Influx Top Ten German Cars of All Time

Cars

10 Ruf CTR Yellowbird

YellowbirdPoster child for insane German tuning industry. Beat the Ferrari F40 to first production car with 200MPH top end. ‘Nuff said.

9 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL 6.9

Mercedes-Benz 560SEL 6.9 The most outrageous S-class borrowed the 6.9-litre engine from the vast Pullman limo. James Hunt had one, and stored it on bricks when he couldn’t afford the tax
The most outrageous S-class borrowed the 6.9-litre engine from the vast Pullman limo. James Hunt had one, and stored it on bricks when he couldn’t afford the tax

8 Auto Union V16

Auto Union V16 Legendary, terrifying, Hitler-sponsored racers with over 500bhp: it took decades for post-war Formula 1 cars to get close
Legendary, terrifying, Hitler-sponsored racers with over 500bhp: it took decades for post-war Formula 1 cars to get close

7 BMW 507

BMW 507 Albrecht Goertz’s iconic design was early proof that the reborn German car industry could do gorgeous as well as good
Albrecht Goertz’s iconic design was early proof that the reborn German car industry could do gorgeous as well as good

6 Volkswagen Golf GTi

 Volkswagen Golf GTi Groundbreaking hot hatch, and still sensational to drive. We’ll have ours in Mars red, please
Groundbreaking hot hatch, and still sensational to drive. We’ll have ours in Mars red, please

5 BMW E39 530d

BMW E39 530d Arguably - pound-for-pound - the best car Germany has ever made because it so comprehensively eclipsed its rivals
Arguably – pound-for-pound – the best car Germany has ever made because it so comprehensively eclipsed its rivals

4 Volkswagen Beetle

Volkswagen Beetle Where it all re-started for the German car industry after the war; the original stayed in production in Mexico until 2003
Where it all re-started for the German car industry after the war; the original stayed in production in Mexico until 2003

3 Benz Patent Motorwagen

Innovative wagon from the early years of internal combustion. Look out for the AMG version!
Innovative wagon from the early years of internal combustion. Look out for the AMG version!

2 Porsche 911

 Porsche 911 Of course it has to be in this list, but which do you pick? An early seventies, 2.4-litre 911S is arguably the sweetest of the lot
Of course it has to be in this list, but which do you pick? An early seventies, 2.4-litre 911S is arguably the sweetest of the lot

1 Porsche 917

Like Wagner on four wheels. Count Rossi’s road-registered version is possibly the coolest thing ever to wear number plates
Like Wagner on four wheels. Count Rossi’s road-registered version is possibly the coolest thing ever to wear number plates

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13 Responses to “Influx Top Ten German Cars of All Time”

  1. Anonymous

    You are forgiven for forgetting the VW Corrado VR6, with full leather. Top quality – made by Karmann!

  2. You are forgiven for forgetting the VW Corrado VR6, with full leather. Top quality – made by Karmann!

  3. derekheeps

    The second photo down shows the W126 , which is the successor to the W116 series to which the '6.9' belonged ; the 560SEL variant , whilst not as 'macho' as the 6.9 is arguably a better car , although actually Daimler Benz stated the 500 was the replacement for the 6.9 with simialr performance .

    The 6.9 did not take its engine from the W100 type 600 which 'only' had the 6.3 litre variant of the M100 motor , although without the dry sump lubrication used in the later car . The 600 , in turn , spawned the famous 300SEL 6.3 which DID inherit its engine , thanks to some in-house experimentation by engineer Erich Waxenberger , and owners who have both cars reckon the 6.3 the more exciting car to drive .

    Ommissions ? What about the iconic 300SL 'Gullwing Coupe' of the mid 1950's , the roadster derivative , which between them gave rise to the whole series of SL roadsters which continue to this day ?

  4. Agreed – very suprised the 300SL wasn't in the list! Sheer beauty.

    Glad the Beetle was in there though.

  5. Roy Chadwick

    Why no mention of the BMW 3.0litre CSL of 1973 and the Famous Batmobile!!
    Entertaining in European Touring Car Racing of the time, with Hans Stuck lifting off all four wheels on the famous crest, round the Nurbergring, Timeless!

  6. Totally agreed. A serious omission. But, having said that, any restrictive list must by definition make omissions. It's all about opinion I suppose.

  7. Everyone allways forgets the Audi coupe quattro, my favourite the s2, bullitproof 5cyl engines, 4 wheel drive properly done with a centre torsen diff, and build quality suppassing all bar possibly Porsche( yes incuding BMW), galvanised so no rust, looks that have not aged and practical too.

  8. 10 other cars with a case for inclusion on this list, in no particular order.

    VW Type 2 – truly iconic, and more popular than ever today.
    BMW E30 M3 – the distilled essence of the BMW brand.
    Trabant – in terms of iconic, this represents everything good and bad about the eastern bloc.
    Porsche 356 – A union of sheer beauty and engineering excellence that set the tone for every Porsche to come.
    Bitter CD – Erich Bitters tuned Opels show that it's not just AMG & RUF who can turn out brilliant specials.
    VW Phaeton – The most over-engineered car ever – VW boss Piech famously had a list of 10 requirements from his S-Class beater, including such daft stuff as “capable of being driven all day at 300 kilometres per hour with an exterior temperature of 50 °C whilst maintaining the interior temperature at 22 °C.”
    Mercedes 300SL Gullwing Coupe – Surely every car lover lusts after this car, and the car technically brilliant too, pioneering fuel injected engines.
    Karmann Ghia – the slowest sports car in the world, and that was what VW said.
    Opel Manta GT/E – GM's Capri beater – so good they sold it here without even bothering to stick a Vauxhall badge on it.
    Audi A8 D2 – A great technical leap, notable for being the first all-aluminium car.

  9. The VW Phaeton is one that will never make it on any Top 10 German car list, but for me that's part of it innocuous appeal. It's probably also too new to be considered iconic, but it's no less a testament to engineering.

  10. German Cars

    That all black beetle is so cool. That's a rare find.

  11. I have to add: the 1955 Mercedes 300 SLR oversight must have been an accident. Correct? Oh, and the 1979-81 BMW M1?