There’s a new movie out called “The Bucket List.” It’s about a couple of senior citizens who made a list of things they want to do before they die or “kick the bucket.”
We don’t know about you, but we have found in my years on this earth many people who make lists of things they want to do before they die. The list either consists of vacation spots they want to visit, actual things they want to do like say jump from a flying plane (with parachute, of course), participate in a car race, etc.
Well, it seems that editors of car magazines also make lists of things to do before they die and the lists has to do with cars. No surprise here.
One list that we find intriguing are cars to drive before you die. How would you choose the cars you want to drive before you die? Purely on subjective reasons like you like the way the car looks, or a buddy owned that same car when you two were in high school or college, or your brother or sister had that particular car but wouldn’t let you drive it, etc.
One can also make a list of cars to drive before he or she dies based on the impact of that car on the history of society or the auto industry. They include:
This car is ideal to be on the list simply because of its impact on society. In short, it was the first affordable car offered to U.S. consumers.
The Jeep was a World War II icon. So a whole generation grew up with it. It kept good care of our troops as they trudged through Europe to defeat Hitler and in the Asia theater as we fought the Japanese. When the war was over, the boys came back and so did the Jeep. And it became the first SUV with an obscure domestic auto maker American Motors first offering it and then it was passed on to Chrysler. And, as said, it was the seed for the SUVs of today. A vehicle with a major impact on society and the domestic auto industry.
We remember a time that, before there was a Nissan, there was Datsun. And one of the first successful models Datsun sold in the U.S. was the Datsun 240Z. The Datsun 240Z was introduced into the U.S. in 1970 through 1973 and it begot the Nissan 280Z which begot the Nissan 300Z and on and on until today’s 350Z and the GT-R.
What really represents American dominance in the 1950s was the Chevrolet Corvette and the Cadillac. Back then there was lots of chrome and tail fins and all of that climaxed with the 1959 Cadillac. Soon after this Cadillac things started to change for the domestic auto industry. So it may be good to get behind the wheel of a 1959 Cadillac and remember how things used to be.
Perhaps one of the first muscle cars was the Chevrolet Camaro Z-28. Introduced in 1967 through ‘69, these cars are now sought after by collectors and can fetch for an owner a pretty good amount of change. If you drive one, don’t even consider the creature comforts. Compared to today’s cars, there weren’t any.
Everyone who idolizes sports cars point to the Porsche 911 GT3 as their “favorite car.” It was first introduced in 1964 and it continues to play with our imagination. After all, it was a Porsche 911 that Tom Cruise almost ruined in the movie “Risky Business.” So there may be a question as to what 911 you would want to drive. There’s the air-cooled 3.2 Carrera of the 1980s or the new GTS that can grab on to 200 miles per hour. I guess in this case subjectivity will influence the final choice.
The Shelby cars have touched our imaginations. Take the Shelby Cobra Roadster that made it out into the market in 1962. Shelby put an American Ford V8 into a British AC roadster and car buffs have had a love affair ever since.
Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta
If you are into cars, then you are into Ferrari. Even little kids no more than 5 or 6 years old some how know that this is one cool car. The 250-Series production models came to our attention in the late 1950s and early 1960s and they still are considered some of the coolest cars ever made. If you have the money for a seven figure priced car this is the one first on the list for just about everyone.
You want speed? Then you have to put the Bugatti Veyron on the “bucket” list of cars to drive before you die. Think of it, 0 to 60 in just 2.5 seconds. That’s faster than it takes to say the name of the car. Think about going maybe a little over 250 miles per hour. The heart would surely skip some beats.