Before doing any research at all, I thought that the 200 was kinda junky. Now that I’ve looked into it more, I’m seriously impressed with the car, and amazed at how much depreciation it suffers. I mean, 40 MPG highway ON REGULAR GAS with a 300 hp V6? That’s a decent bit better than my 2.0T Camaro on premium fuel, which only gets 33 MPG.
Seriously, modern American cars have come a VERY LONG way from not even all that long ago. Just a few short years ago, I would’ve never considered an American brand, but now that they’ve improved so much I recommend them to people.
I make these all day, still can’t get enough; but if I could customize it, I’d get the red line (wheels, grille, and lettering), with the high country interior. It’s got that suede feel on the door panels and dash, top of the line.
This would be my toy and my work truck. I was going to put a Ram here, but I don’t much like the new re-design; more like late 90s early 00s (Daimler years). Again, perfect dream world, everything would be top of the line; Denali.
Shhh! Don’t tell my bosses, or anyone I work with, but #3 is a foreign car (sort of). My wife owned an old XC70, and it was fun to drive. I did some research, found out it was the successor to the 850, and chassis mate to the s60. I also found out that each of these models had an R version, thanks to swedespeed.com, and that these R versions were very peppy, and all wheel drive. The only complaint about my wife’s car, is that even with the seat all the way back, it was still a tight fit for me. I even applied for employment at the new Volvo plant in South Carolina, I liked it so much.
I was unaware that the 200 had a V6 available. I was however aware, that the 4 cylinder that came in the 200, was junk. The car in general, may suffer from the image of the latter, despite being the former. When it comes to FCA products, your best bet are the HO 3.5L V6, or the Hemi V8
I’ve always loved Chrysler, and despite the hate they get I’ll always love them. And yeah some aren’t the most reliable, but if you take care of them, they’re great! I would love a 2011+ Town and Country for my first car, but they’re too expensive
(I know it’s a little off topic, I’ll post my list later)
The 200 was one of the most powerful midsize cars! Ahaha, the Pentastar is an absolute GEM of an engine. It’s very reliable, makes great power and gets good fuel eco, and sounds amazing.
Your line of thinking is very sound, good sir. Any man who blends “GTti” with “fun” knows how well Daihatsus rank in that department!
I’ll even forgive the fact you took one of my dream garage picks and posted it first… (laughs)
Alright, my turn;
To live with - Renault Twingo 1
The reminder that sitting in heavy trafic does not mean you sap yourself of your happiness and love for driving. Oh so many will say it’s ugly, but the smile upfront never tells me anything of the sort.
Since I am incredibly picky about my Twingo 1s, I will say a Phase 3 would be my true dream Twingo, because it has an actual glovebox you can use…
To enjoy on weekends with: Daihatsu Copen Cero S
It’s a refined modern Copen, but with oozes of the old Copen. A weird Limbo car to be sure, but that is why I like it. It’s convertible motoring with with a bigger heart than its horsepower would lead you to believe… Daihatsu does that Mazdoes.
Oh, and Momo steering wheel. The Italian part that never breaks down!
To sit on the couch every once in a while, admiring it like the Mona Lisa before heading out on the road with - Lamborghini Miura SV
What a shocker, I know. But between the breathtaking beauty, the most suspension and drivetrain refinement out of all production Miuras and… well, the fact that it is a Miura, what else can be said?
Plus, unlike the Mona Lisa, you don’t have to take it down from the wall to show it to your friends…
There’s no theme to mine. I just really love these cars.
Daily Driver Do Anything - 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Limited
With choice options, such as the 20-speaker Harmon/Kardon stereo and 20 inch wheels, and in a dark blue with the Mocha interior. I have a thing for minivans and I’m in love with the new Pacifica. Perfect for most anything and I would definitely take it to a drag strip and or track day just to embarass people.
My grandpa has this generation of the Audi A7 and it’s almost the perfect interior, and that carrys over to all Audi’s of the time. And his A7 has the same incredible supercharged 3.0L V6 the S4 has, but the S4 is smaller and a liiiiitle bit more powerful. This thing is PERFECT.
Luxury Boat That I Will Love Forever Until It Breaks (in which case I will fix it) - W221 Mercedes S600
Something about this generation of the S-Class speaks to me. I love the way it looks, inside and outside, and the V12 and 5-speed automatic go together like wine and chocolate. The V12 is smooth and has mountains of power, and the 5-speed, while not the most modern, has the perfect gearing for it and is just as smooth. And it’s one of the most comfortable cars you’ll ever step foot in. Huge want!!
I’ve already come up with an answer to the question, “What cars would you put in your ideal 3-car garage?” However, had I attempted to answer that question 20 years ago, I would have come up with these three:
Ferrari F355 - It was such an extensive rework of the much-maligned 348 that it was a completely new car for all practical purposes - and an infinitely better one to drive, listen to and look at all at once. No wonder it’s highly sought after by today’s collectors. My ideal spec? A fixed-head Berlinetta in Blu Tour De France with a six-speed manual gearbox.
BMW E36 M3 - Underrated then, but now gaining the recognition it deserves. It may not have the competition provenance of the preceding E30, but it’s not worth silly money today, and is also a more livable everyday proposition. Besides, BMW M no longer offers a normally aspirated car in its range. I prefer the later Evolution models with the larger, more powerful 3.2-litre engine.
Lotus Elise S1 - It perfectly encapsulated the mantra of the company’s founder, Colin Chapman: “Simplify, then add lightness.” As such, it made the most of whatever little power it had - even the most potent versions had just 190 horsepower, which seemed like a lot in something weighing so little. But an early 118-bhp S1 - the purest of the pure - would still be exciting enough for me.
In a world where tech overload, forced induction and quick-shifting automatic transmissions have become the norm, these three 90s icons stand out for their relative simplicity (naturally aspirated engines with a manual transmission as standard) and analog nature - a timeless recipe for driving fun.
