Now for a weekend car, i’d want it to be drop dead sexy… it would live in the garage and only driven when there is no traffic, it would rarely be left unattended in public, its beauty cannot be tarnished…

my 300ZX Twin Turbo is subject to daily driving right now because it sustained damage and needs repair. Its a dead sexy car, but its been scarred. of course, once i repair the car, it will be sheltered again.

Also, it has to have a nice feel in the gearbox. I would have loved to get a GTO, but the 6 speed they stuck in there must have mashed potato internals. It was absolutely horrible, and I don’t think I could have ever talked myself into buying one, even with that tremendously lovely V8 sound.

I’d have to say I’m repelled by ugliness more than I’m attracted by beauty. Hondas are bland, but inoffensive, so I’ll buy them. Subaru doesn’t have a chance of selling me a car. I wouldn’t drive a free Aztek – I’d take it, but I’d sell it asap and buy something less replusive. Chrysler doesn’t have a chance of selling me anything either – just too replusive.

But I have quirky tastes. I think the 2CV is a beautiful car (but not the Charleston get up).

I’d love to have a DS for it’s beuaty.

Those were almost as hideous as the F-10!

The view over the hood of my Vette, with the bulge in the middle of the hood directly between the two large fender peaks is nothing short of beautiful

Amen. That’s what I loved about my ‘77, because it certainly wasn’t it’s handling, body integrity, or reliability.

I love classically styled cars – the BMW E34, MB 240 series, original GTI, RX-7, Caprice Classic, Protege5 – the cars don’t need to be fancy, but with simple lines.

7 years after I bought it, I still love my Trooper’s lines. Simple, rounded boxes.

The view over the hood of my Vette, with the bulge in the middle of the hood directly between the two large fender peaks is nothing short of beautiful (in my opinion). It’s one of the things that made me fall in love with the car

Jonny, what year is your friends? Hopefully they didn’t purchase a pre ‘86 model.

To me, a car has to be quirky. I suppose that’s why my list dream cars include the Citroën SM and the Ferrari 412.

And it infuriates me that every goddamn “road test” these days spends the first two-thirds of its copy doing a Robert Cumberford on whether the curve of the C pillar accurately reflects the bumper-to-body seam. Reminds me of the guys in “Queer Eye for a Straight Guy,” standing there finger-to-lip, arm on hip and decreeing bullshit.

But then I never understood–or cared–what all the Bangle Butt hysteria was about. It’s a trunklid, not the Mona Lisa, forgodsake, deal with it.

Number one priority is reliability. If it isn’t rock solid, it’s completely worthless to me. Number two is clutch and throttle feel.

One way to read this is I need my car’s looks to compensate for my fading ones.

I truly believe that its more a matter of taste being refined and the realization that the heap you put so much $ and work into should have that extra something that keeps you inspired.

At least that’s what I’m telling myself.

What is a toff???!

I lust after a Maserati Quattroporte but I would never buy a luxury car as a daily driver. It isn’t even a matter of reliability – I feel the same way about BMW, Mercedes, etc.

For me, reliability and driving dynamics come first. That said, I thikn looks influenced my purchase of a ‘93 Saturn SL2 lo those many years ago, although I didn’t realize it at the time. The driving dynamics WERE great (I’m not that big on power but the handling was very nice), but the turning circle would have killed my interest had looks not been playing a part. It WAS a cool looking car. I used to get complements from women.

My ‘99 Accord is inoffensive at best. I put cruiserline ventiports on it to make it look a little bit cool. (Anyone who wants to see what that looks like can email me, motorlegends@aol.com, and I’ll send a photo.)

I will say this. If I have to go to downtown Atlanta for any reason I strongly prefer to drive a big beater car. Lincoln Town Cars, Tauruses Station Wagons… really, anything that’s usually $1000 or less at the auctions I’ll bring down there so long as it has a good size and a comfortable highway ride.

I’ve had vehicles broken into five times in the city of Atlanta over the last few years and a couple of hit and run thwacks as well. I’d rather drive a comfortable piece of junk than endure another $300+ Sirius sound system stolen from the dash.

That’s just how it’s going to end up. I live in New England, there’s no way around it. I see lots of really beautiful cars around, and say to myself, ‘boy, wouldn’t it be nice…’ but then I think about it getting dinged while parked on the street in front of my office, or bending a really expensive wheel in one of Worcester’s cavernous potholes.

Performance is certainly more important to me than looks, but looks aren’t unimportant. But if we’re going to split hairs I’d say design is more important than looks.

I like the new Impreza (and drive a 10-year-old Impreza currently). And Subarus look their best caked in dirt and road salt, unwashed for six months at a time.

You can’t say the same about a lot of other “beautiful” cars.

-Matt