Feel Good Cars

[vanman1936]

I have always been drawn to feel good cars, flawed gems in many cases, but cars that make you want to go for a drive just for the sake of it.

Been lucky enough to have driven and/or owned some great metal in more recent years and have just swapped the superlative 996 TT running about 500bhp to a Maserati Gran Turismo 4.7 MC. Not as quick nor as nimble, however road presence and feel good factor in abundance whether standing still or gunning the screaming V8. Looking back have had some fantastic cheaper motors that fit the bill also....Fiat Coupe, Z3 MCoupe (cheap back then) and GTV V6. Old(ish) and cheap(ish) AMGs also have a charm.

What motors have touched your souls?

[dvs_dave]

Pretty much any TVR

[ATTAK Z]

350Z made me smile

[Mr Tidy]

BMW Z4 Coupe puts a smile on my face every time I drive it!

Back in the 80s a MKII Escort RS2000 and two Capri Injections used to do the same - seems like a thread about more grunt than grip! (And RWD of course)!

Edited by Mr Tidy on Tuesday 29th November 00:38

[AdamIndy]

PROPER mini's. Great fun, even at 10mph.

[Lagerlout]

M3 CSL
Lotus 2-Eleven
CLK Black Series

Got lots of other emotional attachments to cars, but driving these three is something special.

[spaximus]

My first car, a Cortina MK2 which had a full race motor etc. It made me smile on every trip. Broke down a bit, was not fast by todays standard but it that something about it.

When I drove to Newquay from Yorkshire it was an adventure, will it make it? How will it be?

Now jump in any car and thrash to Germany, much better cars but miss that feel good that it had.

[HustleRussell]

Caterham

[GravelBen]

I think the Mk1 MX5 provided the highest smile/mile (and definitely highest smile/$) ratio of anything I've driven so far.

Its like the automotive equivalent of a spaniel, always wanting to play but friendly enough that you'd have to do something pretty stupid to make it bite you.

[jazzybee]

GravelBen said:

I think the Mk1 MX5 provided the highest smile/mile ratio of anything I've driven so far.

Its like the automotive equivalent of a spaniel, always wanting to play but friendly enough that you'd have to do something pretty stupid to make it bite you.

This! The best value smiles available - as fun to drive as much much more expensive cars. I've had 3 and my Mk1 RS still provides more driving thrills on the UK roads than my Aston or pretty much any other car i have driven. I can only imagine a Caterham could beat it (I really need to try one).

[Alex_225]

Twingo 133!

I've driven various fast hatches and own much more powerful cars yet my 133 always puts a grin on my face.

[briang9]

My S8, always a pleasure to drive, its just a stunning piece of quality engineering

[anonymous-user]

205 GTI 1.9. (And 1.6)
106 Rallye.
306 Rallye.
306 GTI-6
205 Rallye.
106 GTI
405 Mi-16

Basically any hot Pug from back in the day was amazing. Looks like they are coming back to form with the 208 GTi Peugeot Sport, but for the love of god please ditch the name!! Just call it the 208 GTi and forget about the boring one.
I really want one. If I had 100k to spend -

106 Rallye
205 GTI 1.9
911 Turbo
M5 Touring V10 SMG
E46 M3
Audi TTS

[Limpet]

Of the cars I've driven lately, the M140i. Made me smile in a way no new car has done in ages.

[MikeT66]

Ford Puma!

[RobM77]

Any Lotus

[r11co]

It's the weekly 'post the name of a car you like' PH thread.

[cerb4.5lee]

My Cerbera for me had a great feel good factor, I've not driven or owned any German cars that have hit the spot though and they just lack any soul/character.

Maybe I need to drive a 911 or similar to see if they have the character/feel good factor.

[Exige77]

RobM77 said:

Any Lotus

Specially S1 Exige

[OverSteery]

2CV. - relax and enjoy the world.

people let you out of side road and are pleased to see you.