Comments on: QOTD: Which Car Would You Drive Cross-Country?

By: shiney

shiney — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:05:27 +0000

1930 V-16 Cadillac Pininfarina Roadster. Nuf said.

A picture of it can be found midway down this page:

By: FunkyD

FunkyD — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:49:36 +0000

@tigeraid

67 Impala SS 427? Man, you hit the nail on the head there! I saw one exactly as you described in Sarasota a couple years ago. Red with white interior. I drooled enough that it ran into the storm drain!

However, I have developed a great appreciation for the capability, reliability, and streetability of today’s muscle engines. Give me a Mustang GT ragtop with the 5-speed, cranking out “Ventura Highway” on the radio, and that would be cross-country nirvana!

By: cretinx

cretinx — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:20:28 +0000

I’ve taken my BMW Z4 on tons of long distance road trips – it has a (compared to the rest of the roadsters out there) huge trunk, and even with the sport package rides extremely comfortable at high veolocity with plenty of power in reserve, yet returns 30+ mpg on the highway (my record is 32 mpg on a DC –> NYC trip, top down) – plus putting the top down lets me work on my tan before I get to the beach.

By: meocuchad

meocuchad — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 13:30:32 +0000

If it was during the warmer months, I’d take an S2000 cross-country, for sure. That would be tons of fun.

If it was in the colder months, I’d take a Mazdaspeed 6.

By: tigeraid

tigeraid — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 12:30:32 +0000

My own, an LT1 Roadmaster wagon!!

But I suppose if cost/life was not an issue, I’d go with a slice of 60s Americana in cruising form, maybe a ‘67 Impala SS convertible with a 427 and a 4 spd… and highway gears.

By: Areitu

Areitu — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 06:36:26 +0000

I found a great blog of someone who drove his air-cooled V8 Tatra T87 to each of the three oceans touching North America. It went suprisingly smoothly for them.

I think I would most enjoy driving a 1966 Lincoln Continental Convertible (with modern HVAC, hi-fi stereo 8-track, modern tires and modern wipers, of course) cross country. Start in California, head up Route 66, top down, through Bat Country.

By: David Holzman

David Holzman — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 03:34:32 +0000

My father did it alone in the ‘50 Studebaker once in the fall of ‘52, again in the late spring or early summer, and again at the end of summer ‘53. One day one one of the two fall trips, he drove from Denver to the Wash. state border, probably Clarkston, in a looooooooong day, probably 1,000 miles (it mapquests at more than that, but I suspect the mapquest route is longer because it hews to the interstates, whch didn’t exist then), and I doubt he could have averaged more than 50mph what with a couple of mountain ranges to cross. He actually asked them at the restaurant at the border how the roads were to Seattle, afater probably having driven for probably 20 hrs. The roads weren’t good, and he began shaking like a leaf, and got himself a room for the night.

I have this vision of fighting the steering wheel on the Studebaker up and down the mountains. He was in his mid-30s at the time, but it must have been exhausting.

By: P.J. McCombs

P.J. McCombs — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 02:36:37 +0000

Lamborghini Espada ’til the head gasket blows; then a Jensen Interceptor FF.

By: NickR

NickR — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 01:52:10 +0000

1969-1971 Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth C body (the fuselage bodies) with either a 383 4bbl or a 440 4bbl.

By: Jonny Lieberman

Jonny Lieberman — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 01:30:54 +0000

In this case Jordon is right.

A maserati V6 in a front-wheel drive Citroen? Game, set, match.

As Karl Hungus said in Log Jammin’, “That’s why you call me, I am expert.”

By: Jordan Tenenbaum

Jordan Tenenbaum — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:09:23 +0000

Mike Solowiow :

No Johnny, the true French rocketship would have to be the Citroen DS. Beautiful, way ahead of its time, and oh the ride! SM was good, but just an imitation of the original.

I considered nominating the DS(it would have to be a 21 or 23), but that Maser 6 sealed the deal.

By: Edward Niedermeyer

Edward Niedermeyer — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 23:23:54 +0000

S4 Avant

By: rjones

rjones — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 22:54:16 +0000

For those who can’t travel lightly, a Vanagon Westfalia is good if you have a lot of stuff and a lot of time. Anything over 65mph and it starts to complain. Also, turning off the A/C in the mountains is a good idea. I’ve done the cross North America thing twice in mine; once in Canada and once in the U.S.

But now I’m 40 and my back is bitched, so if I had to do it again, I’d take my Volvo XC70.

By: Mike Solowiow

Mike Solowiow — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 22:05:19 +0000

No Johnny, the true French rocketship would have to be the Citroen DS. Beautiful, way ahead of its time, and oh the ride! SM was good, but just an imitation of the original.

And if Clark Griswold can take one on vacation, it must be cool.

By: Jonny Lieberman

Jonny Lieberman — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 21:38:41 +0000

Jordan Tenenbaum:

Ooooh… Good answer….

