Cars You Must Drive At Least Once Before You Die

[jeremyc]

As reported in The Times today (you may need to register to see this link), Auto Express have come up with a list of 50 cars that they reckon you should drive at least once before you die (see full list below).

So, to keep it simple:
1. What are your 10 cars that you think it is essential to drive in your lifetime, and why?
2. How many in the Auto Express list have you sampled?

1. Mini Cooper
2. McLaren F1
3. Porsche 911 C2
4. Ford Model T
5. Citroën DS
6. Ferrari 575 Maranello
7. Lamborghini Murcielago
8. Jaguar E-Type
9. Lotus Elise Mkl
10. AC Cobra
11. Bentley
12. Caterham 7
13. Volkswagen Golf GTI
14. Subaru Impreza Turbo
15. Fiat 500
16. Volkswagen Beetle
17. Citroën 2CV
18. Peugeot 205 GTi
19. Mercedes S55
20. Range Rover (new)
21. Dodge Charger
22. Ford GT40
23. Mercedes Pagoda SL
24. Land Rover Series 1
25. Audi Quattro
26. Honda NSX Type R
27. Aston Martin Vantage
28. Ford Escort Mexico
29. TVR Tuscan
30. Range Rover (original)
31. LTI Taxi
32. Mini
33. Austin 7
34. Smart Cabriolet
35. Ford Sierra Cosworth
36. Austin Allegro
37. Alfa Romeo V6
38. Saab 92
39. Datsun 100A Cherry
40. Morgan
41. DAF 55
42. Nissan Skyline GT-R
43. Nasty £5 nail
44. Jaguar XJ
45. MGB
46. Morris Minor
47. BMW Z1
48. Suzuki Cappuccino
49. Toyota Prius
50. Sinclair C5

>>> Edited by jeremyc on Wednesday 26th February 22:10

[Bodo]

re 1.) 1. Mini Cooper, because it's hell of a suspension 3. Porsche 911 C2, because it's a hell of an engine sound 5. Citroën DS, because it's a hell of a stylish design 8. Jaguar E-Type, because it's *the* British sportscar 9. Lotus Elise Mkl, because of power/weight ratio experience, I assume 10. AC Cobra, because acceleration should be interesting 24. Land Rover Series 1; discover the basics of all driving 27. Aston Martin Vantage for Bulldog Spirit experience 29. TVR Tuscan: find out what PHers are gassing about 37. Alfa Romeo V6, because of the Italian 'amore' engine

re 2.) 1. Mini Cooper (driven) 3. Porsche 911 C2 (driven) 5. Citroën DS (driven) 8. Jaguar E-Type (driven) 13. Volkswagen Golf GTI (driven) 15. Fiat 500 (driven) 16. Volkswagen Beetle (driven) 17. Citroën 2CV owning 20. Range Rover (new) (driven) 23. Mercedes Pagoda SL (driven) 24. Land Rover Series 1 (driven) 30. Range Rover (original) (driven) 32. Mini (driven) 37. Alfa Romeo V6 (driven) 44. Jaguar XJ (driven) 45. MGB (driven)

lots of driving left then

>> Edited by Bodo on Wednesday 26th February 22:27

[chaparral]

I agree with every single one of the fifty. To this I might add:
1. One truly top-flight racecar at the absolute peak of the sport. That means the Lotus 49 or 72, the McLaren MP4/4, the Ferrari F2002, the Chaparral 2K Indycar, the Porsche 917/30KL, the Hendrick T-REX, and no others.
2. I'd substitute the Model A for the Model T; the A was the first modern car and we all should know what we're coming from.
3. One vehicle that is truly massive. Not your garden-variety articulated lorry, but a freight train or mining truck.
4. One vehicle not powered by an internal combustion engine. This could be electric, steam, fuel-cell, direct jet thrust, etc.
5. One vehicle of your own design and construction.

[shmern]

Can I just point out, aledjones should be happy with car number 36 (TVR forum reference)

Shmern

>> Edited by shmern on Thursday 27th February 10:22

[gnomesmith]

39 so far.

