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I don’t like the Jaguar E-Type. There. I said it.
It’s not to say I haven’t tried to like the E-Type. Some of the low-drag ones are cool, but race-bred modifications tend to make certain cars more attractive—Jag’s cat is one of them. I respect the engineering, I respect its racing heritage, and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that once the clamshell bonnet is open it’s an impressive sight.
I place the blame squarely on its “styling”, which comes from an era when men thought they knew where certain curves, lines, and bulges should be placed. But they didn’t, really, and as a result even a car like the hulking Dodge Charger Daytona is technically a bit more slippery through the wind. It’s from an era of braggadocio, and for many of its tens of thousands of owners, it was that the car could top 150 mph—if you needed it to. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
Ted enjoys the car, and of course, I respect that. I also respect your love for the E-Type. But give me a classic Alpine, Panhard, NSU, Tatra… I can’t be the only one—does the sight of a Lamborghini Countach, Lancia Stratos, Porsche 911, or Ferrari 250 GTO fill you with a surprising amount of nothing-ness?
Photography by Ted Gushue, Federico Bajetti, Afshin Behnia, & David Zu Elfe
Most Porsche products. 356, 911 (pretty much all of them), 914, 944. I saw a crazy green early 928 with a Pasha interior that I thought was cool, but that’s about it.
I’m not crazy about BMW ‘s 2002 either and I am one who appreciates and has owned several old BMWs, including one MUCH older than the 2002.
Almost every single muscle car. Maybe it’s because I grew up in Europe. Give me an Alfa Romeo, with barely a hundred horsepower and I’d rather have that over any 400 cubic inch, 4-barrel, tire smoking GTO, or any of its competition. I know, I hope I like their taillights, since I would be seeing lots of them.😁
Ther aren’t really cars I don’t like. At first porsche would come to mind. They don’t give me the shiver down my spine such as many people say they get.
But now owning my first car, a porsche 924, which gives me a smile on my face each time driving it because of the subtile changed exhaust note and roaring intake sound… I now only can imagine the sound being a 6 cilinder boxer in the back would be a hole other but very shivering experience…
I agree on the E-Type. The Porsche 356 suffers the same awkward aesthetic for me too…..it’s the wheels, or rather, the axle width (if that makes sense). The wheels don’t fill the arches and the car just looks ‘awkward’.
Not a fan of the VW Kharman Ghia either. A bit the old Auto Union racers of days gone by….nose/front heavy. Worst for me? Probably the 80’s mustang or trams am. Went pig ugly.
I think the Muira is sublime and the 288GTO is menacingly glorious. best of the bunch? I think the Monterverdi Hai is lovely and the Maserati Bora is also a handsome car design. But then I love the Vauzhall Firenza droop snoot too.
Ah, life is fickle….
A Dodge Chargers enormous frontal area will mean it takes much more energy to push through the air than the E Type. Funny that some of the cars most likely to evoke disappointment are also those that are difficult to get into and or drive. Countachs are often moaned about, but there are people capable of driving them.
I supose you are free to say that you don’t like a car, but man, did you really have to dedicate a post just to say what you don’t like and explain why you hate it so much? Did you really need to do that? I personally think it was unecesary and if you really respect someones taste you just don’t say “hey, this thing is a shit to me… stinks, looks bad, and maybe the color is nice from the distance but still is a shit…. but I totally respect that you like it”. You could just had been objective and write a post about the car and add an ending note saying that you don’t really like the car.
In the other hand it was well writen and I think you just wanted to ask the readers which cars are not liked that much, wich is nice.
My least favourite cars are those american cars from Grease movies, I think those are nice but, to me, they were too bigg and had not much power.
If I was pressed, I would say Miura doesn’t do it for me. I am a believer in function over form so cars that are just ‘stylish’ don’t rate anywhere near as much as those who perform. The sadness comes from not being able to fit in so many of those that I do like. at 6′ 2″ and 110kg, many Italian exotics are out of reach
I don’t get Porsches, especially the 911 which has always left me completely empty no matter what vintage. Their cars seem to me utterly cold and devoid of any soul. There are some exceptions, most notably the 959 and the Carrera GT but these are both poster cars from my youth and I think it’s more a case of warming nostalgia emanating from the memory of the idea rather than the cars themselves.
I don’t really like:
E-type, quite frankly any classic Jag that’s not a le mans racer.
MG’s
80’s Ferrari’s (with 2 exceptions)
Daytona
Most old BMW’s (or modern for that matter)
Most JDM
Anything post 1966 American.
I really like:
Classic Bugatti’s
Audi 100 coupe s
250 ferrari’s (apart from the Cali)
275 2+2
F40, and GTO (the 80’s exception)
Early Porsche
My perfect classic?
Bugatti Type 35 (Gran Prix)
Meh:
Ferrari 250GT California – many more beautiful cars from the marque
Miura
Lancia Stratos
Assorted 70s wedge cars, mostly Ferraris & Lamborghinis
MG B
Anything Mopar
Oooh:
Ferrari 250 GTO, 275 GTB, 365 GTB
GT40
Early 911s
60s Vettes & Mustangs
Shelby Cobra/Daytona
Datsun 240Z and 2000 roadster
Dream:
classic – 275 GTB
modern – Singer 911
Own:
Datsun 240Z
Jaguar E-type. I owned a beautiful 1967 red with black leather roadster that would have made a beautiful show piece for my living room. As a car for limited use on a nice Sunday, it was a troublesome piece of crap. I sold it for what I paid for it 9 months after I bought it. I never missed it!
To me, there aren’t many, but I really hate so-called classics that did absolutely nothing then and now, with only value now being the fact that they are old and rare. And my oddity regarding E-type…I never ever really liked the drop-head version. I, for unknown reason, really dig 2+2 coupe.
Original Mini.
I sat in one briefly in 2012. I remember getting in and thinking something along the lines of “If Clarkson fits, then I fit.” WRONG. That car would give me claustrophobia. I don’t care how awesome it did in Monte Carlo. I’m sure I could drive a Mini in a manner befitting a rally car and would appear to be having fun, but no. I need to stretch out in something bigger, like a VW Bug (which I did own).
Have any of you ever driven any of these cars? You judge them on the outside, and revel about the specs-but has your burning right foot fallen asleep driving an E in anything over 60 degrees? A 250 with no overdrive, and a Salisbury axle just like a Morgan? The Miura is an ergonomic torture chamber; I drove one 500 miles and lost 5 ounds. The beatified 911 has crummy offset pedals, a clutch like a big block Corvette, and they smell funny inside.
bring on the haters…
I like the E-type convertible (not the coupe though), but I never subscribed to the “most-beautiful car” theory. Miuras – yes; Countach-no. 250 GTO and SWB California – yes; LWB and Daytona – no. I’m a long-time 911 lover, but more for the engineering and legend than the look.
Only a few cars would have me out in the garage to stare at (if I could afford them.) The Miura and SWB California. 1967 Chevelle SS. Long-tail Ford GT40.
It’s been 16 years since my last confession.
I don’t like 250GT California…..
For full disclosure, I am a serious Tifosi and I have the Cavallino tattooed on my left calf. But this multi-million dollar classic just doesn’t make me melt. Compared to its contemporaries, I don’t feel like the California really had the punch of style, and without a racing pedigree in itself, it’s hard to take this car as seriously as collectors, or even Ferris Buler.