First thing is first: We are talking about a 2008 Deutsch sled. Sure, everyone would love to pull a 1953 300 SL out of the ground, but that's not why we're here/ We're here to pick a current offering from our weisswurst eating good buddies that will best illustrate the 2008 state of the German automotive scene in 50 years time. Got it? Gut. If we were to travel back in time to… 2004, I'd be all about stuffing a Phaeton W12 into the earth. Chairman Piech's "Best Car in the World" was (to some) exactly that. More importantly though, it was a symbol of Germanic Automotive ascendancy. Volkswagen had just purchased Bentley and Lamborghini and was in the process of of reviving Bugatti. Daimler was DaimlerChrysler. Imagine how many times General Patton spun in his grave because Mercedes-Benz owned Jeep. Porsche was on top of the world launching both an SUV and the Carrera GT. Not to be out down, BMW had just released the best ever Rolls-Royce, the best ever Range Rover and (to some) the best ever Mini. But in the world of cars, years are in fact dog years. Four years is a long time ago. So, which one's it going to be? I vote for the RS4 Avant, because I'm certain our grandchildren will appreciate a perfect car. You?
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Mercedes CLS 63 AMG or BMW 3-Series.
The CLS AMG should be obvious, but the 3-Series because it has more or less conquered the world at this point, killed sales of D-Segment cars in Europe, and completely dictates the terms of the $30-$45,000 car segment.
There is only ONE choice
PORSCHE 911
I agree. The Porsche 911 Turbo. It has soul, passion, the looks, the speed, the heritage and is definitively German.
What more could you ask for…..?
bmw e39 540
The 2008 E39 540?
I’ll 2nd the 911 but instead opt for the 911GT3 – the ultimate drivers 911.
Let’s properly seal this one so it’s not a toxic waste dump – as if it is ruined it will be a travesty instead of a joke like Tulsa’s project.
Porsche 911
No question here.
Well, the VW Golf is Germany’s best seller, and a GTi would be a perfect representative for cheap, fast, and frugal car.
But if we’re going for the best: either BMW 335 or RS4 Avant.
And in the land of excess:
RS6 (avant, because a 4.3s 62mph run in a wagon gotta be a riot)
CL 65 V12 AMG
Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
BMW 3-series.
Hands down my fav: the Cayman S.
As great and spectacular these cars are, I don’t think there’s any German car worthy of being placed in a time capsule.
BMW 130i (I assume if it’s available in Deutschland it’s fair game).
Audi S5. Just perfect.
If we are going for a 911 let’s choose the best: Ruf CTR3
S65 AMG
or
M5
Cayman. If not, some other Porsche.
E63 AMG
Golf GTI.
Gotta agree with the tribute to excess: CL65 AMG. Two turbos, 12 cylinders, and well over twice as much torque as an RS4.
911. Any other choice is wrong.
The 911 is a great choice, but when excavated would just puzzle onlookers.
“How did someone get a brand new, 2058 911 into a fifty year old time capsule?”
RS4 on the other hand (sorry Jonny, sedan not wagon)…
Probably a 911 as a memory that it was the king of the hill. No one could touch it as a performance value until the R32 GT-R then the R35 and Z06 showed up.
If you want to beautify the planet, bury one of those ugly Audis. It’s a small step but you gott start somewhere.
If you want an example of, say, why people drive German cars, you could bury a nice 3-series. They are fine automobiles.
Or bury a VW. For a reasonable price, VW offers a very nice driving machine with good performance, capability and safety. Either a VW passenger car or a 3-series would probably be the archetypal German car.
If you bury the VW, though, include the repair receipts from the owner’s previous few VW’s, so that future generations will have some insight into the VW owner’s mind.
The Opel/Vauxhall/Saturn Astra.
“The Car that Killed General Motors.”
S-class = benchmark
The Audi A8 TDI, no contest.
Jonny Lieberman : The 2008 E39 540?
the 1998 e39 bmw 540i6 to be precies – way better state of the art german autogeist than anything out this year.
Lots of good automobiles to pick from. The Porsche 911, the benchmark of the usable sportscar. The Mercedes S class, again the king of the luxury sedans. The Audi RS4, amazing all weather performance from the brand that made all wheel drive synonymous with performance. But when I think german cars I think of sports sedans and the sport sedan that best reflects the group is the BMW 3 series.
The BMW 335i specifically.
I’ll second the Audi RS4 Avant.
the new Auto Union uberCoupe I can’t afford ;D
Porsche 911 GT3
I think the one German car that future generations would look back upon with amazement and bewilderment, which also represents the pinnacle of todays technology and is somewhat commonplace is the Porsche Cayenne.
Definitely the 911 GT3 and _not_ the coarse Turbo.
Decisions, decisions. I’ve picked the RS6 Avant because it does so much well and typifies a German marque – speed and function.
It pains me not to pick a BMW as I’ve owned a few (E36, E46 and E39 models), but the new models are so butt-ugly I cannot do it.
911 or 3 series are the obvious choices.
Which makes me wonder – what happened to Benz?
how has no one mentioned the Audi R8 yet!?
The 911 is almost too easy. No, I think the CLS carries the day, both on its own merits (most beautiful German sedan in many, many years) and also because it’s from Daimler-Benz, probably the most conservative automaker on the planet.
I vote for the Phaeton, that car really was a monumental breakthrough, regardless of it’s sales. That just proves that the public wouldn’t know what an amazing car was if it fell out of the sky and bashed them upside the head.
Audi RS8 by a mile….er…kilometer over the 911…a beautiful form with much utility, while a blast to drive in all weather. Not even close.
Audi RS8….beautiful?!?!?it look as if they have left the trucking plastic on the side and it looks bulky and overweight. See it in the metal.
whoops, meant the R8