Add.. Lancia Aprillia (pre war) and Aurillia Coupe, Chain Gang Nash, any original Bugatti, K3 MG, 1960s Lotus Elite, Elan Sprint and, wait for it any Bristol to must drive list.

Take out a whole lot of the cars on the list but ensure that the Morris Minor remains.

[dontlift]

Only 23 for me,

Must Try Harder

[gnomesmith]

I started in 1956, some seven years before I could hold a car licence, makes it a bit easier.

I had a friend, Mac, who owned a minimum of 30 cars during his first 18 months as a driver, couldn't compete with him!

[robp]

Took me a while but I have come to a total of.......................one!

Lotus Elise round donington.

I must make a concerted effort to experience all these automobiles in my lifetime. I think we can begin with some generous pistonheaders lending my their cars for a few days. In the interest of scientific research obviously!

[gnomesmith]

I might be able to source an Allegro...perhaps not!

>> Edited by gnomesmith on Thursday 27th February 12:58

[jondokic]

Can't do this without showing off, but what the hell...


1. Mini Cooper-owned. (Original, not the German MaxiMini)
2. McLaren F1-See profile
3. Porsche 911 C2-yep.

6. Ferrari 575 Maranello-test drove, wow !!!

8. Jaguar E-Type-owned a 2+2 once, cheap heap at the time

10. AC Cobra-drove a friends on a track. Point it, punch it, and pray...

12. Caterham 7-I can get in, I just can't get out again. Fabulous handling though.
13. Volkswagen Golf GTI-Jarel's first proper car.
14. Subaru Impreza Turbo-test drove, bought the Forester for greater practicality. Then my wife made me sell it
15. Fiat 500
16. Volkswagen Beetle-Is this a joke? Handling+performance+comfort+practicality+safety free zone
17. Citroën 2CV-see above.
18. Peugeot 205 GTi-Red, with a black stripe and black windows. Classy it was not.

20. Range Rover (new)-Ugly, but capable

22. Ford GT40-I nearly bought one, when they were very cheap. But I didn't. Mistake
23. Mercedes Pagoda SL-My father had one of these.

25. Audi Quattro-Ur-quattro in the eighties.

29. TVR Tuscan-I've only ever driven a Chimera. I sense my PH membership being revoked as I write.
30. Range Rover (original)-What a shed.
31. LTI Taxi- I've driven one for a very famous passenger though.
32. Mini-see 1
34. Smart Cabriolet-don't seem to have been designed around human beings.
35. Ford Sierra Cosworth-rejected when I bought the quattro, as it caught fire on the test drive
37. Alfa Romeo V6-164 fabulous engine, shame about the car. A comment which also applies to any Lambo IMHO

42. Nissan Skyline GT-R - doesn't half go, lacks emotion though (even compared to a 996C4)
43. Nasty £5 nail - Where to start...
44. Jaguar XJ- V12 is like floating on air. Until you reach a corner
45. MGB-the most popular of all classics, and for good reason. Shame they're all driven by pipe smoking, real ale drinking, bearded morris dancers.
46. Morris Minor-see above.
47. BMW Z1-
48. Suzuki Cappuccino-Can't get in. Jarel's fiancee has one. It's v. rusty...

50. Sinclair C5-One of my companies purchased one to assess it for use around site. It didn't work from day one and the career of the manager who bought it bought it a few weeks later...

I've driven all of the above. Half of them deserve a place in the list. Half of them deserve a place in the scrapyard. Surprised the Muira's not on there. Another car much better to look at than drive.

[verysideways]

Glad i'm not the only one who missed the Miura...

VS

[Superflid]

I know that any sort of "Best" list will cause arguments, but some of the choices leave me asking "Why?"

