Truck.
Wagon.
Hatchback.
Sedan.
Coupe.
Sportbrake.
Crossover?
Seriously, what is your favorite body style? If you say any style with the word “coupe” where the actual vehicle has more than two doors… we will consider banning you from this website.
By Jeff Glucker
Jeff Glucker is the co-founder and Executive Editor of Hooniverse.com. He’s often seen getting passed as he hustles a 1991 Mitsubishi Montero up the 405 Freeway. IG: @HooniverseJeff
Kamil Kaluski
Roadster, because B702.
http://www.randygrubb.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/760.jpg
What a Blast !
This is the kind of thing that shows that the French knew how to design a car. Well for the elite at least. I love seeing these at Concours. Rolling pieces of art deco.
This is the kind of thing that shows that the French knew how to design a car. Well for the elite at least. I love seeing these at Concours. Rolling pieces of art deco.
While that’s true, Randy Grubb is Californian.
http://www.randygrubb.com
Oh I thought this was a Delayhaye or one of those.
Yes. It looks like it should have been designed in the 1930’s, but is entirely 21st century.
Pillarless hardtop – I burn easy and I’m perpetually looking for shade when outdoors, but it’s about as open as you can get while still having a roof.
https://ccmarketplace.azureedge.net/cc-temp/listing/122/867/16474387-1987-mercedes-benz-560sec-thumb.jpg
Make my pillarless a longroof, please.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0X0WQ-4GETE/UwqHvHyrEeI/AAAAAAAAJxQ/xkIA9qOeJ8w/s1600/C._1968_Cadillac_62Wagonand63Sedan.jpg
Is that real? That wagon is amazing. I’ve always loved the way ad men drew the 60s cars, they look so low and wide
Unfortunately, it only exists digitally. Someone with design skills took an actual brochure’s style and filled it with modified rooflines, etc. fitted to that era’s actual models.
There were some hardtop wagons in the late 50s, I think Oldsmobile and Mercury, plus others.
Actually, I was going to punctuate my post with a Buick Caballero until I stumbled across the Caddy wagon image.
But the hardtop wagon bodystyle was built at least through the mid 60’s. https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2012/02/09/hemmings-find-of-the-day-1964-chrysler-new-yorker-town-and-country/
https://assets.hemmings.com/blog/wp-content/uploads//2013/02/1957BuickCaballero_01_1500.jpg
I have to give the hoon-default answer of station wagon. Generally, they have the footprint of a sedan but considerably more utility and space inside, plus better weight distribution. In any model for which there is a wagon variant, that’s the one I prefer.
My favorites include the 120-, 140-, and 240-series Volvos, ’62 Pontiac Catalina Safari, ’92 Olds Custom Cruiser, BMW E39 Touring, and the ’60 AMC Ramber American Super that I really need to find time to restore. My mom drove me around in a green ’82 AMC Concord wagon when I was a kid, so I have a soft spot for those, too.
These days, Volvo is the wagon king with their V90 and V60, in my opinion. The Buick TourX / Opel Insignia is pretty nice, too.
“plus better weight distribution.”
Note: applies only to front engined wagons.
With rear engine vehicles, the Forward Control is balanced the best as the driver balances the drive train: https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ee23ee643980125d7718d1218e0a8840da325dd61bc00f4a8c17ce3ebfde7d5e.jpg
Ha! I actually thought about that when I wrote it. I think that an engine designed to occupy the same space as the cargo is completely asinine, so I exclude rear-engine wagons from my assessment. Loading up a rear-engine wagon makes both the weight distribution and the steering considerably worse– why was this ever considered a good idea?
Just think about all that sweet traction when going uphill in the snow! 😉
Very true, actually. A VW Beetle with snow tires can literally plow snow over the hood.
Hatchback/Shooting break/2 door wagon. More utility and backseat room for infrequent passengers while keeping the overall length down. Unfortunately, no OEM’s agree with me.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c3ee8b0ad16dad493a1352ba5b38573db32369ad64d108dcfd8842165acef66a.jpg
Even in SUV form!
