Car Lust

Car Lust--McLaren F1

I've mentioned before that I don't feature too many supercars in this space; not because I don't like them, but because they already receive enough attention as objects of automotive lust. As usual, though, I'm not particularly consistent on this point, and I'm making an exception for the McLaren F1.

The McLaren F1 gets special supercar dispensation because it was innovative, purposeful and, as a result, truly exciting. Most supercars are very fast, but their speed is secondary to the primary goal--to separate multi-millionaires from their money by making them feel 17 years old again. This was especially true when the F1 debuted in the mid-1990s. Doubt me? Take a look at the supercars of the time--the Dodge Viper, the Lamborghini Diablo, even the Bugatti EB110 were all luridly styled, all, in their own way, a rolling testosterone injection.

Driving Experiences

A lot of local race tracks have a performance driving school where you can take your daily driver and hurtle it around the track with professional instruction.

However, more recently, several of the high-end sports car manufacturers have set up driving experience schools at specific tracks. For example, Audi announced their new R8 one and two day driving experience programs at Infineon Raceway in California. This particular program gives you the chance to drive a $100k+ car on a race track with professional drivers.

Now, Audi are not by any means the only ones that do this - Porsche and Ferrari offer something similar - but I wonder if these experiences just increase the longing for these high performance machines or at least sate the desire for a short while. I would love to get some comments from anyone that has participated at one of these experiences.

-- Darren

Audi Driving Experience
Ferrari Driving Experience
Porsche Driving School

Car Lust--1971-1976 Chevrolet Impala

Like the dinosaur, the massive rear-wheel-drive American full-size sedan once had a long run as the master of all it swurveyed--only to fade slowly into obscurity and disappear entirely, succumbing to competitors more suited to a changing environment.

But, also like the dinosaurs, the big sedans enjoyed a long, glorious run. For decades, the large rear-wheel-drive sedans were at the top of the heap; for many years, the Chevrolet Impala was the runaway sales leader, the most popular of the behemoths.

And why not? Impalas, like their slower-selling bretheren, were large, attractive, soft-riding sedans that offered palatial accommodations and cavernous cargo room at a reasonable price that many families could afford. In those hazy, nearly forgotten days before minivans and SUVs burst onto the scene, Impala wagons carried large quantities of people and cargo, serving as the trusty backdrop for countless family vacations. As a bonus, the Impala's massive hood and trunk lid could double as a helicopter landing pad in case of emergency.

Car Lust--Porsche 928

It is inconceivable to me that the Porsche 928 doesn't have a more glorious reputation than it does. What was one of the all-time great cars of the 1980s (with some spillover from the 1970s and into the 1990s) is remarkably often regarded as a bloated, fat, ugly failure of a car, somehow barely worthy of the Porsche name.

Bah! The 928 was a fantastic car that helped define the sports GT category, marrying supercar performance with comfort and everyday practicality. The 928 had such an embarrassment of ability that it captured the imagination. Considering the standard of its time, it had incredible top speed and high-speed cruising ability; married to its relaxed nature and natural comfort, that made the 928 the perfect choice for bombing along the Autostrada at triple-digit speeds while listening to Chopin, or for compressing a trans-Montana drive from five hours into three. Think of it as an executive Lear Jet for the road.

Car Lust Pop Culture Awards

I've had a couple of requests in recent comment threads for a new post for best driving music, best car movies, etc. So, let's just have a car-related awards post, get people's thoughts, and then I'll compile the results next Friday.

The categories:

Best Driving Music

Best Car Chase (movie or TV)

Best Car-Oriented/Racing Movie

Best Car-Oriented TV Show

Best Car Prominently Featured in a TV Series

Best Car Prominently Featured in a Movie

If you're interested, make your picks, and if I've missed some obvious categories, let me know--I'll add them!

--Chris H.

Car Lust--Buick GNX

Sorry, all, for the slow posting this week--I'll make it up to you with a two-pack today, with one Car Lust this morning and one this afternoon.

---

I'm a fan of turbochargers. It's easy to be seduced by the thrust of horsepower they provide, of course, but I'm even fond of aspects of turbocharging that other people don't care for.

Turbo lag, for instance--it's not great at a race track when you're trying to time your power application coming out of a corner, but for me that split-second delay before the wall of power hits is a delicious bit of suspense. The car feels as if it's gathering itself for a sprint; and the short delay only makes the strong pull that follows even more entertaining. The characteristic whistle of a turbocharger spinning up also annoys some, but for me it's the auditory signal that something special is going on under the hood. That whistle activates a Pavlovian response in me; but fortunately rather than a craving for dog food, it triggers a craving for horsepower.

Soliciting a new banner image

We here at Car Lust HQ are getting a little weary of the BMW kidney-grille banner image at the top of the page. Our sister blog Omnivoracious uses bookshelf images in that spot and keeps things interesting by using pictures of readers' bookshelves--it keeps things fresh and gives the readers a pretty interesting chance to participate.

