Today’s list celebrates the really cool cars that never seem to make the lists. These are cars that are pretty neat in their own right, yet are overshadowed by their better-known counterparts. You are unlikely to find any of these cars on a poster or as a model kit, but they’d still make a killer addition to a collection.
1. XJS Jaguar Coupe. Sure, everyone knows the XKE Jag, but the V12-powered coupe never quite got the same respect. It’s a graceful, elegant coupe with loads of power under the bonnet; in convertible guise it’s downright sexxeh. Sure, the 300HP V12 might not challenge the world's supercars, but in the Jag you can drive for more than an hour without needed to visit your chiropractor...
2. Mercedes C111. The 300SL wasn’t the only gullwing Mercedes made, but you’d never know that by looking at the models and pop culture. The C111 pre-dated the DeLorean, which obviously derived its styling and egress from the C111. Then again, the fact that the C111 was never officially produced might have something to do with its obscurity...
3. Volkswagen Karmann Ghia. The attention in the 1960s was turned towards the Porsche franchise rather than staid Volkswagen, which detracted from the all-around fun of the little Ghia. Not to mention that the Microbus and the Bug became icons, whereas the Ghia just kind of disappeared into oblivion.
4. Porsche 928. Speaking of Porsche, the 928 just couldn’t get no respect. It was forever in the shadow of the (much) better-known 911, and the front-engine, V8-powered 928 didn’t quite fit in with the rest of the Porsche line-up. Even appearing in Tom Cruise’s Risky Business and Weird Science couldn’t get the 928 any love.
5. 1990s Chevrolet Impala SS. “Lord Vader, your car is ready.” The SS represented all that was right with GM in the 1990s - it was a solidly built car with a proven engine, a storied pedigree, and clean lines uncluttered by the faux chrome drizzled on the cars of the ‘70s and ‘80s. It featured a new, fresh styling, taking the Impala/Caprice models away from the oversized boxes they had previously resembled.
6. Mercury Capri. No, not the frou-frou micro Miata wanna-be of the mid 1990s but the Mustang-clone of the 1980s. The Capri GT shared the 5.0L V8 with the Mustang GT, but featured more dramatic styling with a more aggressive stance and front end. Plus, it seemed like every 18 year old with a rich daddy got a ‘Stang on their 18th birthday, but the Capri was rare.
7. GMC Caballero. Oh yes, everyone knows the mulletastic El Camino, but how many people knew that there was a GMC counterpart? For most of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, if there was a Chevy truck out there, there was a GMC clone to boot. Personal note: When I dropped my 1985 GMC S-15 Jimmy in a brook ½ a mile from my high school, it took three tries to get the correct front passenger quarter panel to fix it. The first time they sent the driver's panel. The second time they sent a Chevy S-10 Blazer panel...
8. Lincoln Versailles. Okay, so a re-badged Grenada probably doesn’t qualify as a terrifically cool car, but you will totally impress your motorhead friends by knowing that there was a Lincoln version of the Ford Grenada/Mercury Monarch. La plus ca change c’est le meme chose - witness the Lincoln Aviator for proof that FoMoCo will stick a Lincoln badge on any old Ford model and charge double…
9. BMW 2002. While it may not have had the same cachet as the later 3- and 5- series, the 2002 was a fun little runabout that could easily be set up for autocross. With a lightweight body and German engineering, the rear-drive 2002 was a killer on the courses but would hold up to the stress.
10. Plymouth GTX. Sure, everybody knows the Barracuda. No list of great muscle cars would be complete without one. If pressed, they'd probably remember the Roadrunner as well, if for no other reason than the Warner Brothers tie-in. But the GTX came from the factory with the 440 CI big block Mopower, whereas the Road Runner only came with the 383...
So there's my list of cool-but-un(der)appreciated cars. Any more y'all can think of?
That is all.
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6 comments:
I had an '83 Capri, bright orange. Picked it up used with 30k miles. 4 spd manual transmission.
Unfortunately, that's the car that taught me not to use the cruise control when it's raining and your rear tires don't have much tread.
...sob...
Mycroft
Buick Skylark. '71-72. GM 350, plenty of power in a midsized car, with a big enough backseat for two limber teenagers.
Brother-in-law in Los Angeles sold his old BMW 2002 to someone he thought was a drug runner. Guy only asked three questions:
1. How fast does it go?
2. How big is the trunk?
3. How much do you want for it?
I always thought "Lord Vader your car is ready" was the Buick GNX?
I had a Capri--a '74. Don't laugh--it may only have been a 2.0-liter 4-cyl, but I broke the speedo at 130, and she was gaining speed.
Plymouth Roadrunner also came with a 440 six pack and a very rare, under 600 IIRC, came with the 425 horse power 426 Hemi.
'69 Roadrunner hemi is my dream car, black on black with red-wall tires.
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