If Tomorrow Never Comes

Okay, I appreciate that it’s not the cheeriest title in the world, but you all know what I mean. There are some mean machines out there that we promise ourselves we will get behind the wheel of one day, even if we have to pay for the privilege and only get to circle a race track a couple of times. Here are the top 10 cars that I would like to drive before I kick the bucket, or at least whilst I’m still capable of getting behind a wheel!

The first on my list is the Model T Ford, yes that’s right, it’s not a typo. The reason behind this is that if you want to get back to the grass roots and see how motoring as we know it first began, then you have to go back to the beginning. Imagine chugging down a deserted, dusty road in one of these, battling with the gears which were operated by pedals to the omission of any kind of clutch, and just being transported back to a completely different era.

Moving up a few gears, excuse the pun, is another Ford. The Ford B-based Hot Rod is rated by most aficionados as the original bad boy car. Small but perfectly formed, it has an 8 cylinder engine and its overall look makes it the granddad to every sports car on the road today. Every hot rod customized vehicle in today’s motoring world owes a huge debt to this beast.

Taking an original Hummer H1 over wild and barren terrain is an experience most drivers dream about. This truly is an iconic vehicle, and every off roadster takes inspiration from the Hummer. Big and brash, any car that can go through 30” of water, over obstacles 52” high and happily drive up a flight of stairs really is a vehicle that you should get behind the wheel of.

You may not recognize the name Citroen DS, but it was once voted the most beautiful car of its time. If you are a fan of old movies then you will definitely know it when you see it. Imagine Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn tripping around the Med, now think of all the funky little cars zipping around in the background, yep, they are all Citroen DS’s. These little beauties were way ahead of their time and are still a dream to drive today, so imagine getting your bog sunglasses and a white scarf on and driving along the French Riviera in one of these babies.

Another car ahead of its time was the original VW Beetle; these great little cars were adopted by the hippy youth in the 60’s and their unique style acted as a great blank canvas for owners to make a statement through a plethora of colours and symbols. This is one of those rare cars that can truly be called iconic, alongside the Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible. This is a time machine that can take you back to a bygone age. The OTT tailfins and its excessive 18.5 ft length made this the perfect cruising car. Elvis Presley had several, and if it was good enough for The King……….

There is a racing driver in all of us, and I bet that at some point or another you have found yourself sitting at a set of red traffic lights in rush hour dreaming of scorching along a road at 100mph? Haven’t we all? But there are sports cars and then there are the wannabe sports cars that aging men purchase to satisfy their quest to rediscover their lost youth. The top 4 genuine sports cars that are on nearly everyone’s wish list of cars to drive are these:
■The Lotus Elise – everyone’s dream car for many years, and it’s easy to see why. It’s amazing what is packed into that small frame, and due to its light weight is incredibly easy to drive.
■The Pagani Zonda C12 S 7.3 is one of those cars that you have to look at twice to make sure you weren’t going loopy the first time round. Luxurious and stylish, if you are a car fetishist this would definitely be love at first sight. This supercar is produced at a rate of only 10 a year, and I wouldn’t like to be at the end of waiting list!
■This list wouldn’t be complete without the inclusion of the Ferrari 250 GTO, the original, and regarded by most, as the best Ferrari ever to leave the production line. There were only 36 ever made, so this really is a one that deserves to be on the wish list.
■How would you like to travel at a top speed of 407kmh and empty the 26.4 gallon fuel tank in a little over 12 minutes? Step forward the ultimate driving experience; the Bugatti Veyron. This is the fastest car that has ever been made, and it doesn’t miss out on style in favour of speed. If you only had to pick one car to drive before you died, it would have to be this dream machine.

So there you have it, 10 cars picked from over 100 years of motoring history. If you get a chance to get behind the wheel of any of these, grab it with both hands and don’t let go.

First published in The Sunday Times Motoring Supplement – June 2010