4. Ford Model T - As has already been said, not the first.....
5. Citroën DS - Way ahead of it's time, but now?
16. Volkswagen Beetle - ??????
17. Citroën 2CV - ?????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!
24. Land Rover Series 1 - The first Land Rover, but based on the Willeys Jeep.
30. Range Rover (original) - Not the first On/Off roader, the Japs were there earlier (and jondokic is right!).
31. LTI Taxi - The point is?
32. Mini - Mini Cooper AND a standard Mini?
33. Austin 7 - Would rather drive the Taxi....
34. Smart Cabriolet - No comment.
35. Ford Sierra Cosworth - A fast Ford, little more.
36. Austin Allegro - Now someone is just being silly.
39. Datsun 100A Cherry - A Cherry which rots faster than a pear.
41. DAF 55 -
43. Nasty £5 nail -
46. Morris Minor - See 5. (Not C5)
48. Suzuki Cappuccino - Toy car.
49. Toyota Prius - Somebody might see me driving one
50. Sinclair C5 - Nobody else drove one, why should I?

[jeremyc]

So come on then, what is your top ten (any why)?

There can be any number of personal reasons for wanting to drive a particular car, not necessarily just because its the "best".

I'm working on my list at the moment - its difficult but I think it will include a broad range of experiences.

[Superflid]

Still scratching my head and trying not to fill the list with Supercars.......

[gnomesmith]

jondokic said:
. MGB-the most popular of all classics, and for good reason. Shame they're all driven by pipe smoking, real ale drinking, bearded morris dancers.

I'm a great B fan Jon but you are wrong about the pipe.

[Superflid]

Here we go then.
1. Mclaren F1
2. Porsche 959
3. Ferrari 355
4. Bentley
5. XJ 220
6. A "real" works rally car
7. Thrust SSC
8. TVR Speed 12
9. Any current F1 car
10.Laverda Jota (O.K. it's not a car)

>> Edited by Superflid on Thursday 27th February 14:57

[gnomesmith]

Superflid said: Here we go then...
7. Thrust SSC

But try to avoid what happened to Bluebird when Campbell, bowing to press critisism, allowed somebody else drive it at Debden. The driver of the saloon car driving along the A road when Bluebird passed across it inverted at high speed was mightly impressed, we waiting to see a power run the following day were not.

Andy Green, that man deserves respect.



>> Edited by gnomesmith on Thursday 27th February 15:08

[manek]

I can muster:
Citroen DS -- gorgeous
Caterham 7 - ferocious
Golf GTi - quite fun
Fiat 500 - big fun but s-l-o-w
VW Beetle - nasty
Citroen 2CV - fun in a quirky kinda way but HAS to be driven in France
Peugeot 205 GTi - big big fun
Mini - essential
Smart - not very nice at all
Datsun 100A Cherry (the shame) - horrid
Morris Minor - big (I was 14 when I drove it)

-- er, fewer than I thought!

[jeremyc]

In no particular order (and excluding racing cars never available for the road - thats another list):

1. Caterham 7: epitomises the Chapman ideal of light weight and pin-sharp handling. And it is where I was born & raised.
2. Escort RS1800: classic rear wheel drive rally-stylee fun.
3. McLaren F1: still the daddy - redefined 'supercar'.
4. Any large articulated truck - the more gears, cylinders and weight the better (OK I know its not a car).
5. Hummer (the original): off-road excess.
6. Ferrari 250 GTO: the classic classic.
7. Ford Mustang GT500: American muscle personified.
8. Any OTT American convertible from the '70s: providing I can drive Route 66 coast-to-coast with the hood down.
9. Bentley Mulsanne Turbo: the Gentleman's Club of motoring.
10. Lamborghini Diablo: just so that I could say that I had.

Mmmm - a list of 50 is much easier to put together.

As for the Auto Express selections, I'm not doing too well on quantity but I'm up on the diversity:
- Morris Minor
- TVR Cerbera (well its nearly a Tuscan, only better )
- Caterham 7
- Pug 205 GTI
- Audi RS2 (well its a Quattro, not the Quattro)
- Mini (in lower case)


>> Edited by jeremyc on Thursday 27th February 15:28

[Gompo]

I've only driven one of these, and that is...

the Sinclair C5.