By: Jonny Lieberman

Jonny Lieberman — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 21:27:46 +0000

Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang

You heard me.

By: willbodine

willbodine — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 19:32:35 +0000

I like the current Town Car for xc trips, but disagree about the seats (had one for a month when my 5 Series was in body shop.) The front and the back seat bottoms had inadequate foam cushions; after about an hour I felt like I was sitting in a hole (I weigh 140.) Back seats were the same. If seating is the main criterion, then it has to be one of the Swedes. But which one? Probably a new Saab 9-3.
My ‘94 Cadillac Brougham had the most comfortable seats I have ever sat in (almost as adjustable as the BMW “comfort seats”.) 14-15 hour driving days were a doddle.
But since this is a wish fulfillment exercise I would go for a Bentley Continental GT Coupe (or maybe even the convertible since it is almost as quiet.) If I was feeling more socially responsible, I’d pick a VW R32.

By: William C Montgomery

William C Montgomery — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 18:48:45 +0000

Hmmm… nothing too small, too big, or underpowered. Also, nothing that rides too harshly or that has a sloppy suspension. That eliminates the floaty American cruisers like most Caddy’s and high-performance cars. This also excludes most ultra-economy cars and two-seater sports cars. As much as I’d love to rip through a winding Rocky Mountain highway in a Cayman, I don’t know where I’d put my luggage – or kids.

Five years ago I would have said that my ideal for this kind of cruising was a BMW 5-series. Today, maybe an A6 or CTS. In a year or two, I might crave a diesel Accord.

By: Jordan Tenenbaum

Jordan Tenenbaum — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 18:05:43 +0000

Well, I have a million car ideas running through my head, but the one that pops out the most, would be a Citroën SM. There’s just something about those French Rocket-ships that I can’t get enough of.

Runners-up would have to include any vintage Alfa, a Fiat 1500 C, or an Imperial, preferably a 1968.

Also, all of you guys who would take a Volvo: good idea. I can attest to the seats being great on long road trips.

By: Mrb00st

Mrb00st — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 17:21:10 +0000

Hmm… That would have to be one of the new Audi TT 2.0TDI Quattro Roadsters, thank you.

-plenty of power
-great midrange passing ability
-sexy
-comfortable
-4WD
-45mpg

winnar.

Honestly though, one of the new Jetta Diesels would be great too.

By: Drew Frink

Drew Frink — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 16:45:28 +0000

Me, I’m riding in Chuck’s E-Type…

The practical side of me goes with the folks using a recent Corvette — decent MPG and enough handling to make the curves interesting. Never driven one myself, but the package seems like a good GT compromise.

My real preference is by motorcycle, though. My 07 Triumph Bonnie, or borrow my father-in-law’s BMW RT. Touring by motorcycle is just the way to go. So what about the rain, snow, cold…

By: JuniperBug

JuniperBug — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 16:09:31 +0000

I never hesitated to do a road trip in my ‘92 Jetta 2 door. It had tons of room, was stable on the highway, and would do between 450 and 550 miles per tank, depending on how and where it was driven. It cruised at 85 MPH all day long and held the road well on the highway and in the twisties.Like other European cars, the seats were fantastic for an economy-minded car. It’s funny how other people say how they couldn’t maintain speeds up hills in their small 4-bangers. I never had trouble keeping momentum with that 100 hp mill.

The only downside was the noise from the open windows (no A/C) and the engine buzzing along at 4000+ RPM. After a 4-5 hour stint my ears would sometimes be ringing. The fact that I had the poor 32 Watt, 6 speaker stereo at full volume didn’t help.

It wasn’t the most relaxing car, but somehow I couldn’t get enough of just hopping into it and driving. Besides, compared to my other ride at the time, an ‘89 Ninja 600, it was a coccoon on wheels.

By: Durishin

Durishin — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 14:28:24 +0000

I drove from San Diego to Providence a couple of years ago in a 6-cyl Subaru wagon with 18″ wheels and Michelin Pilots. It wasn’t too bad. But, as you come to Chicago, the speeds decrease significantly. By the time you get to NY and PA, well, it’s a darn shame how fast you can’t go: better to drive West!

Of the cars I have owned –

Easily the Subaru SVX: a fast, silent, true grand tourer that still draws looks and lets you say: “Weather? We don’t care about no stinkin’ weather!”

But I sure would wouldn’t mind a crossing in a new Quattroporte.

Either way, “able” is right, the seats from a Volvo would certainly make it a more comfortable journey.

By: oldowl

oldowl — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 13:34:59 +0000

Volvo XC70 with lightweight camping gear and sizable cooler aboard.

By: davey49

davey49 — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 13:05:38 +0000

First choice would be any of those big diesel pusher motorhomes like the Nascar drivers all own.

Regular cars probably a VW Touareg towing a Fleetwood tent camper.