What’s Your Idea Of A Well-Made Classic Car?

Wow! Great question!
For me quality can have different meanings depending on the vehicle. As pointed out in the article, a classic Mercedes defines quality through its robust construction and strong factory support, yet for its mechanical engineering, a classic Alfa Romeo is also a very high quality automobile despite sparodic parts availability and a body shell being rather “approximate” and prone to rapid disintegration. A 1972 Chevrolet pickup is a high quality vehicle despite being very crudely put together because of its honest simplicity and rugged technology that enables it to soldier on with clever updates from newer Chevrolets. What is not quality for me is anything boasting lots of clever gadgets as a panacea for lots of plastic, hands-off mechanicals, up to the minute styling (as opposed to styling for the ages) and engineered-in obsolescence in the form of said gadgets being impossible to economically repair as the vehicle ages, requiring wholesale replacement, ultimately compromising the ownership experience much like a permanent stain on a favored article of clothing.

My first Saab 900 (pre GM) was a well made car, it needed only regular servicing and maintenance over 100k miles, no rust, the interior was worn to a nice patina, and it still pulled well at 130k, I sold it after a low speed front end shunt that basically dented the bonnet but destroyed the rear of a more modern car, I wouldnt bet against it still being in the road now, will have to check that out!

Good engineering usually looks beautiful. Innovation attention to detai. Valuing good design and aesthetics. Surpassing the likely customer’s expectation. Emotionally engaging the customer, noise, feel, lookshistorical reference. Leading the field. Compromising design for performance benefit, if that is required. The correct material for the right result. McLaren F1, Ducati 916.