Whats the nicest car you have ever driven?

[yellowbentines]

honestly, my own E Class. I've been privileged to have driven some very fast, very old & valuable and some very rare cars over the years, but none as 'nice' as my E Class, it's overall a very, well, 'nice' car!

[al1991]

I've driven a Lambo LP640 and a Ferrari 360 CS.

They were the most brutal, quickest, noisiest, most fun, and most adrenaline fuelled drives.

But the nicest? Not by a long shot.

I really used to enjoy pottering around in my old Series III Landy, and my Mum's 300TDI Discovery 1. They had charm and character (not that the Italians didn't).

[Hitch78]

Aston Martin Vanquish. My favourite car right up until that point. Never meet your heroes. Still the 'nicest' car I have ever driven but far from the best.

Edited by Hitch78 on Monday 21st March 09:00

[mickymellon1]

a red e-Type Jag, a Mondeo would out perform it but the noise, road presence and that that it made old giffers smile as you drove by was excellent

[Hudson]

750i. Brakes were ste, handled like a boat but in a straight line, watching the front of the car lift slightly from the power was great fun.

then i had to give it back and get back in my mk2 ST24

[M5 Russ]

The nicest is most likely my own e39 m5 although for shear fun my old v8 powered TR 7 convertible complete with filler and multiple coloured panels was epic. Destroyed many reputations in that especially when it was fitted with the original TR diff. It only did a ton but by god did it get there quick

Also have to give a big thumbs up to a Vauxhall Carlton 3000 GSI - a very under rated car that now seems to have disappeared altogether.

[The Wookie]

'Nicest' was probably a Lambo Diablo 6.0VT, but it was desperately uncomfortable for someone my size and thus felt like a bit of a pig.

My favourite is probably the old man's 550 Barchetta. I'm a big fan of the 550 as an all round road car, and although the Maranello is a marginally better car dynamically for having a roof, if I had to choose between them it'd be the Barchetta every time.

[Alfaguy]

My own Porsche 997S is the fastest car I have driven and obviously it is the most impressive - but then it cost a lot so it should.

My favourite car on a cost / smile basis were my Fiat 128 3p's that I used to own. Lovely handling and sound with good performance for a 1.3 engine.

The Fiat 127 comes a close second - pity Fiat can't make pure drivers cars like those anymore.

[Neil1300R]

Nicest?
Probably my Aston.
Most memorable I've owned - Rx-7 - just so much fun at the time, would probably hate it now (12 + years since selling)
Most memorable I've driven - Ford GT. Such an immense experience, fantastic sound. Wouldn't want to own one though - wayyyy too wide for British roads
Either that or the Dino GTS (only been a passenger in that)

[The Black Flash]

Porkie said:

fatboy69 said:

Cannot decide between the Ferrari 288GTO or the F40 that i have been lucky enough to drive.

So i'll go for the ex Mansell JPS Lotus 92 F1 car that i drove at Silverstone a few years ago.

awesome

Definate winner. Though I imagine "nice" might not be the best description of such a thing.

[300bhp/ton]

char5 said:

Just been reading the thread on what is the fastest car you have ever driven. What I want to know is what is the one that has put the biggest smile on your face?

Last year I drove a Ferrari F430 which was amazing. Did some silly speeds, noise was amazing and I could not believe how fast it could go. However, I was also lucky enough to have a quick drive in a Jaguar e-type series 1 3.8 roadster, this put a massive smile on my face because it was such a pleasure to drive at normal road speeds. If I was to be able to have one last drive of my life I would definitely pick the Jag.

Okay over to you...

Nicest and biggest smile aren't the same thing for me. Nicest would probably be a 6.0 XJ12, it was truly superb in every measurable way.

Biggest smile, guess it would depend on what I was doing. Reckon I smiled a lot driving my Jeep yesterday...... Although I really enjoyed the first time I drove a DC2 ITR.

[stephen300o]

Murcielago was the most expensive, my NSX is the nicest.

[RobM77]

For me it's a 1998 Ray F4 car (Formula Ford with tuned engine plus slicks and wings). I tested and raced it in 2009 at Snetterton, loved it, but then before I could drive it again sadly it was destroyed in a very nasty accident . It's on my profile pic - I'm in the FRenault in front, and the Ray is following me. I confess, it was extremely uncomfortable and not built to be driven at all, but the handling, setup and everything was just lovely. Just the right amount of grip and power to be enjoyed. In Formula Ford it was Anthony Davidson's car, who then passed it on to a certain Mr Luizzi for the following season.

For a road car the Honda NSX springs to mind. I drove the press demonstrator mk2 (3.2) years ago around a track and it was just an absolutely wonderful car to drive. Also, I have to mention a Lotus, and most of the current range drive beautifully. It's hard to pick my favourite out of the ones I've tried, but I think it's my 2003 S2 111S Elise, closely followed by the S2 SC Elise. I've not driven a 2-11, but I have a feeling it would trump both of those!

[NoelWatson]

char5 said:

However, I was also lucky enough to have a quick drive in a Jaguar e-type series 1 3.8 roadster, this put a massive smile on my face because it was such a pleasure to drive at normal road speeds.

I drove a V12 E-type and though it was rubbish - obviously early ones are better.

[angusc43]

yellowbentines said:

honestly, my own E Class. I've been privileged to have driven some very fast, very old & valuable and some very rare cars over the years, but none as 'nice' as my E Class, it's overall a very, well, 'nice' car!

I haven't had the privilege of driving many fast, old, valuable and rare cars so my W211 E500 is easily the best car I've personally driven.

In terms of previous highlights since I passed my test in 1991 a few others spring to mind as benchmarks

- driving a GTV6 from Edinburgh to Mull and back in the mid 80's was an experience and a half. That NOISE!
- driving a 205 1.9 GTI in the mid 80's was also eye-opening in terms of how much faster it was than my Sud Sprint at the time
- the first drive I had in a MK1 MR2 in the late 80's was a revelation as to what the Japanese were actually capable of.
- driving a slick shod ex-race Exige round Hethel in the mid-90's was an exercise in brain re-calibration

Edited by angusc43 on Monday 21st March 12:51

[jonstable]

Bentley Arnage, my favourite car. Awesome road presence and enough torque to move a small planet

[toxgobbler]

Bentley Mulsanne Sport (Auto), the 1991 version rather than the new one. Was fabulously sumptuous and for something with the aerodynamics of a barn it shifted effortlessly with grace.

[DannyVTS]

In all honesty a Saxo VTS.

I haven't driven much..

[tractorguy]

I had a BMW 320 auto with the M-Sport bits and bobs on it as a courtasy car. Had it for a month and loved it, saving for my own one now.

[Pork]

Nicest? Probably a 550 a few years back. Just a really nice car to drive. Not too stiff a ride, not too offensive to Joe Public (in dark blue), lovely interior, lovely sounds, and when you wound it up....sublime.

Or a Bentley GT. Lose the image and that's a pretty nice place to be.