So--anybody want to submit a car grille for the Car Lust banner image? If we get a lot of response, we'll cycle them through. It doesn't have to be your car, or even an interesting car--I start chuckling when I think about running a Citation grille as our banner image--but I'd prefer it to be your photography so we don't have any copyright issues to worry about.

If you're interested, make sure it's a head-on shot of the front of the car, and make sure it's a big file. Our graphical folks will likely crop and zoom, so the higher the resolution, the better. Just e-mail any submissions to the "E-mail Car Lust" link at the top-right.

I have some I could use, and will if necessary, but that's boring. I'm sure you guys can come up with something much more interesting than I can.

--Chris H.

Group B Eulogy and Videos

There's a great conversation going on in the comments thread of the Lancia Delta post regarding rallying and great rally videos; truly brilliant stuff.

I'm a big rally fan and obviously a Group B fanatic; heck, I've already featured the Audi Sport Quattro, Ford RS200, Renault 5, Lancia 037 Monte Carlo, and Lancia Delta. I'm stunned that I haven't done the Porsche 959 or Peugeot 205, and no doubt the Citroen BX and MG Metro will get their time in the sun soon enough.

Group B was the completely intoxicating mix of ultra-high-technology, incredible speed, low traction, and poor crowd control. Imagine putting a Formula 1 car on a narrow, undulating, gravel road, and lining the sides with people leaning over for a better look. That was Group B.

Brian's Pikes Peak Video

This deserves its own thread, because it is completely fantastic. For those unfamiliar with this event, note the proximity of the spectators, and the long, long drops off the outside of those corners.

That Peugeot is one of my favorite hillclimb cars--a gorgeous, brilliant car, and my preferred mount when I'm living my rally driver dreams by playing Rallisport 2 on my Xbox.

Car Lust--Lancia Delta

Glance at the Lancia Delta for a second, and it looks like a first-generation Hyundai Excel--a boxy little econocar of no particular interest. If left to their own devices, your eyes will naturally slide off the Delta in search of something flashier, more colorful, or more obviously interesting.

However, if you fight that instinct and keep your focus on the Delta, you might begin to see a few more details to engage your interest. Perhaps your eye will dwell on the distinctive grille and its proud Lancia emblem, or the stouter-than-expected tire and wheel package, or the muscular fenders, or the subtly aggressive detailing and rear spoiler. After you've had some time to fully digest the Delta, it doesn't look as much like a flimsy 1980s econobox as it does a fierce wolf in extroverted sheep's clothing. Or something like that.

Our Cars--1951 Cadillac Sedan

Submitted by David Drucker

I want to tell you about the 1951 Cadillac sedan I bought in 1970. Not because it was such a wonderful car--although it most definitely was--but because of a defining experience I had behind its enormous, non-power-assisted steering wheel. First, though, let me introduce the car.

I was 21, living in Brooklyn, and needed something to replace the '65 Dodge Custom 880 that I had, in a fit of pique, sold. For a while I looked at first-generation Corvair convertibles which, thanks to Ralph Nader, were as cheap as cheese. I was about to answer an ad for a red four-speed when a nearby listing caught my eye. It read, “1951 Cadillac 62 sedan. Black. Good shape. $150.” I was intrigued, and not just by the price. You see, in 1970, a car from the early Fifties looked positively ancient. It made a fashion statement that your average late-Eighties sedan wouldn’t begin to duplicate today. Today, such cars seamlessly blend into the overall mix. But in 1970, a '51 Cadillac turned heads, big time.

Car Disgust--Suzuki X-90

Special for today, a Car Disgust twin pack!

When I posted the Yugo GVX Car Disgust a few months ago, a co-worker told me that all the commentary was unnecessary--that simply running the photo would convey all of the horror and derision necessary.

So, it's in that spirit that I present the Suzuki X-90. Gaze at the photos--nothing else needs to be said.

--Chris H.

Car Disgust--Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4

It has been a while since I've done a Car Disgust post, so if you're confused, read this.

I'm on record as being a huge fan of exotic hardware, and all-wheel drive and turbochargers are among my favorite pieces of automotive gingerbread. Combine that with my fondness for Mitsubishis, especially the sporty ones, and the Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4--pumped up with its AWD, twin turbos, and four-wheel steering--should be a no-brainer for me.

But, no. I just can't stand the 3000GT. While it was extremely quick, it was also extremely ugly and--a cardinal sin for a sports car--so heavy that it offered a relatively ponderous driving experience.

Car Lust--Merkur XR4Ti

If nothing else, this blog serves as a months-long expose on how horribly out of step my automotive tastes are. There are a lot of popular cars that don't particularly appeal to me, and there are awful cars that have worked their way under my skin. That doesn't make me special or elite--just strange.

