Most influential car as a kid?

[skyrover]

My first trip to America as a kid, I got a lift in one of these



it was totally unlike anything I had ever see in the UK and was like floating on a cloud down the highway

[TWPC]

In the late seventies a friend's Dad had a Citroen CX 2400, riding in which made a permanent impression.



Another had a black Saab 99 turbo which ultimately led to my Dad making his best purchase ever, a 900 turbo. Booooost!



This changed the world when I was ten.

[Blib]

The first time that I saw a photo of one of these I fell in love. A square arch, Alitalia Stratos.

[jl34]

Lamborghini Countach (athena poster anyone ?)
De tomaso Pantera - used to go to the club meets at castle combe with the Lambo club. - just to drool!
Tvr wedge 400/450 se - david gerald sportcars used to test the 420 race car round our town - what a noise!
And for every day the Rover SD1 especially the Vitesse. My dad managed to get a ropey 2600 automatic once but it still felt special at the time!

[wjb]

Mercury00 said:

This one:

Spot on.

Failing that, in the real world, it's this.

[Gruber]

There were two for me:

First, Dad's Mk2 Escort RS2000, in yellow (reg no. CAR 37T!) which he owned for a couple of years in the early 1980s. It was a striking car, and quick in its day, but its impact on me was mostly as a result of seeing, and starting to really understand, how it was Dad's P&J. It sowed the seed that cars could be aspirational and exciting to own: that they have the power to stir the emotions. Undoubtedly more than any other, this car was the root of my love of cars.

And second, a ride in a LWB Land Rover at the age of about 2.5 years old, up the hill from the waterfront at Clovelly in North Devon. I wanted one ever since... a dream which was eventually fulfilled last weekend, approximately 34 years later.

[Boydie88]

The first thing I ever saved up pocket money for...


Remember my mum saying "one day it will be a real one".

One day...

Wouldn't mind having £30k to spare now...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Chrysler-Dodge-Viper-GTS...

Edited by Boydie88 on Monday 5th October 11:21

[anonymous-user]

Jaguar XJR-14, 1991 Silverstone WSC, at the end of the first lap it had a lead of something like 14 seconds over the Mercedes, the Peugeot and the 962s... everyone in the stand at Copse was speechless... I still think it is the greatest racing car Ross Brawn designed.

[Tuvra]

I had a model of this that I loved:

Then I seen one of these in the flesh and fell in love:

[SirSquidalot]

[darren f]

I'm gutted that I never got to see one driven in anger in the forests.





I did get to see a few of these though, a close run second. It did lead to far too much money being on spent on Scoobys though.

I'm a bit of a bobble-hatted rally saddo I'm afraid

[FilH]

Was all about them cosworths in the 80s and 90s for me, when i was at school..


Which is why Ive got one in the garage now

[Rude-boy]

For me it would have to be theSpeed Yellow 968CS that a late motor trader arrived on our drive with when they were first out. Until then the only Porsches I had ever had eyes for were the pure racers and the 959.

I could not take my eyes off it the whole time he was there and crawled all over it.

Nearly 20 year later I bought one and still have it today. I plan to save my family the cost of a coffin one day by being buried in it

Nothing like as much ‘want’ but I have also had an itch with these as well:-

Boydie88 said:

Wouldn't mind having £30k to spare now...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Chrysler-Dodge-Viper-GTS...

Edited by Boydie88 on Monday 5th October 11:21

[aka_kerrly]

It's a tricky one, there have been plenty of cars from my childhood that have had a big impact on me.

Like many others I had my favourite matchbox car which was the Smokey & the Bandit Firebird.



However my first trip to the Birmingham motorshow gave me an opportunity to see one of these and then get to sit inside.

[framerateuk]

Always the Esprit for me. Had Lotus Turbo Challenge II on the Amiga for my 8th birthday and I was hooked.



I keep saying I'd love to own a Esprit V8, but I just don't think I've got the will to keep on top of all the maintenance. One day maybe when I've got a spare garage space.

[lel]

My dad had a Audi 90 quattro when i was a wee nipper, that 5 pot burble and endless grip got me hooked. Still want one today.

[MikeT66]

The two Ford Capris that we had - my mother's silver 2.0S trumped my father midnight blue 1.6 GL. Both I thought were fantastically cool, and loved the long-bonnet/coupe style...
...no doubt driven by this - the Pontiac from The Rockford Files. Still remember it cruising around in those episodes.

[JMF894]

TWPC thank you this is exactly what I was referring to in my original post!

http://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/...

[isv]

Ferarri 308, in an unexpected British Racing Green-like colour. Parked in a lane near Dunster in Somerset mid-late 1970s. That is the only car image that has stuck with me throughout my life. I still think that if I ever ordered myself a new Ferrari I would have it in that colour, funny how historic memories affect you years later.

[klunkT5]

Jag MK2, My dad was a company director in the 60's and got his first new Jag FPF821B a MK2, 3.4 auto in indigo blue with a light blue interior a year after i was born. The car had quite an impact on me as he kept it for 5 years because he liked it so much, I went out in it a hell of a lot with him, Ive owned 5 in total over the years, Here's my 3.8 i have now in the colour i love, Its got a light blue interior aswell and i get the odd flashback when i'm inside it (Mines got a close ratio manual box tho ):

Edited by klunkT5 on Monday 5th October 19:48