Top 10 Automotive "All-Rounders"

This list is about cars which are the most versatile stock or most easily modifiable to fit any use and also points awarded for most often, and most uniquely modified. These criteria were used in the compilation of this list.

#10. Jeep Cherokee + Grand Cherokee

The Jeep Cherokee and later Grand Cherokee struck a good compromise between capability and everyday comfort. The original XJ Cherokee had 4wd, seated 5, had loads of cargo space, good for on road drive, and capable off-road as well. Off road ethusiasts could easily mod their XJ’s with items such as locking diffs, winches, lift kits, and bigger tires to get a very capable off road machine. The later Grand Cherokee added further comfort and luxury while retaining some of its off-road capability. The Grand Cherokee SRT-8 saw the creation of a true beast of a machine, meant for the road and track not the trails.

#9. Nissan Silvia (240sx and 180sx in US)

The Nissan Silvia range is world famous for how easy it is is to mod, and even make a professional drift car. It is cheap, rwd, and has tons of aftermarket support. You can 2jz swap it, twin-turbo it, or if you are sacrilegious put in an ls motor. I have even seen it as a rally car, which isn’t that bad of an idea. You can make your Silvia, 240, or 180 however you want it, it can be fast, slow, or all for the shows. Just please treat it well.

#8. El Camino + utes

The El Camino is the classic car-truck combo. In Australia they have utes which provide even more utility and speed. The idea is that you can have a Chevelle based car with the same good engine choices up to the full blown 454 V8, and can have a bed in the back for daily use. The utes from Ford and Holden carried this on after the death of the El Camino. Now they will soon die, but will go out strong as real performance vehicles. Plus, you can mod them the same as their car equivalents.

#7. Honda Civic

The Honda Civic may not be your favorite car, or the best platform, but it has been modded in almost every way possible. The cars are small, cheap, have a good chassis for a fwd car, revvy engines + v-tec, and are very common. Now there is even a Honda Civic awd rallycross car. Often ruined by ricers, they can still be modded to look nice and perform from a slammed show car to a cheap track day option. Can be rallied as well, especially in hatch form. The Civic is also a successful touring car.

#6. Mercedes G-Wagon

The classic German Military based Galandenwagon which has been around for years. For many years a purely utilitarian vehicle the G-Wagon slowly became an icon of wealth and prestige even more than a Range Rover. The G-63 and other AMG models changed the luxury suv game, and created a powerful machine that is still useful offroad and on road. The 6x6 is the ultimate expression of wealth, power, and awesomeness. The G-Wagen continues to evolve, and we wonder if it will ever die.

#5. Mazda RX-7

The Mazda RX-7, like the Nissan Silvia is a cheap rwd two door sports car. Somethings that make it more versatile is its longer production run giving it more variety of models, equal qualities as a drift car or modified car, and how easy it is to V8 swap (sorry). Also, as well as a drift and track car, the first version was a good rally car. RX-7s just get modded more now than the Silvia’s because so many people ruined the Silvias. Also, the handling of the RX-7 is more of a balanced sports car than the Silvia drift machine. Overall, the RX-7 was a very versatile car, and is still popular in the modified car community.

#4. Axiam Mega Track

The Axiam Mega Track was a crossover super created by French microcrystalline company Axiam. Even though only five were ever created, the concept is amazing. With a 400hp Mercedes V12 midship, this car was no slouch in terms of speed and performance. Ride height was adjustable from standard 8” to an amazing 13”. Just imagine a supercar which can go anywhere and adapt to the terrain because that’s what this car is. It doesn’t get much better than this. Too bad there are were only 5 made, because the order list today would be massive. Would be higher, but it only has two uses, and probably would be hard to modify.

#3. Porsche 911

The Porsche 911 is one of the longest running models of csr in history, so making it onto this list was just inevitable. The 911 has competed in almost every level of production car motorsport. LeMan’s edurance racing, and rally are the two that immediately come to mind. Also, the aftermarket community for the 911 is huge and you can have anything from a show car, to a time attack beast. They are not bad in terms of everyday driving, but can still challenge almost anything in the road in the right spec or with modifications. Also, it has back seats, unlike the Boxster and Cayman. The 911 has, and will continue to evolve. In the future an electric 911 may “buzz” on the legacy for years to come.

#2. Subaru Legacy/Outback

First off yes, this is a biased choice. My reasoning is solid though, as the Legacy and Outback platform is easy to modify, has awd, can be made to go on road, can be a track car, and can be a good daily driver. In wagon form the Legacy really show its highest practicality, as you have as much space as you would get in most SUV’s, but without the bad road manners. An engine swap is relatively easy in a Subaru too, just get a smart friend and some extra arms and you could go from 4 cylinder n/a weakness, to the power of an STI engine or Flat 6. The Outback is also very good offroad, better than any crossover on the market, and can be modified to do almost anything. The Legacy has participated in motorsports, being both a rally car and mire recently a touring car. They are also cheap and easily available. They are great cars l, and what they become is really up to your imagination and wallet.

#1. Volkswagen Beetle

Many off you may have seen this coming, as the Beetle has been modified to do almost everything short of fly over the years. You can swap the engine for a turbocharged Subaru engine to make a sleeper like mcm, make a baja bug, or make a full blown show car. The Beetle has done it all mostly due to its availability to the masses, and a solid design that stood the test of time. Even the urban assault vehicle was an extremely modified baja bug. Name something a car should do, and someone has probably made a beetle do it. Some even say the 911 is in some ways a child of the Beetle. The Beetle was a car for the people, and the people did with it whatever they wanted.

Just don't screw it up....

Honorable Mentions: BMW E30, Ford F-150, Ford Panther Body, Ford Model T, Lada Riva, Volvo 240 or 740, Mercedes w123, Audi RS6 and Lamborghini LM002.

Thanks for reading, that is all for today, and happy modding guys! :) Comment any other ideas below and feel free to discuss the list.

#blogpost #50yearsofboxer