Window Shop with Car and Driver

This Car and Driver celebrate beauty itself. First issue, then branded as Sports Car illustrationwas published in 1955. In 1961, then editor Karl Ludvigsen brilliantly renamed the monthly magazine to Car and Driver. Then, in the January 1983 issue, the editorial mission boomed with the introduction of the annual Top 10 list. It’s just been a brilliant choice ever since. Full 40 years of brilliance.

Okay, Renault Alliance is on the first list. It was a mistake. Just that one mistake. Nice record.

So Window Shop, the beloved Zoom-based competitive used car shopping show, took on the challenge of finding good examples of cars that appeared on the 10Best lists during the first decade of the 10Best era. That was between 1983 and 1992. The price cap was set at $50,000 – and no option came close to that.

Oh look, the Dodge Daytona was on the 1984 list. That’s two mistakes. Only two.

Wait, Fiero 2M4 with Iron Duke 4 also made the list that year? Nonsense!

The participant of this episode is editor-in-chief Tony Quiroga, whose Machiavellian machinations have served him well throughout his career. He can’t turn off planning for an hour of fun on YouTube. He found something-or-other. Oh, a. . . Center. Ouch.

Executive Editor KC Colwell used his keen insight to invent the Mercedes S-Class. Senior Editor Joey Capparella did a great job sourcing nuggets CD history. Road & Track senior editor John Pearley Huffman, who keeps popping up for these things despite not working here, found the Acura to be an excellent one. So sweet.

But that CD current favorite freelancer Jonathon Ramsey tackles this challenge like plywood. Go watch and appreciate the glory of his choice.

Here’s a history of the 10 best stories to guide your own speculation. Remember, this episode of Window Shopping is limited to lists created between 1983 and 1992.