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Journal: Which Popular Classic Just Doesn’t Do It For You?

Which Popular Classic Just Doesn’t Do It For You?

By Michael Banovsky
February 12, 2016
50 comments

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

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Jarry
Jarry
5 years ago

Ferrari California (the new one, NOT the olde one). I mean, just look at that rear end of it. It is hideous. Also there is something wrong with the proportions of the Miura.

0
Christopher Judd
Christopher Judd
6 years ago

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.

1
koolaid117
koolaid117
6 years ago

Ferrari Mondial. Hideous.

1
D Blacker
D Blacker
6 years ago

i just don’t like the Countach. i’ve seen it up close, even sat in one. but i can’t like it

1
Robbe-
Robbe-
6 years ago

I’m not a fan of these:

EU: Mercedes, Ferrari, Lamborghini, all pre-WW2 cars (they all look the same to me)
Japan: Nissan (post-Datsun era that is)
US: almost all of them

0
Corin
Corin
6 years ago

The countach, it just doesn’t make sense to me. I guess I’m too young.

0
Manos Stefanakos
Manos Stefanakos
6 years ago

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.😁

3
Roger Mohr
Roger Mohr
6 years ago

Most of Holden’s HSV models are a bit too brash for me, then again a later model Pontiac FireBird-is well………….puke !

0
Tom
Tom
6 years ago

I don’t like American muscle cars. Sorry.

2
TXUK
TXUK
7 years ago

Almost anything designed by Zagato has looks that only a mother could love, but the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato and the Alfa Romeo Junior Zagato are particularly “special”.

1
Tom Mallett
Tom Mallett
7 years ago

A Ferrari Daytona for me. I drove one last year and it did even less for me. A 275 GTB on the other hand…

3
Tharanga Wijayaratna
Tharanga Wijayaratna
5 years ago
Reply to  Tom Mallett

I too don’t like the Daytona styling …nice name though

0
Jorris van den Berg
Jorris van den Berg
7 years ago

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…

1
David Ardley
David Ardley
7 years ago

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….

0
Mike Naydeck
Mike Naydeck
7 years ago

This is not a popular view by most car purists. But for me, the car that just doesn’t do it for me is the Porsche 356 Speedster.

0
Mark Willenbrock
Mark Willenbrock
7 years ago

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.

1
Mike Lloyd
Mike Lloyd
7 years ago

Porsche… Specifically any of them with anything resembling a 911ish shape… Even the old 1950’s roadster is awful. I respect the engineering but the look of them is just horrid, to me.

1
Richard Young
Richard Young
8 years ago

I struggle with pretty much all post Daytona Ferraris. The only exceptions are the 308GT4 and 288GTO

1
Nom DelaNom
Nom DelaNom
8 years ago

The Countach and, frankly, all wedge shaped Lamborghinis leave me, … um, sorry, I nodded off. What were we talking about?

0
Jose Abel Polanco Miranda
Jose Abel Polanco Miranda
8 years ago

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.

1
Colin Faulkner
Colin Faulkner
8 years ago

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

0
Lachlan Wilton
Lachlan Wilton
8 years ago

The Countach just doesn’t do it for me, I guess it wasn’t the poster car for my generation.
I remember seeing a ‘v12 Lamborghini’ at an aviation and auto show when I was young and being disapointed it wasn’t a Diablo.

0
M. S.
M. S.
8 years ago

There are many classic cars that are considered great that I don’t really care for, but there is only one i truly hate with passion: VW Beetle

1
Harri Theocleous
Harri Theocleous
8 years ago

Corvettes. I don’t like Corvettes. I know there are some really cool one (the Stingray for example) but for me it just doesn’t do it.

0
Maarten Coelingh
Maarten Coelingh
8 years ago

For some reason or other there is something in the design of the Miura that just doesn’t do it for me. I cannot exactly put my finger on it but is just so

0
Jim Levitt
Jim Levitt
8 years ago

Mostly the same. I really never liked the Countach, even though I drove what was probably the first one in the US, back in 1969 or 1970 and any small British Sports car (ALL of them) although I did like old Jags and E Types.

