What are the ten BEST cars GM ever made?

Another automotive Web site (which apparently is written and read by people who don't actually like cars, because at least half of its stories are "worst" and "fail" lists) asked its readers to nominate the ten worst cars GM ever made. Hundreds of comments were made, of which at least half were ignorant or incorrect (e.g., "My sister's Iron Duke Cavalier was the suxxors!").

People on the GRM board actually like cars, so I'm curious: what do you think are the ten BEST cars GM ever made?

My list: 1948-53 Cadillac Series 62 / 1965-70 Chevrolet Impala / 1977-96 Chevrolet Caprice (and platform-mates) / 1988-98 GMT400 trucks / 1991-02 Saturn S-series / 1992-99 Buick LeSabre (and platform-mates) / 1997-04 Chevrolet Corvette (C5) / 2000-06 Chevrolet Suburban/Tahoe (and GMC versions) / 2005-13 Chevrolet Corvette (C6) / 2014-present Chevrolet Corvette (C7) /

What would your list look like?

C5 Corvette
Saturn Sky Redline
3rd gen Camaro
2nd gen Firebird
K10 Blazer
Saab 9-3 Viggen
Trailblazer SS
Pontiac GTO 6.0 (last gen)
G8 GXP
Cobalt SS Turbo

I couldn't narrow it down to 10 because they have turned out some amazing stuff, but 65 Riviera has to be in there somewhere for the styling alone.

Pontiac Vibe
Chevy Prism.

Hmmm....1997-current Corvette, GMT400 trucks, 68-72 Chevelle, 71-73 Camaros, 70-76 Firebird, 78-88 G body especially the Regal GN and GNX, 1970-73 Buick GSX, 2004-2006 Pontiac GTO, Pontiac G8 GT and GXP,69-74 Chevy Nova and Trailblazer SS....I think thats all of them

Boat tail Riv/C2 Corvette/'57 Chevy/Pontiac GTO/GMC Syclone/Cadillac CTS-V/Buick Grand National/60's Suburbans/50's Caballero-Fiesta-Nomad-Safari wagons/and for some reason I keep coming back to 60's Nova's...

I want to nominate the current CTS-V and specifically it's wagon variant. This is only because I've been driving it around all day and it's awesome. Have they really built 10 cars better than this?

2004+ Chevy Silverado 2500HD Duramax.
1989 Camaro RS
1971 Camaro RS
1970 Chevelle SS 396
1970 Monte Carlo SS
1970 Olds Cutlass Supreme

This is coincidentally almost the full list of GM cars that I've owned. I must infer that either I choose what is best, or I happened to buy only awesome GM cars on my own.

I left off the: Pontiac Grand Am and the 81 Chevette because they were bad ideas when I bought them and I damn well knew it and did it anyway. FWIW, I'd still take the Chevette on a list of "best" cars to convert to mid-engined death machines.

I Can't figure out pics from my phone but I want to throw in in the Euro Opel Manta GTE especially in '400' group B . also the Vauxhall Astra GTE 2l 16v. (Sold here in lamed down version as the Dawoo LeMans once it was old hat). Ascona, Chevette HSR etc. They have made some awesome cars. My Manta GTE is one of the cars I miss the most after selling

1955 265-V8 Chevy Game changer there.

1988-96 C/K. Changed how everyone looked at trucks. They road better, drove better and got better fuel economy than half the cars in their lineup at the time and paved the way for hte SUV craze.

C5 Corvette. I don't think I even need to explain this one.... it's pretty self evident. GM became SERIOUS about performance in late 1996.

CobaltSS/Ion redline. Turbo or Super. They put the power back into compact FWD cars, kept the prices in check and were faster than snot sliding out of a sick kindergarteners nose in the middle of flu season.

73-91 Suburbans. This, IMO, created the SUV craze that we are still dealing with. TONS of room, lots of people hauling, super tough. What else at the time could you haul 9 people with all their luggage for 2 weeks while pulling a camper/racecar/boat?

94-96 Impala SS. OK, it was a bit of a compromise on an old chassis dating back 2 decades.... but damnit if it wasn't cool as hell. Big car, decent handling, good power.... Perfect.

04-06 GTO. Brought RWD back for GM. Really good chassis mated with the fantastic LSx, IRS and made all the right sounds.

CTS-V. Take an Impala SS, give it twice as much power, better handling bigger brakes and a manual trans. Don't like it? You're a communist Bob Costas. Period. It's a slice of American pie served up by a hot bikini clad waitress wearing a 1911 on her hip and a tattoo of the american flag on her right boob.

2001-up HD trucks Duramax/Allison combo. This started the "Torque Wars" for domestic diesel pickups. Such a great combo. May no longer being the biggest baddest kid on the block, but it's still strong.

