The best car in the NYCT is the R-32. Strange how it is younger than a good deal of the redbirds, all other 60ft. equipment in use on the B div, and yet it will outlast all of them. R-32's are durable, fast and best of all, they have a railfan window (plus, you can look through the cracks of the hinges and see the speedometer. Nothing beats that [you can also do this on the R-38]). R-32's ride better than their R-38 cousins, and also look better (in my opinion). They match up better against any other B division equipment and most A division equipment. R-68/A's are alow peices of crap, and the R-46/44's are not the best MDBF performers. I don't know about R-143/160's yet, but it looks as though the R-32 will continue to be the best peice of equipment into it's retirement.
As for historical cars, BMT D Types were the best (from what info. i've gathered. Keep in mind that I never rode on an R-10 or R-16, much less any pre-unification equipment.) They were an excellent concept, and with today's light metal alloys, a car built like the D types (articuated) would be much lighter on the structures that they run on. I don't think that the D types were re-built (please correct me if i'm wrong.). However if they were, they could have lasted much longer than they did.
Anyone here disagree with them cars being the best?
(Note, I don't know anything about pre-unification IRT cars. Anyone with something to add about them would be helpful).