There are thousands of Nathans in the blogosphere, but there's only one Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame. There's no actual fame associated with the Brainfertilizer brand, but he does have a unique brand of Car Lust--he’s never been canyon carving, never owned a sports car, and is an admitted tightwad. All of which means he loses all sense and composure every time he hears the words "poor-man’s BMW." Nathan’s addiction to Car Lust was inspired by the idea of fun-to-drive, economical family sports sedans; too bad the cars he's owned haven't yet inspired him. Still, hope springs eternal, just like the coolant leaks on the old cars reverently described on this site.
Let's take a break from the Land Barge Love Fest to look at something a little smaller, a little lighter, a little more packed with hazardous materials in the form of batteries:
Mickey Kaus says the new Honda Insight looks like a Prius.
I beg to differ. Take a look at the pictures (From the Honda Website):
Car: Current generation Chevrolet Trucks and SUVs
Condition: Downright peeved
Possible Motivation: Bean-counting cost reductions sap all the joy of engineering and any happiness from being the best-selling car-maker in the world. Nobody's buying trucks because gas prices are high, but when gas prices drop the economy disintegrates!
Defining Overblown High-Testosterone Action Movie Quote:
Chevy SUV: "I like you. That's why I'm going to kill you last."
(from Commando, 1985 )
--Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame
Faster than a Bugatti Veyron, despite costing less than half the price..
It has a turbocharged 6.3-liter aluminum V8 that develops 1183 hp at 7000 rpm, on 91-octane fuel.
Street-legal.
What is it?
Today I'd like to introduce you to someone who gets it. Someone who has an irrational passion for a vehicle, and isn't afraid to show it.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you: James F. Jones.
Okay, I admit it: I like Japanese cars. How much, you ask? A lot. [Reg: "Right. You're in."]
Now that we've got that out of the way, let's look at the year that, for me, may be the finest year for Car Lust: the first year of the new millennium. For me, the year 2000 is the automotive equivalent of an All-You-Can-Eat Steak and Seafood Buffet; it's like being the only male staying overnight in the hotel booked by the Miss Universe Pageant contestants; it's like trying to pick the greatest all-time NFL game, or having to choose the best Porter/Stout out of all the various micro-brewery products. I can't choose just one great car from 2000 to lust after, so here is a list--which, as you shall see, is mostly Japanese, with a touch of German.
The year 2000 straddles the years I like best for almost all the cars listed, and it also includes the first model year of one favorite generation and the last model year of another favorite generation. The year 2000 is the only year that captures them all.
In no particular order, here is a list of cars I would have been ecstatic to own new, and would be pleased as punch to find a used one in good condition today:
Back when I was in high school, I remember noticing just how badly space was wasted in cars. Small cars could seat five passengers, and a large car could likewise seat five; the big differences in exterior size dwarfed the small differences in interior space. A few years later, I read about Chrysler's push towards "cab forward" design, pushing the cabin forward in the chassis for better space utilization. Other car manufacturers had toyed with the idea, but apparently Chrysler was planning to dive right in and redo their whole car line based on the concept.
I was excited, because it made sense--better stability and handling, sleeker lines, and best of all, maximum room for people and minimum space dedicated for the machine. I foresaw the Colt becoming a sleek little speedster-ish coupe. I imagined beautiful cars revitalizing the whole Mopar line. I was mostly a Ford fan at the time, but I liked the idea of the underdog Chrysler brands putting out some decent products for a change.
