The Most Embarrassing Car You’ve Always Wanted to Drive?

[NicFromLA]

The Most Embarrassing Car You’ve Always Wanted to Drive?

What’s the most embarrassing car you’ve always wanted to drive? I think for most car enthusiast there’s a car out there that you’d never want to own, be it because the car is ugly, slow, stupid, feminine, and you wouldn’t want your friends to catch you dead behind the wheel of, but you’ve always thought you’d be curious to take it out for half an hour. Mine has to be the Daihatsu Copen. I hate to admit it, but I’m fascinated by that stupid little thing.

Last year at the Geneva Motor Show I spotted a Copen and I waited until no one was around and sat in it. It felt like a toy. And even though I know I’d hate it, I’m still really curious to see what it drives like.

Runner up: Fiat Doblo

[henk4]

Kia Opirus scores high on my list, I take a shot of the car at every show....Runner up in this respect is the Renault Vel-Satis.

[drakkie]

Suzuki Alto Mk.2 Automatic

Just to see what all my fellow club members are so delirious about :)

[aiasib]

a convertible Smart car.

[Gardin]

I want to drive a Lada 110 just to see how bad it really is...

[jorismo]

Somehow I like the Kia Picanto. Though I'm not allowed to drive, it seems like a nice car.

[baddabang]

AXB.

5 character minimum.

[Ferrer]

Renault Avantime. Probably.

[ErWin76]

Citroen 2CV. Sounds like lawn mower and styling is odd.

[pimento]

I'd say the MX-5 (Miata) but I'm really not embarassed about that. I'll instead put forth... the original Vectra VXR. The one that just understeered straight when Clarkson was driving it. That'd be amusing...

[Quiggs]

Probably any of the boy racer tuner type cars. I would never be able to daily a Cobalt SS, Neon SRT4, Evo, or STI. But I'd give 'em a good raping on a mountain road some time.

[hec16]

the Cherry QQ 1.1

[clutch-monkey]

quigg's car.

edit: the copen is quite fun if you're not a fatass.

[Quiggs]

Ah, so you want to drive it, eh? You couldn't handle the raw fury of the 8v.

[clutch-monkey]

Ah, so you want to drive it, eh? You couldn't handle the raw fury of the 8v.

rofl - that and the low ride height.

i was going to say AXB, but that was taken and such fearsome body roll is beyond my abilities

[Quiggs]

I am 8v, hear me rawr! (http://youtube.com/watch?v=x3SYVsPEolE)

[TehRacer]

Peel P50 for me

[kingofthering]

Failtruck.

And a Honda Beat.

[shockwaveracing]

Trabant...

always hear amusing stories regarding it's "handling prowess" and would love to try for myself... lol

[blackcat77]

A 2CV or a Subaru 360. Both are so funky-cool that they're irresistible to me. So is an old Fiat 500 but that wouldn't be embarrassing... :)

[drakkie]

Trabant...

always hear amusing stories regarding it's "handling prowess" and would love to try for myself... lol

Haha as long as you are not driving over 30 km/h it handles fine :) This summer me and the old man rented one for a afternoon near Berlin. Very very funny to drive. Not to mention we had to make repairs twice :D

[john14]

Subaru R2 http://tanakatire.web.infoseek.co.jp/logo11/SUBARU_R2_2.gif

I would enjoy driving an R2 once.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

A 1959 Cadillac Eldorado.

Bright Pink. Convertible.

[Falcon500]

suzuki cappuccino or a awd supercharged subaru vivo ive always wonderd about them little kei cars.

[Falcon500]

A 1959 Cadillac Eldorado.

Bright Pink. Convertible.

Well it was good enough for elvis im sure itll be good enough for you :p

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Thank you very much :D

[ScionDriver]

The New Beetle. I would never own one and would never admit that I wanted to drive it but if someone handed me the keys, I'd take it for a spin.

[Turbo.Jenkens]

The New Beetle. I would never own one and would never admit that I wanted to drive it but if someone handed me the keys, I'd take it for a spin.

My friends sister totaled her 99', only body damage 100% drivable. My friend and I spent an entire afternoon driving dirt roads (mostly sideways.) :D

[Turbo.Jenkens]

I'd like to take a Subaru Brat out for a drive. I imagine it would be a fun little truck and plenty practical too. But the monster truck driving rednecks who reside hear would laugh all day.

[Rockefella]

Nissan Skyline R34.