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ab63d2f174add91d6f6dd68e337ac62c19253139f730d6ede6266b9605b5a8fb.jpg
This is what my Rambler could look like if it were restored, except mine’s black over dove grey with what might generously be called “patina”. It’s currently sitting under too much crap in storage to even get a photo of it. Maybe once I get all three kids through college, it will get some love.
http://www.collectorcarads.com/Picture6/13048718824986.jpg
None of the above. Simplifies maintenance.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0050/4252/files/flyer_5_grande.gif
I miss Atomic Toasters , sad to see the archive is gone.
I wonder if someone has a copy on a hard drive somewhere. There were some cool articles
???. What is Atomic Toasters? I feel like I missed out on something.
For several years Hooniverse had a not-particularly-automotive… counterpart? sister site? evil twin? that disappeared a while ago without warning or explanation:
https://web.archive.org/web/20181230182750/http://atomictoasters.com/
Unfortunately Intense Debate got hacked or something, the site was filled with spam, and cleaning it up was a Sisyphean effort. Despite multiple tries, I think eventually people ran out of will and time to fight the good fight.
It’s a shame, but to be honest if I’d been in charge I’d probably have made the same decision. Boring, tiresome slogging through spam without pay gets to be boring and tiresome after a few weeks/months.
Mom?
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/76aa5068dc4579e762ff6d9b8245c0793bb51a405fa4b4ad735a72c428a80789.jpg
Cousin?
https://live.staticflickr.com/8244/8520264324_a09e32e2b1_o.jpg
My long time favorite is the van , versatile and roomy. Have two of them. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c2756345640c4b155bc0dd30234c88a3cc84f02cb32e9dc68845ccc6649e84f8.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/eab09bd81470a33b839ce6bf2d62c65af25707b019ec5c6601f957b5f7a2e689.jpg
My dad has always owned a van, and though he doesn’t drive it as much these days, he still has a ’97 E350 extended van that was a used airport shuttle when he bought it. We have used it many times towing home my restoration projects.
Some of my favorite vacation memories were in his ’72 Club Wagon, which looked exactly like this one on BaT that sold for $34k last year.
https://cdn.bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/1972_ford_econoline_15362464512f1e71a9e6f120180824_133114744_iOS-940×705.jpg
I’ve owned 8 different pickups since I was 15 years old. I will always own a pickup. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/db15ede3678228a12f237a326d5bdc16b9cf4d425bb793be6bb567d5a22a93fa.jpg
I’m sorry, but you will have to be more specific. Standard cab, crew cab, long bed, stepside, convertible top, etc.?
I’m sorry, but you will have to be more specific. Standard cab, crew cab, long bed, stepside, convertible top, etc.?
pre-kids: regular cab, 8′ bed
post-kids: crew cab, 6.5′ bed
I sorely miss having a pickup. I couldn’t sell my wife on the “crew-cabs-are-perfect-for-families” idea.
That’s funny – when we go to the cabin, or on longer road trips, my boys practically beg to take the truck because of all the room they have. In fact, I can’t imagine a more perfect family vehicle than a full crew pickup.
I think if I’d bought one before my wife and I had kids, I might have been able to convince her, but we have three children now and they’re not small people. My 13-yo son is over 5’11” and 10-yo daughter is 5’4″. Nothing less than a full-size SUV or minivan gets approval.
Standard (?) cab, standard (?) bed, aircooled, 2 cylinder boxer, CVT: https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6438559faa3cb703574a9d3de6cc7ae466dab877b3cda06f7debc127e36780f2.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d34e39e6ba70fcc9ef476818c94aad6aaf3e3f868a48eb21907521bbac07d544.jpg
While I’ve owned Scouts, pickups and vans exclusively since I sold my SAAB in 1991, I can’t say they’re my favorite, just the most popular with me.
SCLB. Best balance of load capacity and maneuverability.
? ? SCLB
Single cab long bed
SCLB –
Single Canadian, Likes Bacon
Post-war, pre-malaise large* 2-door convertibles. I did upvote pillarless hardtops and 2-door wagons, though.