0
Chuck Ferrell
Chuck Ferrell
8 years ago

First and foremost on my “don’t like” list is anything made by Lamborghini (new or old). And although I own more than one British roadster, not a fan of MGBs. And Miatas? Nope.

0
Hugo SANNER
Hugo SANNER
8 years ago

I don’t really like 911. Engine at the wrong place, that rubish driving position and the small wheelbase…

0
Anders Hagström
Anders Hagström
8 years ago

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.

0
Thom Semeniuk
Thom Semeniuk
8 years ago

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)

0
Jim Levitt
Jim Levitt
8 years ago
Reply to  Thom Semeniuk

You don’t like Daytonas?
Did you ever drive one?

0
Tony Karnezis
Tony Karnezis
8 years ago

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

0
Jim Levitt
Jim Levitt
8 years ago
Reply to  Tony Karnezis

This is what you DON’T like

0
Frank Anigbo
Frank Anigbo
8 years ago

There are many but Lancia Fulvia immediately jumps to mind. It’s probably a fine car but I couldn’t care less.

On the E-Type, while I have lusted after one for as long as I’ve been aware of them, I pass every time I’ve had the opportunity to make that dream come through. Not really sure why.

0
Linda N Brian Schick
Linda N Brian Schick
8 years ago

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!

1
Steve Potz-Rayner
Steve Potz-Rayner
8 years ago

Classic Mini – because the seats are seemingly built to inflict spinal damage. Similarly, the Fiat 126 – a drive from Southampton to London left me in such agony that I had to lie flat for three days.

0
Laurent Stomboli
Laurent Stomboli
8 years ago
Reply to  Steve Potz-Rayner

I knew this problem until I met with Citroën.

0
Alexandre Goncalves
Alexandre Goncalves
8 years ago

MGs….. Can´t really understand what the fuzz is about…

The midget, MG A and MG B…. They all could have stayed back in the past…

And Alfas…. Except for the Montreal, every other Alfa just doesn´t appeal to me at all….

0
Darel Matthews
Darel Matthews
8 years ago

All things Porsche.

0
Sam Russell
Sam Russell
8 years ago

Being from England, I’d have to say it’s gotta be the MG B Roadster. Just can’t get into it, GT maybe but definitly not in the standard, wire wheel guise. Dunno why. Having said that I’ve never driven one so that may be why!

0
JB21
JB21
8 years ago

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.

0
Tom DesRochers
Tom DesRochers
8 years ago

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).

0
Toby Tuttle
Toby Tuttle
8 years ago

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…

0
Greg Hanson
Greg Hanson
8 years ago

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.

0
pope400
pope400
8 years ago

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.

0
Matthew Lange
Matthew Lange
8 years ago
Reply to  pope400

A California came 5th at Le Mans in 1959 and examples were campaigned in American sports car racing.

0
pope400
pope400
8 years ago
Reply to  Matthew Lange

It just wasn’t as widely used compared to the other 250’s… I can’t explain it. It just doesn’t strike me as interesting. I think the styling is too geared towards the US market, as was intended, and wasn’t a car originally designed as a race car.

0
Matthew Lange
Matthew Lange
8 years ago

The Lamborghini Countach. I loved the shape as a kid but after sitting in an early Periscopo example I just couldn’t fit in it is anyway that it would be possible to actually drive it. I’ve heard the later versions are much better in this respect but dream was over.

0
Andrew Golseth
Editor
Andrew Golseth
8 years ago
Reply to  Matthew Lange

+1
I’ve never understood the Countach appeal–it’s rather ugly. Then again, aside from the 350GT, 400GT, and Miura, I don’t really care for any Lamborghinis. Though, for whatever reason, I’m starting to appreciate the Murcielago?

0
Maxime Veilleux
Maxime Veilleux
8 years ago

Yes all thoses ”Wedge” car : Countach, Maserati Bora sport car and Lancia prototype truly does nothing to me emotially.

0

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