[Waugh-terfall]

Well I've driven a purple 05 Nissan Micra... I've already done it

[wwgkd]

Smart ForTwo

[digitalcraft]

Around my friends it wouldn't be embarrassing to say you wanted to take a small car out for a fun time. I think it'd be more embarrassing saying you wanted a pretentious car like a BMW

[NSXType-R]

Some ancient Honda of sorts. Haven't decided which one.

[Falcon500]

I'd like to take a Subaru Brat out for a drive. I imagine it would be a fun little truck and plenty practical too. But the monster truck driving rednecks who reside hear would laugh all day.

Wrx motors and forrester drive lines bolt right in ;)

[Waugh-terfall]

Subaru Bratts are frickin' amazing. a mates dad has a 1995, 60,000 off-road farm miles, bashed up as hell but goes strong as anything. clutch is a bitch but man, what a car.

[Falcon500]

Subaru Bratts are frickin' amazing. a mates dad has a 1995, 60,000 off-road farm miles, bashed up as hell but goes strong as anything. clutch is a bitch but man, what a car.

You guys got them untill 95? we stopped getting our "brumby" which was the same car diffrent name untill 94.

[clutch-monkey]

Wrx motors and forrester drive lines bolt right in ;)

seen that high octane episode, with the turbo stickiing out of the brumby's bonnet :D

[whiteballz]

hyundai excel - Just to destroy it though... and feel the understeer..

[jcp123]

Ford Pinto with a 2.3 OHC Turbo (a real sleeper)
Ford Falcon 6-banger
Chevette (hey, cheap, RWD, and efficient. great beater if I ever live in the snowbelt)
Harley-Davidson 883 Sportster

[Turbo.Jenkens]

You guys got them untill 95? we stopped getting our "brumby" which was the same car diffrent name untill 94.

We quit getting them in 87:(

Just found out they were called "Brumpy" in AU :D. Now I really want one, if for nothing other than the namesake.

[2ndclasscitizen]

Just found out they were called "Brumpy" in AU :D. Now I really want one, if for nothing other than the namesake.

Brumby. With 2 B's.

[Falcon500]

We quit getting them in 87:(

Just found out they were called "Brumpy" in AU :D. Now I really want one, if for nothing other than the namesake.

If you get one ill post you some badges from a wreck.;)

[Turbo.Jenkens]

Brumby. With 2 B's.

Brumby - Even better!!:D

[Waugh-terfall]

Nah, we stopped getting the Brat/Brumby in Febuary 1994, just like AU/NZ
I dunno why they called it Brumby for the AU market because Brat was an acronym for 'Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter' I think

[clutch-monkey]

Nah, we stopped getting the Brat/Brumby in Febuary 1994, just like AU/NZ
I dunno why they called it Brumby for the AU market because Brat was an acronym for 'Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter' I think

because it just suits it better.

[Matra et Alpine]

The 70s Aston Martin Lagonda.
BIG, brutally ugly and awful electronics :)
HAS to be worlds most embarrassing to have owned and drive !!

[NicFromLA]

I feel like this poll won't be complete until an Englishman nominates a Reliant Robin.

[Jack_Bauer]

Reliant Robin

[Kitdy]

I feel like this poll won't be complete until an Englishman nominates a Reliant Robin.


Reliant Robin

That was a 4 minute response.

Ask and ye shall receive.

[kingofthering]

Reliant Robin

In that case, a Mini Cooper w/ a primer gray hood. :D

[Falcon500]

because it just suits it better.

That and calling it after a term for an australian wild horse also fits the market better.

[Waugh-terfall]

The 70s Aston Martin Lagonda.
BIG, brutally ugly and awful electronics :)
HAS to be worlds most embarrassing to have owned and drive !!

I don't quite know how they did it, the Series I looked like a malformed pig of some-sort, the obergeine leather of the one I was in yesterday actually made me want to vomit.

[Falcon500]

The Aston Martin Lagonda was a luxury four-door sedan (saloon) built by Aston Martin of Newport Pagnell, England, between 1976 and 1989. 645 examples of this model were produced and the average selling price was £150,000.

Aston Martin was about to go out of business in the mid-1970s and needed something to bring in some much-needed funds. Traditionally, Aston Martin had worked on 2+2 sports cars, but the Lagonda — the model being named after a grand sporting marque — was a four-door saloon with a brand new V8 engine. As soon as it was introduced, it drew in hundreds of deposits from potential customers, helping Aston Martin's cash reserves.

The car was designed by William Towns in an extreme interpretation of the classic 1970s "folded paper" style. It was as unconventional a design then as it is now. Car enthusiasts are fiercely divided on the car's aesthetic value.

