The road trip, it’s almost a right of passage for hoons. Having made a number of transcontinental trips- in every manner possible, from leisurely tourist, to balls to the wall speed demon, I can attest to the allure of the open road.
If you’ve made a similar journey, you may have done so in the family car- typically something a bit mundane, or as a means of getting to a college -chosen by distance so as to express your right of independence (until the laundry piles up and the money runs out) and usually in some clapped-out beater that your folks bought you in high school and you treated like an ugly dog.
So, imagine that you got a bug up your butt to take a trip across the great expanses of your native land. Also, suppose, for this little exercise, that you could chose your chariot regardless of cost or availability. Now, I have yet to fulfill two of my cross-country fantasies- via touring motorcycle and via Citroën Deux Chevaux.
So, lace up those Pilotis and make sure you’ve got your gas card. If we’re going to take an interstate (or inter province) drive, what’ our ride?
Image sources:[Flickr, Corbis]
Hooniverse Asks- What Vehicle Would You Most Like to Drive Cross-Country?
About
34 responses to “Hooniverse Asks- What Vehicle Would You Most Like to Drive Cross-Country?”
-
I'd love to buy something weird or interesting via the internets and drive it back home, so that's dependent on my whims at the time of purchase.
However, my fiancée suggested driving Route 66 for our eventual honeymoon, and for that, I'm thinking '04-'06 GTO (or more likely, rental Mustang convertible). -
I learned from Top Gear that the Aston Martin DBS is the best grand touring car. No, the Ferrari California. No, the Lamborghini LP560-4 Spyder. Anyway, it has to be one of those, right?
This is a great topic. I've been trying to convince Mrs. engineerd that we need to take a road trip from our home in Detroit to my parent's in SoCal. I'd love to go the "southern route" (down through OKC to I-40 and across TX, NM, AZ) then come home the "northern route" through SLC, Colorado, etc. It would take at least 2 weeks. She's not a big fan of road trips, though. The 10 hour drive to my friend's house in Minnesota every Labor Day is about her limit. I've wearing her down, though.
The perfect car for this would depend. My Mustang would do just fine, and is surprisingly comfortable on longer drives. It would be fun to drive it in the mountains. The DBS that Jeremy Clarkson drove would be perfect, too. Smooth, powerful and a good GPS. However, I am almost thinking I'd rather do it in something older. Maybe a Mk I Sprite, or a Jag E-Type. An old Hudson or a big old Lincoln would be perfect if Route 66 were to be followed. There are so many choices. I think I might need multiple road trips.-
I did the Northern route out and Southern route back once and it was a blast. The S-10 we drove out was brutal to drive, man I was sore after that run. The Buick we drove back was a absolute joy.
If I did it again. It would have to be in a 'Vette. -
I-40 can be loooong and boring, though. I traveled pretty much the entire thing, and I remember the Grand Canyon (slight deviation), CarHenge, and Graceland. Parts were beautiful, and there was the world's biggest cross somewhere in Texas, but I'd recommend finding some scenic side roads.
-
I did the southern route when I moved from CA to MI. 3 day mad dash across the country. It was me, my '87 Crown Vic wagon, and a U-Haul trailer. Since it was a mad dash I didn't deviate, but if/when we do this, we'll be making side trips down to Dallas to see family, Tuscon & Prescott for sight seeing (I went to school in Prescott) and to visit friends, etc. Kind of the same thing on the way back.
It'll be a few more years before we do this, though. Gotta save up the vacation time and dollars.
-
-
If you end up taking the trip, don't forget to ask all of us Hooniversalists about where to stop on the way. If you're going on I-70 through Colorado I know a few places that shouldn't be missed, like great little waterfalls in the mountains around Vail, great mountain roads, and vineyards in the western slope area.
And on the southern route you really need to sample as much barbecue and green chilli as you can along the way. -
Definitely. I figured many of the friends I would meet are my fellow Hoons that I've never met in person.
-
Anyone care for a tour of the Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey distillery? Free samples at the end : )
-
-
The wife and I want to drive Route 66, or as much of it as we can, in the Jeep. Soft top down, minimum of supplies and clothes, no kids…
Substitute any good two seater with a small trunk. -
I have done this trip 5 times (3 at the wheel, 2 as a passenger)… the one time I remember it really sucking was in a four-cylinder jeep wrangler.
I ALMOST had the chance to deliver a friend's father's potential purchase from palm springs to massachusetts but the sale fell through – it was going to be a custom 911 formerly owned by Barry Bonds. Now THAT would have been a trip…
A perfect car for a trip like this… if you only have one other person… might be the new Jag XKR. If you have more than one passenger, how about either the E63 or a V10 TDI Touareg….-
Did it come with ROIDS?
-
-
If we are talking just burning the max number of miles in the most comfort, I'll take the newest Mercedes S-Class AMG version if I'm not buying the car. If I have to buy it a Lincoln MkVIII LSC is more realistic.
If you are taking scenic back roads with with multiple stops along the way and only doing 300 or so miles/day then a sports car would be great, I'll take a 2010 ZR-1, LT-1 C4 Vette if I'm buying. -
I took two cross-country trips in my life.
1990: Detroit to Yellowstone and back. Ford Escort. 3 people. Surprisingly not as bad as I'd have thought, but then again, driving was new to my brother and I, and we jumped at any chance to get behind the wheel. (learner's permit).
