Good/Great cars-ruined by image of their drivers

[supacool1]

Hi there!

As I was reading the spotted article about the 'one of one' Corsa VXR, I got thinking about the fact it was and is a great steer but now likely remembered as a chav charriot of choice. I remember fondly how well it drove around Thruxton on the VXR days. And the fact that I liked it more than the VXR-8 - the first V8 I drove. But as the peeps on that thread rightly said it's image is now more aligned to council estate chav's and other (insert your own pre conceived prejudices) associated with that car/perfomance brand.

What other good/great cars are tarred with the same brush of 'Great cars but marred by the dipsttey of the types of owners' and I would never want to be assosciated with that type of person.

It's low hanging fruit but I'll start us off....

Any Performance VXR Vauxhaul...

.....And go.....!

[Jaybee1981]

BMW 140i
Audi RS3
Mercedes A45

All great cars in their segment. All i identify with idiots.

[DaveCWK]

C63.

[supacool1]

Jaybee1981 said:

BMW 140i
Audi RS3
Mercedes A45

All great cars in their segment. All i identify with idiots.

Yup...all low hanging fruit...but always driven by weapons grade throbbers...

[C5_Steve]

E46 BMW M3.

Edited by C5_Steve on Tuesday 28th April 12:25

[Trash_panda]

Rr svr - non legal pharmaceutical seller
Lamborghini - seems to be the brand of choice for young 'course' sellers to parade and 'flex' in

[Unreal]

Golf R every time.

[RDMcG]

Says more about the people who worry about their own image than the people who buy them . I personally have zero interest in buying a hot hatch, EV, Ferrari, any car with modifications, in fact anything used but these are perfectly rational choices for others.

Some people buy cars for image so is it more valid to buy a tasteful Aston that fits the neighborhood and reflects your captain of industry image than a kid buying a used BMW and putting a wing on it to feel it improves performance?

Why does anyone care.?

[WH16]

I would say Range Rover Sport, but it seems most RRS drivers have migrated to the L663 Defender, so that. Especially in quadruple-black.

[Baldchap]

As a former RS4 and Golf R owner, I have no opinion on this topic whatsoever.

[SuperPav]

Out of modern stuff, Golf R and RR SVR both spring to mind, along with RS3, C63.... seems to be a running theme.

Genuinely good cars, but ones where I would (rightly or wrongly) always have a slight nagging doubt about associations with the "typical" image of these. Not enough to stop me from buying a good one, but a consideration nonetheless (I've had a Golf R before, and debadged it).


But the one car that jumps out most at me when I saw the title of the OP is a Subaru WRX or Lancer Evo (of any vintage 1990-2010) - as a car they appeal to me and I grew up around them, but nowadays the image puts me off to the point I'd probably never own one. Irrational, sure, but we all have our own views...

[Unreal]

RDMcG said:

Says more about the people who worry about their own image than the people who buy them . I personally have zero interest in buying a hot hatch, EV, Ferrari, any car with modifications, in fact anything used but these are perfectly rational choices for others.

Some people buy cars for image so is it more valid to buy a tasteful Aston that fits the neighborhood and reflects your captain of industry image than a kid buying a used BMW and putting a wing on it to feel it improves performance?

Why does anyone care.?

I don't care.

I'm just answering the OP's question. It's hardly serious.

[WH16]

SuperPav said:

But the one car that jumps out most at me when I saw the title of the OP is a Subaru WRX or Lancer Evo (of any vintage 1990-2010) - as a car they appeal to me and I grew up around them, but nowadays the image puts me off to the point I'd probably never own one. Irrational, sure, but we all have our own views...

I think they are starting to come out the other side though. The value has risen, the performance is no longer considered anything special, and the earlier ones look positively restrained compared with the modern performance equivalents.

A standard 90's Impreza would probably go completely unnoticed by most people these days.

[NH-0]

Honda Jazz

[Dixy]

NH-0 said:

Honda Jazz

Yes but no but.
Was driven by granny and grandad but since grandad died and granny gave up driving it has been given to 18 year old who is equally unskilled.

[LRDefender]

I agree with the previous poster, who gives a flying flip what other people think as I firmly believe it shows a huge lack of self confidence.

But if I had to choose one car that portrays an image of the owner then it would be any Rolls Royce.

[alscar]

Perhaps geographical area needs to be added in this matrix ?
I’ve just asked my wife whose last 3 cars were an Audi S3 , RS3 and her current RS4 and not surprisingly her view is somewhat different.

[RizzoTheRat]

NH-0 said:

Honda Jazz

This is the winner for me. They're a great car, economical, reliable, huge inside, and a small turning circle and short overhangs make it really easy to park in a tight space. Not so great on a motorway but they're pretty much the ideal city car, yet have this OAP image and don't get bought by younger people in the UK.

[Deerfoot]

RizzoTheRat said:

NH-0 said:

Honda Jazz

This is the winner for me. They're a great car, economical, reliable, huge inside, and a small turning circle and short overhangs make it really easy to park in a tight space. Not so great on a motorway but they're pretty much the ideal city car, yet have this OAP image and don't get bought by younger people in the UK.

We were mid 30s when we bought our Jazz, even the salesman commented that we were somewhat younger than the usual Jazz customers.

Great car though.

[supacool1]

WH16 said:

I think they are starting to come out the other side though. The value has risen, the performance is no longer considered anything special, and the earlier ones look positively restrained compared with the modern performance equivalents.

A standard 90's Impreza would probably go completely unnoticed by most people these days.

Yes this...almost gone full circle.

Bemused by the Jazz addition. But understand, as when I see one when on my motorbike I always expect the unexpected...