Throughout the history of the marque, these hand-built Lagondas were amongst the most expensive saloons in the world. The only other "production" cars to approach its lofty price tag were the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit/Silver Spur, Bentley Mulsanne, and Maserati Quattroporte.[citation needed]

A number of "series" were produced during the lifetime of the model, including a facelift in the 1980s which attempted to round off the car's razor-like lines and removed the troublesome pop-up headlights, which had proved unreliable.

The Lagonda was the first production car in the world to use computer management and a digital instrument panel, although the computers in many of the original cars are failure-prone. The development cost for the electronics alone on the Lagonda came to 4 times as much as the budget for the whole car. The second series used cathode ray tubes for the instrumentation, which proved even less reliable than the original model's LED display.

And exert from wiki and that is one ugly car...with aston amrtins hope pinned on that car no wonder they went broke.

[Waugh-terfall]

The one they show there is the Series II, 3, or 4 I think, the Series I is a 4-door saloon based on the V8 model, only 7 or so built I think:
http://www.bramleyweb.co.uk/carsales/images/IMG_1961medium.jpg

[Ferrer]

The Aston Martin Lagonda was a luxury four-door sedan (saloon) built by Aston Martin of Newport Pagnell, England, between 1976 and 1989. 645 examples of this model were produced and the average selling price was £150,000.

Aston Martin was about to go out of business in the mid-1970s and needed something to bring in some much-needed funds. Traditionally, Aston Martin had worked on 2+2 sports cars, but the Lagonda — the model being named after a grand sporting marque — was a four-door saloon with a brand new V8 engine. As soon as it was introduced, it drew in hundreds of deposits from potential customers, helping Aston Martin's cash reserves.

The car was designed by William Towns in an extreme interpretation of the classic 1970s "folded paper" style. It was as unconventional a design then as it is now. Car enthusiasts are fiercely divided on the car's aesthetic value.

Throughout the history of the marque, these hand-built Lagondas were amongst the most expensive saloons in the world. The only other "production" cars to approach its lofty price tag were the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit/Silver Spur, Bentley Mulsanne, and Maserati Quattroporte.[citation needed]

A number of "series" were produced during the lifetime of the model, including a facelift in the 1980s which attempted to round off the car's razor-like lines and removed the troublesome pop-up headlights, which had proved unreliable.

The Lagonda was the first production car in the world to use computer management and a digital instrument panel, although the computers in many of the original cars are failure-prone. The development cost for the electronics alone on the Lagonda came to 4 times as much as the budget for the whole car. The second series used cathode ray tubes for the instrumentation, which proved even less reliable than the original model's LED display.

And exert from wiki and that is one ugly car...with aston amrtins hope pinned on that car no wonder they went broke.
Or to sum it up, classic 70's excess... :)

[Waugh-terfall]

<3 the 70s

[Ferrer]

<3 the 70s
Nah, the 80's are better. :)

[clutch-monkey]

goggomobile...

[Falcon500]

goggomobile...

Not a DART!

[SprintV]

Already driven - Toyota Crown, Nissan Serena

Want to drive - A EG8 Honda Civic sedan riced up with flame stickers on the sides : ))

[Falcon500]

YouTube - Peugeot 206 (INDIA) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaKslnLCWK8) <<turning one embarresing car into a completly diffrent embarrseing car :p

[henk4]

Mine has to be the Daihatsu Copen. I hate to admit it, but I’m fascinated by that stupid little thing.

Last year at the Geneva Motor Show I spotted a Copen and I waited until no one was around and sat in it. It felt like a toy. And even though I know I’d hate it, I’m still really curious to see what it drives like.



I did the same this year....and it fitted very well...

[Kitdy]

DMC-12 for me. Back to the Future did it for me as a lad.

[NicFromLA]

I did the same this year....and it fitted very well...

The seat and the driving position were actually nice. But if my friends saw me driving that car, even for a quick test drive, I'd NEVER live it down.

[henk4]

The seat and the driving position were actually nice. But if my friends saw me driving that car, even for a quick test drive, I'd NEVER live it down.

change friends???

[Matra et Alpine]

change friends???
PLenty of "hairdressers" in LA :) :)

[nota]

To many candidates to choose just one but I'll nominate these few for now ..

Trojan (http://www.britishmm.co.uk/history.asp?id=896) two-stroke
My mate Gordon has one (I've not seen it as its at his Dad's farm out in the sticks) but it's reputedly slower than you could ever imagine. Solid tyres and chain drive. When coupled with the hellish engine noise he reckons @ 60 km/h it sounds deafening - just like the banshee wail of one of those WWII Stukka dive-bombers on max attack!

