Last week’s post “Twenty Cars to Consider for Your Garage” generated an enormous amount of reader feedback. The cars we listed were carefully curated and represent a subjective view of next-generation modern classics. TG listened to subscriber comments and, as a result, added a few more cars to the list. All of the vehicles in this post represent suggestions from our loyal and educated readers—your valuable feedback makes Turtle Garage more interesting and interactive.
We have kept the same format as the prior post—three concise sentences on why these cars are standouts. On point with recent
1990 Acura NSX: When this car was launched the angular silhouette of the car was Ferrari-familiar but somehow all it’s own. While the NSX enjoyed a long production run during which the vehicle evolved, you still never saw many of them on the road. We prefer the original first-year version with pop-up headlights.
1993 SVT Cobra: Something about the Fox body Mustang strikes a chord with many
2009 Honda S2000 Club Racer: The S2000 represents the zenith of Honda’s design and engineering magic. The final year upgraded AP2 S2000 is the car to own because of its rare high performance Club Racer option package. The S2000 is like a Lotus Elise but with adult supervision—a refined open car that is a ball to drive and easy to maintain.
2002 Mazda RX-7: The third generation of the RX-7 was a technological tour de force when it arrived in 1993. The car maintained it’s signature rotary “Wankel” engine but added twin turbochargers. Even today, the FD RX-7 stands out as a distinctive sportscar that was way ahead of its time.
1999 Subaru WRX STI: The WRX brought the rally car to the streets. Boxy styling a-la VW GTI, a huge wing, and oodles of horsepower—all for a fair price. This car gave consumers Subaru sensibility with a dose of
1987 Alfa Romeo GTV6: Alfa Romeo shares deep ties to Enzo Ferrari and therefore it will always be an exotic and alluring brand. The GTV 6 was penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro and has angular lines that reflect its era. Unfortunately, the American market did not get the spicy versions of this car, however, during the final years, U.S. versions had increased horsepower.
my 5 cars 1965 ford custom 500 sdn less than 18,000 miles original exhaust 289 auto, 1978 pontiac bonneville with rare valencia red interior and rallye wheels, 1984 pontiac fiero indy car edition std trans, 1992 pontiac grand rix richard petty edition 1999 mercury sable DOHC had a better exhust put on tires are rated for 145 mph had it up to 121mph best mpg 29mpg
Philip, clearly ’85 Euro BMW M635 ‘belongs’ and I’m certain others have their own ideas. A 35 year old car that even today drives much like a current car. Also, first gen ZR1, a tour de force in it’s time should be included. I own/have owned many on your list, ’90 Miata, 550 Maranello, Alfa GTV,NSX,ZR1, R8, C4. Pete Weinberg
Pete,
Thanks for your comments. I think you nailed why Youngtimer modern classics are distinctly different from other generations of cars….the driveability factor. A Corvette ZR-1 is a modern car and would be easy to drive on chaotic streets today. It has great brakes, airbags, functional air conditioning, etc. I hope Tracy is doing well, I have not seen her around the shows.
Philip
You guys are probably correct. Driveability is compelling. However, I have a vivid memory of being driven to High School by a classmate in an old 1960s Ford Falcon, solid car but primer gray, stripped interior, loud, cammy V8 w/solid motor mounts that shook and buzzed every fastener holding the car together including my teeth. It was in essence a drag car, a tin can with an engine and chairs. Did I mention it smelled like raw gasoline? I’m talking the abject antithesis of driveability. But you know what? It was glorious. Absolutely raw, mechanical wonderfulness. Raw street cars, particularly of the AC Cobra and European sort, that border pure racing machines garner a lot of money at auctions. So it’ll be interesting as time goes on if these eminently more drivable cars eclipse them in the minds of youngtimers. It’ll be interesting to watch.
svx and qvale mangusta
Another fun comparison test would be between the Qvale Mangusta and a Panoz Esperante as they both borrowed from the same Ford parts bin. The SVX? If it has any redeeming qualities outside of it’s quirky looks please let me know what they are.
quiet; certainly fast enough; as comfortable a car as I’ve ever sat in; front wheel drive only model handles well with a dab of left foot brake; economical; lousy transmission though…very little wind noise at speed
Thanks for that sexy photo of the Subie. I don’t own one but it’s in my sights. Love the Alfa GTV, have an early Alfetta model with just 44k miles, and adore it.
Thanks! Alfetta’s are sweet, too.
As the owner of a pristine, original, 35,000 mile Alfa Romeo GTV6 I was delighted to see it worthy of mention. It is the last affordable sporting Italian sports coupe powered by a notable V6 fuel injected engine. Let alone one with with a successful provenance in both road and rally racing. Detractors seem to delight in shining a light on the car’s inherent flaws, eg: Head gaskets, timing belt tensioners, second gear synchros, funky ergonomics, etc. But realistically all mechanical issues are resolvable, the transaxle shifts no worse than a Porsche 911 of the same era, and the ergonomics are on par with a host of high dollar vintage Italian supercars. As Jeremy Clarkson has been saying for years, a well-sorted Alfa GTV6 is a very satisfying drive. If you’ve ever hankered to own a vintage Italian sports car, the GTV6 may be the last opportunity left.
Opel GT, German engineered, French body built from 1968-1973. Reliable components, easy to acquire and maintain. Fun to drive, great ergonomics and always a head-turner. Values finally starting to rise.
https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/g6460/10-best-looking-european-fastbacks/?slide=11
The Opel GT is a fine car. When new it got eclipsed by the brilliant Datsun 240Z. Which is a shame because they both have similar merits. It would be fun to see someone take original examples of each and do a side-by-side comparison. Nice to see them being rediscovered by today’s enthusiasts.
The fun and more apt comparison I would love to see is Opel GT v. Saab Sonett, the Sonett was punching in a weight class much closer to the GT, they both had a unique “mini GT car” style, but totally different drivetrain and engineering.