What car started your life as a petrolhead?

[parapaul]

Some people will no doubt have wistful stories of Ferraris and Lamborghinis postered across their bedroom walls as a child, but I was a late starter. This is perhaps a strange entry, but I remember being about 10 years old, sitting in the passenger seat of my dad's car as a bright red BMW E30 323i, complete with M3 replica bodykit, blasted past us on a country road. I watched it disappear into the distance and thought to myself "I want one of those"



That style of car still appeals - the boxy, square lines really do it for me. The next car to tickle my fancy was a Lancia Delta HF Integrale. Spotted on the Sega Rally arcade game, and then realised my uncle was running one as a daily driver. His was red, and not as cool as the liveried rendering from Sega, but I still loved it.



Nothing really inspired me for quite a long time after that, until I saw a red (yes, again!) Mk 4 Golf GTI in my rearview mirror on the motorway. I think it must have had some extra body styling because none of the pictures I can find do it justice.

Again, nothing tickled me for several years after that. Of course, I can appreciate nice cars - I can look at pictures and write ups of all sorts of sports cars, supercars, but they just leave me feeling a bit... flat, I suppose. My current objet d'amour is this blue RS6 Avant.





It's the shape of the car that appeals to me as much as it's rather yummy noise and impressive performance figures.

Over to you lot then - how did your journey start?

[joebongo]

Lincoln Town Car back in 2003. Had it for 24 hours and decided I loved luxo-barges and auto boxes. Never looked back.

[sc4589]

I think mine was in-built. There was no specific moment of realisation, just always had enough Matchbox cars to fill an Olympic sized swimming pool.

My first distinct memory of petrolheadedness was when I was about 4 years old. I was out looking for a new car with mum, and remember going to a dark, dingy little garage. It was nicely kept, but, this being Huddersfield, overcast days were the norm. It was raining. As per usual.

Anyhoo... I remember seeing something low and grey on the showroom floor, in the back corner. As I got closer... a pair of spotlights made themselves apparent. Then a nice set of dogleg alloys.

My first ever glimpse of a Ford Escort XR3i, 90 spec, in Mercury Grey.

I remember peering over the door sill and looking upon the Recaro interior, and desperately wanting the car... 17 years later, I still would have one, just to scratch my first ever petrolhead itch!

[mattley]

My first motor was a MK2 Escort Van, that did it for me.

[MGZRod]

[Caruso]

Triumph TR7.

[t84]

My brothers 1.9 205 Gti

[Daveyraveygravey]

Parapaul, great thread, I thought we must have been twins-separated-at-birth, until that removal van at the end of your thread M3 (just re-read that, not even a proper M3!) and Delta Integrale...mmm...

For me, it was probably the Starsky & Hutch Gran Turismo, sad I know. Or my uncle had a Daimler Dart, he was a jet pilot in the RAF, bit of a legend. He took my dad out in it in the passenger seat, with me perched in the area where the hood folded down (I don't remember it having proper back seats) down this bumpy country road and I am sure we had a ton showing...

Edited by Daveyraveygravey on Sunday 25th July 21:24

[sc4589]

Daveyraveygravey said:

Parapaul, great thread, I thought we must have been twins-separated-at-birth, until that removal van at the end of your thread M3 (just re-read that, not even a proper M3!) and Delta Integrale...mmm...

For me, it was probably the Starsky & Hutch Gran Turismo, sad I know. Or my uncle had a Daimler Dart, he was a jet pilot in the RAF, bit of a legend. He took my dad out in it in the passenger seat, with me perched in the area where the hood folded down (I don't remember it having proper back seats) down this bumpy country road and I am sure we had a ton showing...

Edited by Daveyraveygravey on Sunday 25th July 21:24

Torino.

[TotalControl]

I have 2 really. Back when I was almost at the end of primary school in 1994, my uncle was driving a red Mitsubishi GTO twin turbo. When he put his foot down it scared the st out of me. And I liked the power I felt. Then, on the same journey, there was a Celica GT4 that must have just come out of the showroom. It whizzed past us in such a way that it really got me smiling. Completely left us on the roads we were travelling through.

[useyourdellusion]

One of these.

[url]|http://thumbsnap.com/iyQPjlim[/url

My dad drove it on his bike license and I absolutely loved it! I was about five when he passed his driving test and chopped it in for a Mini. I cryed my eyes out when I realised the Regal was going. I didn't speak to my dad for a few days. Totally gutted!

Then came a succession of interesting metal including a Rover P6 3500, various Austin 3 litres and Westminsters, then my favourite - a mk2 Jaguar 3.8 manual. My god I loved that car!

[ex vtskid]

Don't know really, just always liked them. My first word was Peugeot believe it or not! My Grandad had one and when he came round the corner my Mum would say "Theres Grandad in his Peugeot". Parents never liked them so didn't have that influence

My first "dream" car was a Fiesta XR2i that a lad across the street had, liked Pug Rallyes because of the stickers they had as well

[Phil Dicky]

What used to be in here started my life as a petrolhead,



Oh and this car;

Edited by Phil Dicky on Sunday 25th July 21:41

Edited by Phil Dicky on Sunday 25th July 21:45

[maniac0796]

I always had loads of matchbox cars, and my favorite ones of those, I think there was a BMW E36 M3, a Ferrari F40, Mk3 Escort convertible, 190e Cosworth and stuff like that, have shaped my favorite cars.

As with the OP, I really like the boxy, straight lines of the older 80's and 90's cars. And my favorite class of car has to be the performance/super saloon. I love the idea of being comfortable and in luxuary, but also being able to put your foot down and have super performance, and super handling.

[delmatt]

I have two early perolhead memories. They used to hold a vintage Hillclimb at the end of my road, we used to spend four days sat on bales watching from arrrival on Thursday Evening to the Hillclimb on Sunday. I would have been five or six at the time. The second memory of a cool car would have been when I was about 8 the neighbors daughter would get picked up by her boyfriend in a cool dark green Porsche 911 with a whale tail.

[XJR500bhp]

Didn't really need a car to get me started i was born wiht it

Edited by XJR500bhp on Sunday 25th July 22:10

And to the OP fair play for spotting a 323 was sporting a replica kit at age 10

Edited by XJR500bhp on Sunday 25th July 22:11

[Westy Pre-Lit]

Something that looked a bit like this.

[Plotloss]

When I was 4 my mother got an e-type.

I blame her.

[MidlandDan84]

My dads Renault 5 GT Turbo Raider, G Reg, fantastic car, that was it.

[Garett]

Aged around 5 years old my uncle rolled up in a brand new one of these.