1991: Detroit to the Grand Canyon and back. Ford Taurus SHO, 4 people. AWESOME car for a cross country trip! Comfort, handling, power, room….. the cause of my first ever speeding ticket….. GREAT CAR! -
My first, instinctive response when I read the question was surprisingly, a Chrysler Crossfire. It just kind of popped into my head. And frankly, I don't know why. I don't want to own one, I just want to take one cross-country, once. I tried to think of other better answers, but for the life of me, I think that's actually my answer.
The only other suggestion that I might have is this one: BRP Spyder.
<img src="http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2008/06/06/089149.1-lg.jpg"> -
I'd probably take my LTD just because it's a romantic thing to do in your own project car. It's plenty comfortable enough to do so.
But I DID just take a 6000 mile road trip, and we took my girlfriend's Highlander Hybrid. Worked out great.
http://lapofamerica.wordpress.com -
I'd probably take my LTD just because it's a romantic thing to do in your own project car. It's plenty comfortable enough to do so.
But I DID just take a 6000 mile road trip, and we took my girlfriend's Highlander Hybrid. Worked out great.
http://lapofamerica.wordpress.com-
Word, driving my Impala up the coast to Seattle was a tremendous experience!!!
-
I drove an Impala from San Diego to Seattle too.
'Cept it was an '08 model. Not quote as cool.
-
-
-
Some friends of ours moved from the Upper East Side to Miami last December. I almost got the chance to drive their '07 Cooper S down for them. In the end, they got a hell of a deal on professional transport, so my driving was nixed. While 1200 miles of I-95 might well resemble Dante's 7th Circle, I was really looking forward to tackling it in a fun little car.
I can also add that, if the country in question is England, my least favorite car to take cross-country is a US-market Nissan Xterra. -
If a car is serious about devouring continents, f*** off gearing becomes the most critical and difficult to find aspect. In anything less than a massive V8 or overdriven slushbox, close ratio is all the rage. Never mind we now have six rather than four speeds, we seem to have forgotten that top should be an interstellar overdrive. Diesels throw an interesting, terribly unavailable spin on this. The Euro-only Alpina D3, in 6MT, 150mph, 40mpg wagon form is my pick for the most perfect car currently in production. Already a good all rounder, I admit a heavy bias due to its monster road tripping potential.
-
My next new(ish) car will get an epic road trip as soon as I'm confident of its roadworthiness. I'll probably head east to NJ to see my sister.
-
If we're talking interstate highway cruising with a lot of people, I'll take a roomy and comfortable minivan, like a turbo Dodge Caravan. If we're talking back roads and mountains, I'll take a motorcycle or sports car.
-
Either a Ferrari 365 GTB (with the special large fuel tank) or a Cotton Owens prepped Dodge Challenger.
<img src="http://www.legendsofriverside.com/images/cannonball1.jpg">
<img src="http://media.nextautos.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yateschallengerhll.jpg">-
However, if one were of Polish extraction, this would be the only acceptable response.
<img src="http://www.a2zracer.com/img593.jpg">-
Of course, in my heart, this is the only "correct" answer
<img src="http://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceball.gif">
-
-
-
My dream would be a Lotus 7 Series 3, although the BRP Spyder that Tanshanomi mentioned would probably have better weather protection.
-
Getting to this a little late but, after reading the replies I have sort of narrowed it down to two cars:
1) a 59 Lincoln Convertible – I just like them and think it would be cool. (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ewpEPV7ANWI/SiLHXMprgjI…
2) Being a fan of Diners Drive Ins and Dives a first gen Camaro. Maybe a convertible….yeah a convertible is a must. -
Um, Armand. Karl Middlehauve (the founder of the International M-100 club and maker of El Benzo, the Benzamino AND 600 SWB coupe) has just the car you need.
A W112 300 SE 6.3 Coupe.
<img src="http://www.mbgrand600.com/files/IMG_297.jpg">
http://www.mbgrand600.com/Page110.html
Or, if you prefer, a W112 300 SE 6.3 AMG Cabriolet
<img src="http://www.mbgrand600.com/files/IMG_322.jpg">
” target=”_blank”>http://www.mbgrand600.com/Page120.html
![http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2008/06/06/089149.1-lg.jpg">](http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2008/06/06/089149.1-lg.jpg">){kind=link}
![http://www.drivetuscany.com/graphics/08%20Tuscany_Black_High_Top_Exec_int_fronttoback.jpg">](http://www.drivetuscany.com/graphics/08%20Tuscany_Black_High_Top_Exec_int_fronttoback.jpg">){kind=link}
![http://www.legendsofriverside.com/images/cannonball1.jpg">](http://www.legendsofriverside.com/images/cannonball1.jpg">){kind=link}
![http://media.nextautos.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yateschallengerhll.jpg">](http://media.nextautos.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/yateschallengerhll.jpg">){kind=link}
![http://www.a2zracer.com/img593.jpg">](http://www.a2zracer.com/img593.jpg">){kind=link}
![http://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceball.gif">](http://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceball.gif">){kind=link}
![http://www.mbgrand600.com/files/IMG_297.jpg">](http://www.mbgrand600.com/files/IMG_297.jpg">){kind=link}
![http://www.mbgrand600.com/files/IMG_322.jpg">](http://www.mbgrand600.com/files/IMG_322.jpg">){kind=link}
Leave a Reply