Journal: What Was The First Car You Remember Riding In?

What Was The First Car You Remember Riding In?

By Michael Banovsky
January 28, 2016

I watched a ton of racing when I was a kid. Between watching Formula 1 early in the morning with my father or family camping trips a few hours’ drive away at Mosport Park, within a few years I’d memorized the shapes of dozens of vehicles, liveries, helmets—you know the drill—it was cars, cars, cars.

But seeing an exotic car: that didn’t really happen in my hometown. So it was incredible one morning at Mosport Park when it looked like one of the race cars had erroneously parked near the washrooms. A Lotus Esprit. It was no race car, however, it was just some guy’s road-going Esprit.

It smashed my young brain. “How is this possible? How is it so low? How fast is it? Maybe someday, I could drive this to school,” I no doubt thought at the time. The owner must have seen the steam coming from my ears and suggested to my dad that he give me a lift back to our campsite a few hundred feet away.

Even traveling at a walking pace, that early-’90s Esprit was unforgettable. I’ve had a soft spot for them ever since—you might, too, after seeing tomorrow’s film.

What what your first unforgettable ride?

Photos via Jonathan WC Mills, diariomotor.comlotusespritturbo.com

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Jeremy DeConcini
Jeremy DeConcini
8 years ago

Dad’s fiat 124, thing ruined me forever.

Tom Richards
Tom Richards
8 years ago

I distinctly remember my uncle taking me out in his silver Porsche 911 Turbo, I must have been about 12 years old. Pretty sure the only cars I had been in before that were my parents standard family cars so I had absolutely no idea what a fast car felt like. We went out to some quiet country roads and he stopped in the middle of a long straight section. He looked at me and asked if I was ready, I just said yes obviously not knowing what was about to happen. He then gunned it up the road and I experienced the sensation of fast acceleration for the first time and laughed out loud.

Fast forward 10 years of boring cars and a friend took me out for a fast drive in his Audi R8 which brought back the same feeling of uncontrollable joy.

Leon Prinsloo
Leon Prinsloo
8 years ago

I have always loved cars, but my first real memory of a power car burnt into my brain was at the age of about 6 I was at the home of a friend of my parents, and I was just staring at this red Ford Capri Perana (V8) which was i the driveway of the place we were at. The owner came outside, took a look at my face and asked my if I wanted to go for a blast. I distincly remember him starting that up and that V8 rumble shook me to my bones. I think I truly fell in love with cars right at that moment. The acceleration was simply mind blowing. My first memory of a true sports car was me driving a Lotus Esprit Turbo shortly after I got my drivers license.

Robin Adams
Robin Adams
8 years ago

A Donkervoort S8. I don’t know how old I was but I was young/small enough that the low cut ‘door’ was at my eyeline. Exciting place to be sitting.

Graham Lawton
Graham Lawton
8 years ago

My dad’s biz partner drove a Pontiac Trans-Am with the GOLD CHICKEN on the hood! That car was fast…never wanted one but the first drive in it was amazing.

Tony Ellis
Tony Ellis
8 years ago

I remember at a very young age back in the 1950’s travelling from Brisbane to Melbourne (Australia) twith friends of the family to stay with my grandparents. It was in a Mk7 Jaguar and I remember standing up between the seats being totally awed at the fact that we were doing 110 miles an hour.
The modern road safety people would have a stroke! .High speed at night after 22 hours on the road , on 1950’s roads full of animals, no seat belts, headlights by Lucas Prince of Darkness. Wonderfully politically incorrect

Brandon Herrera
Brandon Herrera
8 years ago

My dad’s 87 C4.

Per Eldh
Per Eldh
8 years ago

I wish I could say one of my dads all (4 in a row) Fiat 125, but it was actually in his Triumph 1300.

Carlos Lemos
Carlos Lemos
8 years ago

sleeping in the back of Peugeot 308, while driving to our summer spot. My first exhilarating driving was in a brand new Fiat punto GT, this at late single digits, after I had acquired a taste and some knowledge of cars, all I could think of, is how is it possible that this car can go sideways? What sorcery is this? It was a freaking joy. Then it came a 205 gti, a Integra type r, all in that year, they had me hooked up.

Slothy McEatsalot
Slothy McEatsalot
8 years ago

I have a distinct mental movie of a gorgeous red leather interior, a wood steering wheel, a white body, and graceful lines. I was 4 at the time, so memories and dreams from that time are conflated. Only a few years ago I learned that my dad had a white SL 280 pagoda with red leather interior and a Nardi wheel installed. I was stunned. I finally understood those dreams of watching the trees sail by overhead and the rich warm leather as a memory. Man, that was a day

JB21
JB21
8 years ago

To me, that would be our family car, which was my dad’s pride and joy, Isuzu 117 Coupe. I remember my dad’s telling my sister and I “D-O-H-C.”

Wayne Mattson
Wayne Mattson
8 years ago

The first car I distinctly remember riding in was my grandfather’s ’69 MGB, with the top down. I’ve been hooked ever since.

Landroving
Landroving
8 years ago

First car of memory was an early 71 Ford Colony Squire with acres of space. First car of enthusiast grade was a mid 70’s Triumph TR6, early spring evening, soft breeze and the burble of that big 6 adding to the song of the cicadas and crickets as we motored down the road.

Adam Fay
Adam Fay
8 years ago

My uncle’s ’74 VW Super Beetle Sunbug. He bought it new and it’s still in the family…it basically started my whole love of cars at 3 years old.

Christopher Gay
Christopher Gay
8 years ago

1969 AMX, 390 c.i., 4 speed.
I could hear it coming from two blocks away to pick me up from school. 🙂
That would’ve been my mother driving. 😉

Nicolas Moss
Nicolas Moss
8 years ago

Convertible Pontiac Tempest.

Benjamin Shahrabani
8 years ago

I am slightly embarrassed, but although my parents both subsequently had much better cars, my first memory is riding in their red Ford Pinto. I am more than slightly relieved we weren’t rear-ended!

Christopher Gay
Christopher Gay
8 years ago

No worries. I learned to drive a manual transmission in a Pinto while at Riverside International Raceway for the Times Grand Prix in 1985… or was it ’86?

Maxime Veilleux
Maxime Veilleux
8 years ago

First car ride I remember : 1987 Jetta Diesel.

First car ride that need to be remember : My brother friend 1967 Camaro.

Andrew Metcalfe
Andrew Metcalfe
8 years ago

I had was taken around Pukekohe race track in New Zealand in a Ferrari 348 TS, I would have much preferred it to be an Esprit. I did get to sit in an Esprit V8 but sadly never turned a wheel.

Michael Squeo
Michael Squeo
8 years ago

LOL – It was my Uncle Pete’s mid-60’s Pontiac Executive – because it was the first car I was ever in with Air-Conditioning! That was exotic to us.

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