Heinkel (http://microcarmuseum.com/tour/heinkel.html) bubble car
Too cute not to love, and vague memories of test-riding in one which made lots of wonderful whirring noises. (Dad bought a Goggomobile instead which I got to sort-of drive when a kid)

SIMCA-VEDETTE-V8-BEAULIEU-1959 (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/SIMCA-VEDETTE-V8-BEAULIEU-1959_W0QQitemZ120227953111QQihZ002QQcategoryZ10189 5QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)
Slow, befinned and feminine, with spats and a poofy model name. It's got the raging 63kW V8, but so ultra-rare it hurts, and probably sounds good too with the twin pipes and manual gearbox.

In fact I've been half tempted to give this guy a ring about the Beaulieu as it also seems to be a perhaps-bargain to me - although you'd probably never make money on it :( or get rid of it again, so it'd end up as a permanent 'lurker'

Any idea what the "dual lever floor shift" is? :confused:

[Falcon500]

In fact I've been half tempted to give this guy a ring about the Beaulieu as it also seems to be a perhaps-bargain to me - although you'd probably never make money on it :( or get rid of it again, so it'd end up as a permanent 'lurker'

Any idea what the "dual lever floor shift" is? :confused:

I once met a guy who put one of them in a catipllaer tracked John deer tractor and with open pipes it was suprisingly quite it had the burble but even with open pipe it was not what you expected.

And thats a splitter in the gearbox chrysler loved hi and low range gears like mitsu in the 80s.

[nota]

I once met a guy who put one of them in a catipllaer tracked John deer tractor and with open pipes it was suprisingly quite it had the burble but even with open pipe it was not what you expected.

And thats a splitter in the gearbox chrysler loved hi and low range gears like mitsu in the 80s.
Ford Flatheads produce a great engine note imo :cool: even the baby V8 60

It's confusing because afaik that Simca should be bench seating with column shift, even if they had an O/D option (?)

Thanks for your response

[Waugh-terfall]

Nah, the 80's are better. :)

<3 both

[theroadneverend]

Mercedes CL 65 AMG

[PRC777]

Any SSC Aero, especially the Ultimate.

[f6fhellcat13]

<3 the 70s


Nah, the 80's are better. :)

1980s Colombian-fueled excess has nothing on '70s Owsley Stanley-fueled excess.

[Ferrer]

My friend, you were on the wrong country to enjoy the 80's, automotively speaking.

[f6fhellcat13]

My friend, you were on the wrong country to enjoy the 80's, automotively speaking.

Perhaps, perhaps, but even in European (read German) cars, my taste is more '70s, though I cannot deny the hot-hatch revolution it's fair due (technically that was late '70s, though).

As far as the original topic goes, and related to your point, I would love to go yachting in one of those '60s-'80s Detroit colossi.

[Ferrer]

Perhaps, perhaps, but even in European (read German) cars, my taste is more '70s, though I cannot deny the hot-hatch revolution it's fair due (technically that was late '70s, though).
Not denying that, the 70's especially the first half have some great cars. But in the 80's many of the great ones were still available, and contemporary cars were relatively powerful but still not full of safety equipment or electrical gizmos. Many of the cars had modern technology, turbocharging, supercharging, 4 valves per cylinder, independent suspensions. They were modern and great to drive, but not obsessed with emissions and safety. For instance the Punto Abarth Evo has the same 0-60 as the old Uno Turbo i.e., apparently. Are we actually making progress?

But best of all, is that in the 80's cars were still different and instantly recognisable. There was no globalisation, platform sharing or badge engineering. A Saab was a Saab, and so were Alfas, Rovers, Lancias, Jaguars, Volvos, BMWs, Mercedes-Benzes. M3s, 190 E Cosworths, Golf GTIs, SD1s, 900 Turbos, 205 GTIs, CX Turbos, Delta HFs and Thema 8.32s, M5s, brick shaped Volvos with turbochargers the size of a house, straight six Jags, Sierra Cosworths, MX-5s, Omega GSIs, E30s, and many others I'm surely missing. And they are all a bargain now.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the Thema 8.32, despite the engine being bespoke, shared parts with the Alfa Romeo 164, Saab 9000 and FIAT croma.

Platform sharing was alive and well in the 80's ;)

[Ferrer]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the Thema 8.32, despite the engine being bespoke, shared parts with the Alfa Romeo 164, Saab 9000 and FIAT croma.

Platform sharing was alive and well in the 80's ;)
Certainly. But it was no where near as extended as today.

