old and new cars

Vintage style or modern performance? Retro chic or state-of-the-art? It’s totally your call—which automotive decade was the “best?” (Image/Summit Racing)

Beginning with the 1950s, which decade in automotive history was (or is) the best?

For this exercise, we’re looking only at postwar decades despite all that the first 50 years of the 20th century meant to vehicle innovation and manufacturing.

Before you insta-answer, please take a moment to consider how you want to define the word “best.”

Which automotive decade has made the greatest impact on the industry as a whole? Or, which decade had the greatest impact on you?

Maybe technology is your thing. Today we have radically advanced self-tuning computers, self-parking and self-driving vehicles, and battery-powered electric vehicles redefining both daily drivers and performance vehicles.

But there are other factors too.

The price of a gallon of fuel—gas or diesel. Heated seats. Memories of handing tools to your father in the garage. Attending your first drag or circle track race. The ability to order new parts by hitting a few buttons on your smartphone and having them arrive at your doorstep in two days. Driving your first car. GoPro cameras. Fuel injection. Prom night. GPS-powered navigation systems. That poster on your childhood bedroom wall.

There are good reasons to choose ANY decade because of what it might mean to you.

We’re going to make the case for each of the following decades, one article at a time, starting next week:

You can submit your vote in the comments below, or be part of the conversation on OnAllCylinders’ and/or Summit Racing’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.

There are no right or wrong answers, just a bunch of people being really nice to one another in Facebook comments (*ahem*), while sharing their opinions.

Only one decade can win. You can help decide which one that will be.

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