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My uncle—a big car guy—had bought a Corvette C5 Z06 when I was around 13-14. He had just had it tuned and a new exhuast system installed, and wanted to take me for a ride. I remember being wowed at how cool it looked, how low it sat, and how loud it sounded... but the thing that wowed me the most was the feeling I got when the accelerator was stomped and the tires smoked as we peeled out of the neighborhood. Still remember it very clearly.
The first car I have owned to truly ever impress me in many ways is my 61 Lincoln Continental. The quality in this car is second to none, I remember clearly when I went to go first check the car out before I bought it.
Opening the front and rear hinge doors was just an awesome feeling! The weight and heft of the doors was impressive even for a car of that vintage. This car is built like an German tank!
Everything about the interior is extremely solid, the quality of the materials and interior styling is very European and luxurious even using real Walnut wood veneer trim. The whole uniqueness about the car, the way it drives and rides, the quality, solidarity, really left an impression on my young brain at the time.
Although I owned a 68 Cadillac when I barely bought the Lincoln, the Caddy felt cheaper inside and less substantial compared to the Lincoln.
This is what got my love affair going with the brand. Lincoln built amazing high quality cars in the 60's that so many people didn't realize it.
The next car to truly amaze me is my 78 Lincoln Continental. The biggest reason why love this car is the way it rides. It's the smoothest riding car I have ever driven hands down. Literally it is has the perfect balance of softness, float, a ride that is stable yet it doesn't wallow or jiggle even when the roads are badly uneven.
It's styling is very impressive, and personally is one of the most stately luxury cars ever made. The cloth seats are extremely soft and comfortable. The quality is actually really good for a 70's car too. It's reliable and just feels pimp if you're riding in the back seat being chauffeured around town.
Not too many cars catch my eye, and I am a really picky person when it comes to vehicles I choose, and I tend to scrutinize the littlest of things, but that's what makes us true car enthusiast. If we all settled for the first car when ever got a chance to drive, we would be unhappy.
After driving many newer cars, the classics will always be the best choice for me for many reasons. They stand out, have character, are bold, of better quality, more stylish, are more roomy, and are also fairly reliable if kept up on the maintenance.
Early 80's 911 SC! I was a kid and a guy gave me about a 20 mile ride home in the car. I was so nervous that I was going to ride in a Porsche and I couldn't believe he drove the car over 100 (speedo showed 160 I think, so being a kid I figured if it says 160 it must go 160!).
Funny thing that car was very impressive then but by today's standards it is a sled......214 HP, no ABS brakes/traction control, no power steering, terrible a/c, abysmal 4 speaker stereo! But I will buy another one for sure!
911 owners are a funny breed, I'll quack about those cars all day
(Other forums, could read comments from a thousand guys quacking about them all year!)
The first car I was "impressed" by was the then-new BMW 320i. Car and Driver or one of the other majors had 30-something year restrospective on them recently, comparing the 1980 version to new c. 2013 320i. I believe the new one costs less in adjusted dollars. Needless to say, new buries old on every category, from performance to luxury.
But I remember that the c. 1980 BMW 320i was fast, had great steering, and handled. But standards of the day, much like the Porsche 911SC comments. I vaguely remember as a pre-teen those 320i's really roiled the small car market but were serious money compared to American cars: thus still somewhat exotic. I don't remember why my cousin Joe had one, other than he was a bit of a wild-child and had a successful carpet business established in his early 20s, about 1980. He was just that entreprenurial.
Now "today," my 2001 996-series 911 Turbo is the wildest car I've owned. By a wide margin. Not the question, though (grin). Everything abysmal about the described early 911SC had been solved, and then some, by the 996s. 991s, late models (2012 or so to today), take it to another level. Progress.
When I took off in my 5 series BMW and knew what the astronauts felt...being pressed back in their seats.
Wow, fun...then going 110mph in it with friends...smooth as silk....sunroof open, of course driving to Red Rocks...
(outdoor concert in Denver, CO).
1970 Dodge Charger...first vehicle I was ever in that literally shoved you back in your seat. I think I was 12-13 years old and it was my older brother's friend's car...circa 1985ish.
My cousin bought a brand new Mercedes Benz 240 D in 1978. It was the least expensive Mercedes of the day. I liked EVERYTHING about that car. Understated elegance, and unsurpassed reliability at that time. I thought it was the perfect car.
65 Mustang fastback, had 'wow' factor in both looks and performance. I ordered it from the Austin Ford dealer that was located on first street, if memory is correct. Stock it was not a rocket, but it did not take long for me to change that. By the end of the first year I had it running 13.5 quarter mile times. That is not real fast by todays standard, but in 1966 it was quick for a street car.
My 2006 GTO has the wow for being a 'nice' car. Also has good performance.
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First time you rode in a car that legitimately wowed you?
