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Cars We’re Thankful For

Tis the season to be thankful for those things you already have in your life, right before running to the store to get $100 off that flatscreen TV. While many members of our family will share that they’re thankful for “grandma’s delicious green bean casserole”, we’re the kind of people who say, “I’m thankful for my heated 2 car garage and the beauties that occupy the space.” With that, we thought we would share the cars we’re most thankful exist in this world.

Lauren:

Woodbridge, New Jersey - April 26, 2015: A replica of the Back to the Future DeLorean is shown at a local car show

Ahh the DMC DeLorean. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I absolutely love this car. Who doesn’t want a car that can travel through time?! And even if it couldn’t do that I’d still love it. I love the completely necessary gullwing doors, the stainless steel panels, the flux capacitor… Plus, it’s coming back. Soon. Eventually. And am I ever thankful for that.

 

Ben:

flat-six

For me picking a favorite car is like picking my favorite child…I simply cannot do it. I can, however, with absolute certainty tell you what my favorite engine is. Hands down it’s a Porsche flat-six. Perhaps it’s because I grew up around them – and can contribute early onset hearing loss to many a flat six with open megaphones –  but there’s just something that gives me goosebumps when I hear that flat six roar.  Don’t understand what I’m talking about?  Maybe you will after listening to this Porsche RSR and these Porsche 935s driven in anger. Of course the turbo whoosh and flames on overrun don’t hinder the excitement either.

Alex:

1997-mclaren-f1

There are a lot of cars I would consider myself thankful for, all for different reasons. For instance, I’m thankful for the Ford Model T because with that vehicle, Henry Ford created the assembly line that lowered costs and increased volume, making cars more available to the masses. I’m thankful for Ferrari, whose legendary CEO, Enzo Ferrari, placed racing over all else, and built a legacy of performance cars that will last several lifetimes. I’m thankful for Porsche who built has somehow managed to build both reliable and satisfying-to-drive sports cars for more than 50 years. But above all, I’m thankful for McLaren, who honed their technical excellence in racing and had razor sharp focus in building what I, and many others, consider to be the best performance car ever built: the McLaren F1. A car that has stood head and shoulders above everything else I’ve seen or driven to cement itself as a pillar against which all other cars are compared to.

 

Adam:

group-b

What is more Badbutt that launching a car not inches, but feet above the ground? The correct answer to that is nothing. Nothing is cooler in my mind, and that is why I am thankful for Group B rally cars. In a time where automotive livery glory took place, the Group B rally cars could do it all. High speeds, airing it out over 50+ feet easy, and perfecting the “Scandinavian Flick”, Group B rally was the pinnacle of racing. Spawning the Ferrari 288 GTO, which only around 272 were produced, has got to be one of the craziest and coolest cars ever built just because Ferrari wanted a Group B rally car. While Group B did come to an abrupt end on the May 2nd, 1986 when Henri Toivonen and his co-driver Sergio Cresto where killed in a horrific crash, I think this is part of what made it special and something I’m thankful for. Before being ruined by corporate sponsorships at every turn, and the scene growing to be more than photog’s standing in the middle of the road. Group B was just good old fashion racing. That short period that it existed making it some of the most incredible racing ever to take place. If you don’t know much about what Group B rally racing was, you should watch this tribute video and be thankful with me!

 

Gabe:

ariel_atomblog_readyWhen I came across this thing for the first time in the basement of the LA Auto Show last week I admittedly had no idea what it was, but Lord have mercy did I like the look of it. Adam filled me in on what I was drooling over, obscenities were muttered, and I fell in love. 60mph in 2.6 seconds. Just let that wash over you. There is quite honestly no reason that the Ariel Atom should exist, but I am very thankful that it does.

 

Amber:
2001dodgeneon-l-f8af363fe01646c8

I will forever hold the belief that we as a human race did not deserve the 2001 Plymouth Neon. It is too good for this world. Now stop laughing and hear me out: the Neon could drive forever. Literally forever. Mine had 150k miles on it, never had the timing belt replaced, had a broken tensioner that left me with no power steering, no air conditioning, an engine rattle from when my sisters and I didn’t know that oil was actually important, and probably a few more issues I’m forgetting about, but it still ran like a dream. These cars also have nothing electronic in them (except the clock, which I’m still surprised wasn’t analog), so there’s nothing to break. The only thing that ever went wrong with a Neon is that someone decided to slap a Dodge badge on it. Other than that, the Neon is the most perfect thing to ever grace our planet and I am truly thankful that they exist.

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