W-body.... I know I know.... everyone loathes these cars.Impala/88/GrandPrix/Regal. In reality they are super reliable cars. the Series II 3.8's were a great drivetrain in those. good power, 30mpg highway and durable.

C6. Takes the C5 to a whole new level of serious performance vehicles.

Dr. Hess wrote: Pontiac Vibe Chevy Prism.

What you did there. I see it.

1963 Corvette

1970 Trans Am

1964 GTO

1969 Z/28 Camaro

1969 427 Corvette

1955 Bel air

1966 Chevelle

1977 Trans Am

1970 Buick GSX

1957 Bel air

68 Camaro RS

Any Suburban

K5 Blazer

GNX/turbo buicks

Corvette

CTS-V Wagon

Escalade (long wheel base only)

Corvair Monza

60's 4 door impalas

Volt

'65 Riviera
Regal GNX
'Vette ZR1 (new one)
'Vette ZR1 (C4)
Holden Commodore SS Ute
Caddy CTS-V wagon
Pontiac GTO Judge
'69 Camaro Z28
'63 Impala SS
'57 Nomad

GNX, CTS-V, Cobalt SS Turbo, New GTO, 69 Camaro, C5/C6 Corvettes (well probably the C7 too), Trailblazer SS, Typhoon/Syclone, G8 GXP, Volt

Too many to list, but here's a few that jump out:

1965 Corvette--- first year of 4wdb

1957 Bel Air---- 283cid--283hp

1970 Olds 442 W-30 ---- goes like stink, but also comfy and refined

65 GTO--- one year only styling---best looking Goat ever

2014 Caddy CTS-V wagon---- I just love that they had the balls to make it!

C6- Z06 Corvette---- mind blowing right out of the box-- and great looking too

1968 Firebird 400 --- overlooked Pony car--- faster than Mustang or Camaro, and better looking IMHO

1965 Riv---- elegant, but still badass

1966 Olds Tornado---- FWD, fast, ground breaking-- cool styling

1958 Caddy convert----- impossible to ignore, impossible not to smile when you see one

I've always loved these:

Pretty much everything else on my list has already been covered.

Most of mine are a little bit off the main stream. It's more that they had the guts to build them vs sometimes being the best of brand. I would love to have any of these in my garage.

14 CTSv

70 442 hurst

71 Corvette LT1

C6 Z06

73 Firebird SD455

65 Rivera

69 C10

59 Impala

87 GNX

63 Olds F85

Dr. Hess wrote: Pontiac Vibe Chevy Prism.

"best" is very subjective.... I learned my GM lesson a LOOOOONG time ago. I owned a automatic equipped base model Vega....

I like threads like this (as opposed to "worst of" or "top fails"). Years don't matter to me because these all competed in their own eras just like they do today. For example, just because I don't want a 1976 Camaro, doesn't mean it wasn't pretty great for its era. Here are 7 that I can think of.

1. Corvette
2. Kappa roadster (Sky and Solstice Red Line or GXP or base models)
3. Solstice Coupe (my preference is roadsters, but coupes are cool)
4. Camaro
5. GTO
6. Volt (It's NOT an econobox! It's a nice sedan!)
7. I heard the G8s were pretty awesome

Swank Force One wrote: C5 Corvette Saturn Sky Redline 3rd gen Camaro 2nd gen Firebird K10 Blazer Saab 9-3 Viggen Trailblazer SS Pontiac GTO 6.0 (last gen) G8 GXP Cobalt SS Turbo

Throw out the Saturn for the 4th gen F-body twins and you have my list. Oh and the TBSS is now the Saab version.

C7 Vette
C6 Vette
C5 Vette
Cadillac CTS-V
Volt
GTO
G8
Cruze turbo MT
Buick GNX

In reply to oldeskewltoy:

So your judging all of GM on that horrible car

I bought the wife a one owner, low mileage, well maintained corolla. The one everyone here says is unkillable and a perfect appliance. Yeah, threw a rod through the block going down the highway three days after we bought it. Left my 8 month pregnant wife on the side of the road in 98* heat. I don't bad mouth Toyota because of it.

Only one on my list. The best truck I every drove, a 63 Chevy 10. It had a more modern 250 straight 6 engine and a added stump puller 4 speed. It had 4 coil spring suspension and handled great loaded or unloaded.

I will probably never add another one to the list as I swore never to buy a GM again.

Too many for me to list, but my votes are:

'61-'65 Corvan/Greenbriar/Rampside

'64 Corvair Monza (110 or Spyder)

'66 Corvair Corsa (140 or 180)

Tri-Fives

'68-'72 Oldsmobile Cutlass (S/442/Hurst)

'66-'67 Toronado

'65 Buick Riviera

'34 Cadillac V-16

'61-'68 C/K trucks

C2 Corvette

C5/6/7 Corvette

GMC Motorhome

There's more, but that's the short list.