I can't think of a better example of that disparity than my affection for the Merkur XR4Ti. A combination of a weird, unpronounceable name, poor marketing, curiously bulbous looks, and a strange biplane rear wing made the Merkur the automotive equivalent of the Frankenstein monster--a bizarre, deformed creature to be approached with great caution and, preferably, torches and pitchforks. In this case, the townsfolk slayed the monster; Merkur only lasted in the U.S. market for four years.

Car Lust--1971-1974 Dodge Charger

  I'm featuring the 1971-1974 Dodge Charger today, but, after a lot of thought, I'm not dubbing it a poseur muscle car. This edition of the Charger, with its macho looks and fading power, would seem like a perfect companion for overstuffed luminaries such as the Ford Gran Torino and the Chevy Monte Carlo SS. But at the risk of offending those who are concerned with trivial concepts such as "consistency," "fairness," and "rational thinking" I'm going to hold up the Charger and laud it on its own merits. Heck, everybody already knows I'm inconsistent, unfair, and irrational.

So, let's break down the Charger's qualifications for poseur muscle car status.

Car Lust--Mercedes-Benz C111

Sorry for the lack of Car Lusts yesterday and today, folks--I was out yesterday spending time with my daughter, and have spent this morning digging out here at work. Not a good excuse, I realize, so let's dispose with family and work and concentrate solely on what's really important--old cars.

Last week's Audi Avus (a car that, I'm surprised to say, was roundly panned here) was all show and no go--a car notable for its styling, but with vaporware under its curvaceous skin. Today's Car Lust wasn't so much a show car as a series of concept cars. The distinction between show car and concept car is a fine but important one.

$5,000 Challenge Results

I'm incredibly gratified by the response to the $5,000 Challenge--not only did people find a ton of interesting cars, but I found I'm not the only classifieds junkie out there. Anyway, enough text--let's get to the cars!

My picks: My original goal was to have everybody submit one car, but that's really hard to do. Instead, like everybody else, I found a couple. There were quite a few perfectly fair daily drivers available, but what's the fun in that?

My favorite was a faded blue 1976 Chevy Caprice Classic on Craigslist for $2,500 --unfortunately, the listing has disappeared, and I didn't think to grab the photo first. But it looked straight, perfect, and clean--if a little too pricey for what it is. I love '76 Impalas/Caprices; the only reason I haven't Car Lusted them is because I feel I need to do them proper justice.

Car Lust--Ariel Atom

If there is a lunatic fringe among cars, the Atom is at the lunatic fringe of that fringe. It is one of the very few cars that can make the Caterham Super Seven look like a safe, sedate, practical family car. The Atom is street-legal in most states as a kit car and can be driven (rather quickly) on public roads, but while most sports cars make weak pretenses at being suitable for everyday transportation, the Atom eschews with that pretense and goes right for the jugular.

We talk a lot here about the beauty and wonder of light weight, and how a lack of mass can help a performance car excel in every possible dynamic way--acceleration, braking, cornering, and fuel economy. Well, the Atom takes that concept to its ultimate extreme, with sublime results.

Buying Used Cars

It sounds like Mochi Mochi has a used-car conundrum--and because it's an interesting question, I think it deserves its own post.

"Friends: I need your help. I went on a car date this evening. The whole online dating analogy that Chris mentioned is so apt. So I've been looking around. I found a nice 1992 Integra GSR - stock - not chopped up or modded. No signs of rust. No indication of accidents. The asking price was $3900. Body is clean. Everything works ok.

Car Respect--Geo Metro

I'm not actually going to write a Car Lust for a Geo Metro, simply because it doesn't generate lust for me. I have a lot of respect for the Metro, but as we can see in other walks of life, respect does not always equal lust. My respect for the Metro is a purely intellectual response; the only real emotion the Metro prompts in me is a slight tinge of ennui.

(Note that this isn't really true of the Metro's predecessor, the Chevy Sprint--its turbocharged variant will be appearing in this space someday as a bona fide Car Lust.)

Yet the Metro, in its own way, was as superlative as any Porsche, as extreme a performer in its sphere as any Ferrari. Its forte? Providing maximum fuel economy and usefulness for the minimum price. Within that context, the Metro was the ne plus ultra.

There has been a lot of conversation lately about alternative-fuel cars, hybrids, electric cars, hydrogen-fueled cars, Smart cars, and the like--all very cool developments, all interesting additions to the automotive world. Then fellow Amazon blogger Rich Sloan blogged about his friend's Smart fortwo--and subsequently got roasted in the comments for saying that his friend's fuel costs were $0 after 142 miles.

All of this really puts into context just how amazing the Geo Metro was--or, possibly, that we just haven't made much progress on fuel economy in the last decade. I like both the Smart and the Prius--there's something gadgety about them that appeals to me--but if your goal is just to have a useful gas-sipping car, it would be hard to do better than a Geo Metro.