WINNER’S ANNOUNCEMENT:
We’re back to announce the winner for our Question of the Week, where our victor will accept a $25 credit for a hat or T-shirt from the BaT Gear Store and the acclaim of their peers.
Our question this week was: What’s the one vehicle that best describes your taste in autos?
Thanks to everyone who participated! Even in the midst of the holiday season, you still managed to rack up more than 100 comments. Narrowing your automotive taste down to a definitive example is tough work, so there’s really no wrong answer here. That said, this is a contest at the end of the day, and the 240-Series Volvo earned the most mentions this week. BaT member @PWSchuh was first to nominate a 245 Turbo specifically, but since he’s still coming off an early 2025 win, we’re passing the award to the runner-up—@Sjalabais!
“You guys at BaT always pick so pitch perfect lead images. I’m baffled by how well you keep answering your own questions of the week, visually.
Yes, I am a Volvo guy. Everything cubist that looks like a five year old lead the design team goes straight into my heart. Volvo 140, 240, GAZ 24, Toyota Century or, my current only collectible, a 2003 Centennial JS350. Looks like a peak-’80s product, hit the market in 1998.”
Image: Volvo Cars
Like the 740 Turbo Wagon featured in our original post, the 240 was also a contrarian brick. And the wagon variant was a popular choice this week. Great job, Sjalabais, and everyone else of like mind!
Now, let’s take a look at some other popular nominations from this week’s discussion thread, starting with @sludgo‘s comment, which received plenty of love from the BaT community:
“MK VIi Golf R, 6MT
o driver engagement with manual transmission
o ample power
o good steering feedback
o excellent brakes
o good handling
o well-designed cockpit
o supportive seats
o good technology
o practical as a Swiss army knife”
All good reasons why the Mk 7 Golf R became an instant classic.
“Jaguar Mk ll – grace , space and pace……….”
“Jag MK2. I’d add “once the fastest sedan in the world and yet embraces the driver in burl and leather luxury inside” to @bluesrocker’s comments. A classic that can hold its own on SOCAL freeways.”
“The Datsun F10. Because it is as quirky as my taste for automotive ugly ducklings.”
The F10 was Nissan’s foray into the North American FWD segment, but it wasn’t quite the sales hit. It’s an oddball for sure, and we’re continually impressed by the BaT community’s knack at finding some redeeming quality in almost anything on wheels, even for the F10.
“TVR Tamora. I like British cars. I like convertibles. I like funky paint colors. I like 1990s-early 2000’s cars. It’s my dream car because of this.”
“Well, the vehicle would be a manual. It would have steering feel. It would be light. It would be quick & fun to drive.
As I write this summary it is starting to dawn on me what that vehicle is: Lotus Elan Sprint.
Quite possibly why I have owned a Miata NC Grand Sport, a Porsche Boxster & a Honda S2000. While barely fitting into them (6’3″), the Elan would be nearly impossible to get out of. Ha.
Oh, and happy holidays to all. Hope 2026 is a banner year for your automotive dreams”
“Lamborghini Miura. AKA unobtainable, inspirationally beautiful cars.”
“My automotive tastes are all over the place, but one vehicle makes this week’s question easy, the Lamborghini LM002.
Why? It’s powerful, it can handle, it laughs at potholes, it’s great off-road, it has long-legs on the highway, it makes magical sounds, its got character for days, it has never apologized, it’s entirely analog and it was only available with a manual transmission.”
And we’ll wrap it up with two autos that embodied the variety of taste from this week’s comment section:
“https://www.chasealum.org/article.html?aid=1447
Because my tastes are eclectic.”
“Ice cream truck.”
Image: Chicago Tribune
That’s it for this week’s question of the week! Thanks again to everyone who participated, and congratulations once again to our winner, Sjalabais. We’ll be back with a new question soon.
ORIGINAL POST:
Welcome to the BaT Question of the Week! For those unfamiliar, here are the rules: we ask an automotive-themed question, and the author of our favorite answer from the comments is awarded a $25 credit to the BaT Gear Store.
This week, we’re asking: what’s the one vehicle that best describes your taste in autos?
In danger of stating the obvious, we all have different tastes in cars. For some, our automotive dispositions evolve over time, while others remain true to their first love. But there are deeply personal reasons that we gravitate toward one model or another.
Perhaps you hang your hat on a bumpside Ford because “they sure don’t make ’em like they used to,” or maybe you savor the proud contrarian brick in the wind, like the Volvo Turbo Wagon above.
Remember, we’re talking about vehicles that describe your automotive taste, not you as a person (we asked that question back in 2024). And feel free to tell us why! With that, we’ll turn it over to you:
What’s the one vehicle that best describes your taste in autos?
Tell us about it in the comments, and give a thumbs-up to any other nominations you deem worthy. We’ll announce the winner on Monday.
My MGB. Love at first sight for me, way back when. Sporty and youthful, and something next to a spaceship sighted on the campus of UND. A big hit with the fairer sex. And all the dudes at the frat-house. I liked to think it looked like me back then and that I looked like it, just like I like to think it does these days. I like its friendly face and rorty exhaust. Its comfy black leather seats with piping match the Olde Englishe White paint. I like its grey-painted spokes instead of flashy chromies. It looks as cool top up as top down. The nostalgic yellow glow of its Lucas headlights was matched by the nostalgic red-glow bulbs of its taillights. Not the coolest or most expensive in the field, but still happily welcomed to the party.
Yeah….it’s still not for sale….
;^)