Of course Lancia had been a Fiat division since 1969, so well they were bound to share parts. But at least they had a plan. I want my Thesis back! :)

[iwmakemh]

I would love to drive a Jeep Wrangler haha
Or a turbo or v8 thunderbird.

[jump15vc]

Hummer H1 in rush hour traffic, immediately after off roading on a muddy day.

[iwmakemh]

Hummer H1 in rush hour traffic, immediately after off roading on a muddy day.

The H1 is capable of going off road? lol I imagine it going onto a dirt road and turning it into a trench just by the shear weight of it!

[roosterjuicer]

mazda miata. Girly as all hell but i have heard they are just a blast to drive.

[TheScrutineer]

Always wanted one of those prodrive McRae Impreza SRIs with all of the 555 decals plastered all over it. Unfortunately they have been hijacked by white trash chavs here in the UK, yet I still long for one. My wife would probably divorce me.

[Commodore GS/E]

I've always wanted to drive a Mercedes G-Class with a Diesel engine. My grandfather had one for over 30 years and only needed to repair minor things. Problem is that even used Diesel Gs cost more than new Nissan Patrols over here (because the owners like them and are unlikely to sell). Apart from that the G's fuel economy is...well...not that good (because of its brick-like shape). Pity.

[ScionDriver]

The Tata Nano for me as well. Such an awful looking and built car but I'm very curious about it. Also possibly the Yugo because it's supposed to be the worst car of all time.

[PRC777]

Currently the Dodge Challenger. Every time I spot one here, it is always piled up in snow and/or owned by a really old guy (I haven't seen a really old woman drive one yet :)). I believe the Challenger failed to put retro cars back on the map...but I'm highly curious of how it drives.

[cargirl1990]

A Smart Car. Becuase I want to see how well I handle a frontal driverside crash. Their safe vehicles that's for sure. And I'm wanting to know how good the powertrain is.

[Matra et Alpine]

^^ the performance is going to depend on which model you get to have.
THe Brabus ones are great drives.
Not for long boring highways, but in town and best of all on twisties ---- mmmmmmm great :)

[Ferrer]

And the sportscar-shaped ones, can't remember the name, were ackonwledged to be great handling cars.

[DesmoRob]

I've always wanted to drive a Mercedes G-Class with a Diesel engine. My grandfather had one for over 30 years and only needed to repair minor things. Problem is that even used Diesel Gs cost more than new Nissan Patrols over here (because the owners like them and are unlikely to sell). Apart from that the G's fuel economy is...well...not that good (because of its brick-like shape). Pity.

My dad owned one of the early models. It was also a Diesel. He bought it brand new and said it was a POS from day one. When it rained, water would run inside the cabin from the door seals. The power was so crap that you could nearly beat the thing on foot in an uphill race. He didn't have it for a very long time before switching to a Mitsubishi Pajero which turned out to be so great he bought a second one after having the first for a few years. Personally, I like the newer G class. I think its got a very classic off road shape, and having been in one I can safely say that its the easiest vehicle I've ever had the pleasure of climbing in and out of. For my height and size, I do the least amount of neck bending and maneuvering to get into place.

Of the embarrassing vehicles I'd like to drive, I think it'd be neat to take out a hummer h2 and see how far I can make it up a mountain before it gets stuck or rolls.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Mercedes-Benz R-Klasse.
I don't want to drive it, I want to own one.

Shame on me. :p

[Ferrer]

Could be worse. You could want an M-Class or an X5... ;)

[LeonOfTheDead]

Could be worse. You could want an M-Class or an X5... ;)

The only M-Klasse (don't ask why I insist writing it the German way) I'd want is the one from Jurassic Park 2

[Ferrer]

Don't worry either, I like writing 1er or 3er instead of 1 Series or 3 Series. Altough that's just probably because this way I type less.

[csl177]

Well, having at one time or another driven everything from Yugos to a rusty King Midget, can't say there's anything I'd be embarassed to drive. At least once.:D

If it's got wheels, I'm in.

[WallStreetGuru]

Though i hate to admit this but, I wanted to try driving a Ford Mustang GT Bullitt. I don't really like its design but I heard it's a good car to drive.

[cargirl1990]

Me in a Z4. Ouch...

[DesmoRob]

Though i hate to admit this but, I wanted to try driving a Ford Mustang GT Bullitt. I don't really like its design but I heard it's a good car to drive.

A great car to drive :). Even the last generation one is fun as hell. Those 4.6L V8s sound incredible with a proper exhaust. Goes like sh!t out of a goose.