*not sports cars
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f8dfe4a02b70f34a8e3dd51fa39e998ed5e9d8741b1cc335b5a4557d23e95f4a.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/80d11a63496b72a1364236f0b390dd172179a5157451fa11b63f7214d86fb998.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4e33796cd068a01f5d49e9600c94e1dbb9042ed4becc47c254e9cb7582097541.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f6f16602f585613b592636b43785a433de8f01f55b61a1662a41cd3aae66377a.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7cf32cbe223e1d5bc52a0c3ba18a639c0fa559418caa87a868a0b6b8a87f8888.jpg
He has a point.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/58117ac33f1e2050a693a60053f065262b07fe99ef597a1bf58f467bca466a1b.png
I had a ’73 Pontiac Grand Ville. Seventeen feet long and 4 feet tall. 455 4bbl and I had it when they had to sell off all the leaded gas for $0.89 / gal.
There are so many permutations of Pontiac full size model names and overlap with trim packages from the early 60’s until Malaise, I have a hard time keeping them all straight.
The dual cowl phaeton
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Cadillac_Series_452-B_Dual_Cowl_Phaeton_1932.jpg
The passenger car based Coupe Utility aka Ute. The performance and comfort of a car with load carrying capacity. 1994 60th anniversary Falcon pictured, hardly the best ute ever but it does also show the original 1934 ute. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/cce474afa3a5c7c1f5ef73a9b41f016b0d329ea48a6c31f1c4f97eea352e2c37.jpg
Have a Datsun U320: https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a82ae626ea2acd9b62c72590d73aae3c08514e8bd8fd9a9bd1d986da3e20bb58.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9a2de532d613c1781d0db0763a04d883903b3c0dc8be6082c5b88a4f52e057f3.jpg
Nice one. Looks like it might be in NZ?
That is sweet!
Nice one. Looks like it might be in NZ?
It’s in The Internet, so I’m not entirely sure. Oz or NZ.
If I had to have just one vehicle it’d be an extended cab / short box pickup like my Dakota was or my Ram [effectively] is.
If it had to be one vehicle it would be all-the-vehicles: https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/1a3efa7b835b2cbc90fbdec382c46913aaf6086a772e94e9ac970360f7989396.jpg
I’m a practical sort, and have always loved hatchbacks and small to mid-size wagons. I’ve owned several of each from the ‘62 Buick Special wagon that got me through college, to my first ever new car (a ‘79 Chevette – yeah, well it was cheap) to my ‘91 Taurus and my current ‘17 Chevy Bolt EV. I tend to carry more stuff than people, I guess.
Racing tank.
http://sbiii.com/smottpix/tnkhist7.jpg
OK, the real answer is probably fastback/liftback type stuff. Wagons and shooting brakes are definitely more functional, but I’m inclined to pick a “favorite” body style based on emotional response, and in that case something along the lines of an A5, DBS, F-Type, etc. just look too cool to pass up.
Wouldn’t you really rather have a Buick?
https://live.staticflickr.com/8081/8304896170_00c6ed4137_b.jpg
Wait, but I thought Dodge builds the Hellcats…now I’m all confused.
GM made up for it by letting Plymouth make Suburbans.
Packing crate https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/47f0a0a7f3dfec4f15275dc34d6e06f8cebaa91d8e05516abfece3da3d373f3a.jpg
A nearly immobile one until that tire is aired-up.
Late to the party, but I’m partial to:
– 2 door coupe or convertible (style over practicality)
– 2 or 4 door hatch (stylish and practical)
– minivan (the Swiss army knife of vehicles)
I’ve owned 4 of the first, 7 of the second and 2 of the third over the years.
The most popular body style sold today is the good old Station Wagon. They just don’t call them that anymore. They are called SUV, Crossover, hatchback and a few others. But, they are variations on the classic family hauler. Small box for the engine, large box for people and cargo. Personally I will never buy any vehicle labeled a “Crossover”. That is the dumbest term for a body style ever created. As for SUVs, very few approach being sporty.
The standard, square four door sedan, specially boxier ones like this 1988 Chevy Caprice. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/31ebf7c775411639bf4975f2bdb9549f1b644fa99e1b93b9b26078aa477ae4e6.jpg
It’ll be liftbacks for me.
You get fastback styling and aerodynamics (or as automakers nowadays like to say, “coupé”, but I will not call it that, I’ll refer to the shape instead), you get the cargo length of a sedan or wagon, and better cargo versatility than either a vertical hatchback or a sedan. It’s not as good at handling cargo as a wagon, but it looks better IMO, and the aero benefits are worth the lost cargo for many applications.
And if you really need the cargo versatility, hard to beat a van.