How the car drives or looks?

[TigerNSX]

I was reading the NYT article on how the E-Type Jaguar was voted as the most beautiful car ever designed. I remember driving the E-Type and thinking... wow, this is beautiful, but doesn't feel that special to drive. This got me thinking....

If you have to choose between,

a) A car that looks repulsively ugly (like Pontiac Aztek ugly), but has the most amazing driving characteristics so that every driving experience is memorable.
b) A car that looks incredibly beautiful (like the E-type or the Miura), but has the worst driving driving characteristics so that you don't want to ever drive it.

which one would you choose?

Granted, both are subjective and have to do with how the car makes you feel..

I would choose A.

 

[I_M_Legend]

that's a bit extreme but if I had to choose, it would be A as well.

 

[RYU]

Haha yes, that's quite extreme and leaves little room, so yes, given that A but realistically i'd drive something that 80% repulsive but great to drive/efficient/comfortable and 20% pretty but terrible to drive. That's not the best way to phrase but hope you get my point.

Wait... that's my daily driver now!!!

btw.. I was promised this. But got the above whomp whomp haha

EDIT: Reminds me of a bad internet date. They're profile pic looks so hot vs what they actually look like....

 

[docjohn]

I'm A but need some B....

 

[DJ Iceman]

Luckily we don't have to choose between those two extremes!

 

[LJSB]

, this is beautiful, but doesn't feel that special to drive.

That has more to do with your age and frame of reference. If you were driving when these cars were new, 50+ years ago, and you compared them to what was around at that time, you might have a different impression. I personally relish how the cars of this vintage feel and drive. The E-Type has a unique engine sound I think I could pick out with a blindfold on. "The worst driving characteristics"?. Sorry, don't agree about the feel of this car but I would not to own one, too much stuff to keep up on.

 

[RYU]

That has more to do with your age and frame of reference. If you were driving when these cars were new, 50+ years ago, and you compared them to what was around at that time, you might have a different impression. I personally relish how the cars of this vintage feel and drive. The E-Type has a unique engine sound I think I could pick out with a blindfold on. "The worst driving characteristics"?. Sorry, don't agree about the feel of this car but I would not to own one, too much stuff to keep up on.

One of the favorite cars I ever owned was a 66 Malibu Chevelle. I bought it young. Put a lot of blood sweat and tears into it. It ended up with an LS1 V8 swap, C6 Z06 massive brakes, and a few other "while i'm in there mods". Ultimately I decided that I'd have to swap to an entire new custom fully boxed-in frame with coil over suspension just to get to drive like a 2005 Camry. In all honestly, it was a shitbox to drive in the turns but sure went straight like stink.

Agree that in that era, it probably handled pretty well all things considered.

 

[whiteNSXs]

I doubt A or B will ever exist. One car comes to mind though, the Acura ASC. Let's just assume it drives very, very, very, very well. I would not let my dog relieve itself in it let alone driving it. Yes, I am a little bit vain about my cars.
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm1V_pSr7GE