reliable, rwd and i got 265kph out of mine.. it was still pulling i might have got 270kph+ but ran out of road
I own several cars from different marques (Audi, BMW, Ford, Volvo, Mercedes and 3 Alfas), so I guess I am able to make a statement.
Personally I love Alfas and most people who says they aren't good cars, never owned or even drove one, so it is more like a stereotype than anything else... "I have heard this or that, someone told me ... "
There are many differences between Alfas and they aren't all special but some of them are passionate cars to own and drive, even though they are not for the "average" driver.
As a petrolhead I love cars, but there is something in an Alfa that I hardly feel in other cars... Seems like they do have a Cuore!
Besides, never forget the great V6 Busso, the Bialbero and even the Boxer (for some).
How did he saw both Fiat Coupe and Alfa GTV as a different car? 🤔
I didn't get that, like the coupe has all the pros of the alfa, but more practical as well.