Future Transportation...

[crschmidt]

In a situation where I'm relatively wealthy when the kids finally go off to school, and I no longer have to worry about car seats, cookie crumbs, or regularly loaning the car out on a Friday night, I hope that I can eventually purchase a nice, antique sports car. A '67 Shelby GT 500 comes to mind -- for those of you who have seen Gone In 60 Seconds, you might know this car better as "Eleanor".

The real point is not the name of the car, the drivability of the car, or even really the look of the car -- it's the sound of the car. I need to step on the gas, and *feel* the power beneath my foot.

Yes, I'd love something beautiful, too. But I don't really care about how it looks, I care about how it drives, I care about how it feels. I care about getting behind something and feeling the power.

German cars are impressive in their technical skill. Italian cars are pretty. British Cars... break down a lot. But only 1960s era American muscle cars *sound* like a dream.

That's what I want. I want to hear that rumble that is so uniquely, to my ears, American muscle car.

Comments

[catyak]

Actually, for quite a few companies, the concept of "British" or "French" is a thing of the past. Ford used to produce Fiestas in the UK but now I don't think they produce any. However, what does happen at the plant that used to produce Fiestas now produces engines for pretty much all Ford models made in Europe. Gone are the days of producing complete cars in one place, it's a load of bits produced in different plants and then assembled in another one.

As for stereotypes, Italian cars are no longer rustbuckets, British cars are pretty reliable, French cars are still weird, Skodas are no longer a joke car and German cars are no longer the bastion of technical supremacy they once were. I know people with Audis who say they're a pile of shit and break down and cost a fortune to fix.

I guess it's an age thing, I hear a loud car and think it needs fixing. I Much prefer a quiet one that goes fast and can go round bends (British roads have a lot of bends).

D