The Englishman has suggested to me that the top candidate for “Most Desirable Car Ever Offered For Sale” is this one (and follow both links for pics and descriptions that will make you drool):
(click to embiggen)
My humble suggestion for the title, however, is this one:
…but then again, The Englishman is even more conservative, more of a traditionalist and more nostalgic for Times Gone By than I am.
If you can imagine it.
Oh, this is rich:
Rowan Atkinson has been blamed by the House of Lords for the plunge in sales of electric cars. The Mr Bean actor, 69, described the green machines as ‘a bit soulless’ in a comment piece he penned in June last year.
The Lord’s environment and climate change committee has since been told the actor was partly to blame for ‘damaging’ public opinions on electric vehicles (EVs).
Not that the opinions of the House of Lords should be taken seriously — on just about any topic — but it’s ridiculous to blame Atkinson for a sales slump of cars that are manifestly not fit for purpose (in so many ways).
“Soulless” is the least of the reasons why not to buy a fucking Duracell car, and most certainly so when one recalls Mr. Bean’s habitual choice of vehicle:
And lest we forget, he was also an “early adopter” of the EV type:
…and by the way, it was to this thing he was referring.
No man should. Not even Mr. Bean.
Reader George K. writes:
“When I was in high school, the scion of one of the wealthy industrial families in my hometown returned from heading the European division with a Mercedes 190SL roadster in British Racing Green. I still think it is one of the sexiest cars I have ever seen.
The 190SL doesn’t get the love it deserves because most people have never seen one (I don’t think that many were sold in the U.S.), plus it was always overshadowed by its 300SL big brother.”
The only knock on the 190SL was that it was underpowered — certainly true when compared to the 300SL. But like Reader George, I love its looks:
Also, unlike most sports cars, the 190’s trunk is large enough to hold several rifle cases (or golf clubs, if you’re of that persuasion).
Want.
Here’s an interesting question posed by Jalopnik (no link, fuck ’em, the woke assholes):
We’re talking (say) 1970-1974 here, and no extensions either way. Fortunately, the average age of my Readers being 75+, the early ’70s should be easily remembered, assuming of course that we can actually remember that time and not have lapsed into total senility (like me).
Early 70s… oh yeah,in my case that would be the last two years of high school and the first two years of college failure. Easy-peasy.
And if you can’t remember what cars were available back then, here’s a little list which might help. (Remember: cut-off date is 1974.)
Remember: “daily drive” means it can’t fall to pieces after 10 miles (which should rule out most Fiats, Alfa Romeos and pretty much all British Leyland cars). Assume they’re brand new off the showroom floor, in the standard configuration of the time, unmodified. And to make things more interesting, you get to pick three: one for you, one for your wife and a weekend / “date” car. (Yeah, I’ve bent the rules a little. Whatever.)
Here are mine:
…on the topic of EVs (especially trucks), in Knuckledragger’s Comments section:
“These pieces of shit are nothing more than virtue-signaling tools for Liberal assholes. It’s all bullshit thrown out to control the ignorant masses. Fuck the planet. Live for today and go out to buy a 5-liter high-octane V8 powered rig.”
Works for me.
In (my) Comments today: which “5-liter high-octane V8 powered rig” would y’all recommend right now?
I know that everyone will be curious to see the results of last Thursday’s Sotheby’s Arizona 2024 auction (as referenced here) in Scottsdale.
My big boo-hoo:
Some bastard stole my car from me. Shit. (I wonder whether I’d have bid on the beautiful thing, had I won the lottery earlier…)
See what your pick would have set you back — here are the final auction sales.