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Neighbor had a red Lamborghini countach garaged in the mid70s about 100 yards up the road and one instantly knew when he fired it up maybe once a week. Most days, he would take it for a spin but never above an idle when close to any neighbors houses. Sounded like a F16 without mufflers when idling down the road.
The first exotic car I remember seeing was a red Lotus Elise shortly after they started selling them in the US. I must have been 8 or 9 at the time, and it was parked across the street from my friend's house (in a rural, working-class area). Not too long after that I saw a red Ferrari F430 with an extremely rare gated manual at the grocery store (in an upper middle-class suburban area). Both are still among my all-time favorite cars ever produced.
I see exotics on a weekly basis now, and have seen plenty of rarer and higher-performance cars, but I still remember how excited and awestruck I was when I saw the Lotus and Ferrari.
Porsche 959 on the streets with California Dealers plates
Alamitos Beach area of Long Beach must have been 2001 or so
Just parked on Ocean AVE, just past Walnut ave.....
McLaren a few years back in a shade of purple which worked far better on that car than it should have. I believe I was somewhere amongst the fields of Indiana at the time. While I can’t tell McLaren models apart on sight, I can say it’s my first and only McLaren. They make Lambos and Ferraris look like common cars.
In 1986 I saw a Countach in Hawaii parked in a parking garage longways across three parking spaces.
They would rent you one for $2K a day. A Magnum P.I. Ferrari could be rented for $200 a day.
A couple of years ago my Merkur was in storage next to a 70's vintage Rolls-Royce.
The old guy that owned it asked me if I wanted to buy it. I declined.
It was fun watching him get it started after sitting all winter. You don't turn the key and it fires up.
There was a process. But it did start.
Mine was a James Bond car. A local dealer in Fremont California had it in the showroom. I don't know for sure, but I think it was The Aston Martin DB5 because it was 1965 when I saw it. Some where in my old 35mm slide collection I have a shot of it.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
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I don't remember if it was actually the first but I used to go to the NY Auto Show with my Dad when it was held at the old NYC Coliseum at Columbus Circle and one of my favorites was the mid-engine Mustang I show car, I'm guessing probably the 1964 show.
Was owned by a boat broker that I did some boat mtce chores for as a young teenager. I got to ride around in it a few times when he'd shuttle me to a marina.
Some years later, when I was in HS, I was demo'ing sailboats for him. He'd have me take buyers out on the sailboats for a 1/2 day sail. Show 'em how to get the boat rigged, away from the dock out to clear water, maybe an hour or so of ocean sailing near offshore, made sure they were enjoying their adult beverages, and then safely back to the dock without any stress. All without using the auxiliary power, generally boats 38'-50'.
The guy realized that I was effectively making boat sales for him … because many buyers were thinking that "if that kid can sail the boat that safely/comfortably, it's gotta' be easy for me to do, too". He offered me a handsome commission on the boats I demo'ed if a sale resulted. I was torn between racing my own and sailing for him, but the prospect of making some money to fund my sailing habit was a big draw.
On one weekend, I "sold" 3 yachts. The commission was substantial and the guy … having recently bought a couple of newer 'rollers to shuttle his buyers around to the various marina's … didn't then have the money to pay me. In a show of "good faith" that he'd pay me in a few months when the cash flow got better, he "gave" me the DB2 with the understanding that he'd get it back when I was paid. He felt he needed some exchange to assure him that I'd continue demo'ing boats for him in the interim.
The plan was that I'd have the car for awhile and I drove it a few times, not more than about 30 miles. Never even got it out on the highway, just around town. Took it home and my parents were mortified to see such a car in the driveway with no room in our garage to protect it. My folks made me take it back that night. So much for my dreams of driving it for the summer months to come. Fortunately, I was paid a couple weeks later. I did get to ride in the car a few more times, but it wasn't the same as being able to call it my own and drive it.
One of the guys I crewed with shortly after that had a MB 190SL. I only rode in it as a passenger, but he was an aggressive driver and it was quite impressive for it's time. Not quick, but nimbly fast compared to the 1960's big domestic cars.
Most exotic? we went to Mulhouse France last year and visited the French Nat'l Car Museum (formerly Schlumpf collection). Hundreds of Bugatti's, along with Horch, Maybach, MB, Hispano, Delahaye, Delage, Talbot, and many other bespoke cars, including a new Veyron. Not to mention the sea of blue 'bug racecars, or a row of the last road cars 'bug made, in full road trim and some in partial stages of completion. By any observer's standards, a simply overwhelming collection of rare and exotic, especially with the Royale's on display. I'd worked on many cars of these marques through the years, but to see them all … especially some of the one-offs from the respective manufacturers … was beyond impressive. IMO, if you've got the time, it's worth heading over the pond to see this … in scope and breadth, it dwarfs most car collections for these types of cars. OTOH, if you're a muscle car fan or love a Corvette collection (or similar), you'll be disappointed with this collection.
Another collection worth your time, although it's pretty musty and not a showpiece of restored collectables … is to visit the Harold Warp's Pioneer Village in Minden, NE. Not too far off the beaten track of I-70, it's a collection of many domestics and a smattering of foreign upscale cars as used and driven in the mid-west USA. Personally, the Packards on display are worth the trip for me.
The most exotic I have owned is a TVR, very few exist in the US but not really a true exotic.
The first I saw was probably a whole lot of exotics - there was a big time Auto show in the 70s that used to be held at where I went to middle school - it was a precursor show to the one in Pebble Beach with many of the same cars.
The most exotic I have seen on the street is a Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport (Convertible Version) driving down the Great Highway near ocean beach in San Francisco.
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