For the record, the Opel Speedster is basically a redesigned Lotus Elise - with bad looks, IMHO. GM own Lotus, see.
The Volkswagen Jetta, or Bora (quickly dubbed “Boring”) in Europe, is one of the most unimaginative designs to hit the markets in the last 10 years. Right along with the latest Golf.
The Z3 is still nice, although I prefer the Coupé version over the Roadster in terms of styling.
Sheesh, Coldfire, you and I are on the opposite end of the spectrum as far as what we like in cars. I’ve never seen a Speedster in person, but the pics are wonderful IMO. Once again, IMO the Jetta is heads and tails above any other sedan in the same price range as far as looks. And every time I see a Z3 Coupe, I think to myself “How could they take such a nice car and make it look like THAT?!?” I bought a Z3 Roadster - if someone flat out gave me a Z3 Coupe I wouldn’t take it.
I have always loved cars and there are just way too many to love for so many different reasons.
I have always had a fondness for Studebakers. While you’re at the museum, take the virtual tour.
http://www.studebakermuseum.org/frames.htm
Muscle cars… can you say hemi?? More power than any human deserves to play with and pretty too.
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/4261/Tramm.html
And as far as new cars go I would have to cast a vote for the Audi TT, the soon to be released 2002 Ford Thunderbird, and just about any Porsche built, ever.
I really like American cars of the 1950’s-and I really like Studebaker (the Golden Hawk and the Avanti are designs that never look dated). About european cars-I think the Italian design studios (like Pinifarini and Gugiaro) have designed some truly wonderful cars-but usually for German makes. The Italian cars usually range from the asthetically pleasing to downright bizarre-check out the Alfa-Romeo Milano-the thing looks like it was rear-ended by a Mack truck. British cars…I’d say the best cars (stylewise) are the Jaguar XJ6 and the E-type.Most of the rest of them are pretty weird. Swedish cars: Volvo=box, SAAB=weird.
Japan: some very nice cars have come out of Japan, also some very strange designs. The best japanese car to me was the DATSUN 240Z
Must be nice having enough money for something that expensive.
Personally, I’m fond of my 92 Voyager. Why? It’s good on gas, and blends into traffic. No one’s going to be able to ID my vehicle if I happen to cut them off in traffic. There’s zillions of minivans out there.
I’d bet a Z3 would be easy to remember. 
Methinks you’re getting away from the OP, though. None of your reasons have anything to do with you liking the looks of your [shudder] minivan.
While I agree that the current crop of BMWs have some grace to them, I can’t say that I’m fond of the Z3s or M-roadsters. Nor am I fond of the Porsche Boxster or the even the Honda S2000 (even if it is one of the most stunning automotive accomplishments on the road today). I was flirting with buying an M5 last year (before my stock options tanked :(), but I confess to preferring the less agressive lines of the 540.
And the Corvette? Puleeze! A huge, inefficient beast of an engine mated to a GM-nightmare of a transmission that let it get trounced by a BMW 540 (a fricken four-door, for cryin’ out loud!) in Car & Driver’s 0-150-0 run a couple of years ago. Okay, so that’s not about looks per se, but I guess it colours my judgement. (The six cylinder Acura NSX smoked it, too.)
Of course, the Lotus Elise is so very sweet…
I’ve always been a huge Porsche fan, and the 2001 Boxters and 911 Turbos are about the best looking cars on the road. Mmmmm. I have to say that the new Lexus convertible looks pretty sweet too.
Jman
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Cerowyn *
**
Let’s see if any of those cars could smoke the new Z06? Eh? Eh? I’m just teasin’. It’s not about speed for me. If it goes over 140 (Come on honestly are you really ever gonna drive that fast?) I’m perfectly happy with it, if it looks good to me that is.
All right. I admit it, I’m a GM baby. Born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio, home of the GM Buick Oldsmobile Cadillac plant. Which, oddly enough, builds Chevys and Pontiacs (Cavaliers and Sunfire) rather than Buicks, Oldsmobiles, or Cadillacs. However, as a GM baby (Dad worked there for 43 years), I’m also a car fan. Read Car and Driver (only girl I know of who does).
BMWs - is it me, or, if you look at them from the front, do they all look exactly identical, if slightly more wide in the 500 series? Ditto Volvo and Mercedes.
The ONLY (and I do mean only) two cars that have thrilled me in the past five years are the revamped Chevy Impala (I bought one - I adore it) and the latest Pontiac Bonneville (Mr. jadailey has it on his list as his next auto purchase).
However, I admit that I LOVE the Jaguars. Any of 'em. S Type, SK8, Vanden Plas - any of them. I’d give my right arm for them. That’s the ONLY non-American car I’d care to own. And, strictly speaking, it’s not non-American anymore. Ford owns them.
Ptui! A 2001 “911” is really a 996. The last real 911 was the 993, whiched was terminated in 1997. The last aircooled boxer Porsche. Sigh… The new 911’s are far too easy to drive, too. Hell, I could manage one pretty easily, and I was pushing it. Gimme a 70’s or 80’s 911 anyday. So tailhappy it’s bound to intimidate you. You’ll think twice before pushing one of THOSE to the limit. All time fave 911: 1973 Porsche 911 RS Carrera. In bright green, please.
Jadailey: don’t speak so loud. They might hear you in Coventry, and it ain’t gonna be pretty when they do.
best looking car? Hmmm… hard to think that such thing exists. But on the truck side, it has to be Hummer. There is nothing that just uuuzes power, machismo, and guts like Hummer. Yes I know, it is a gas guzzler (get a diesel), very impractical for the city. And I do agree to most of thes arguments…it is just that it is so damn pretty!
MC: I belive you mean “Astin Martin Volante”. Yes, they are nice.
gypsybiker: if you like the Hummer, take a look at a Lamorghini LM002. 0-60 in under 8 seconds with the Lamborghini V12 (either the 5.2L Countach or 5.7L Diablo) engine.
Still didn’t get it right, it’s Aston Martin Volante.
Lamborghini Countache. Timeless.
With a sympathy vote for the DeLorean, simply due to that nifty gull-wing (and optional time-travelling accessory package :D)
Not that I can afford any of them, but hey…
If I can find a link I will post it. But I get several car mags and each one does a comparison of highly desirable sports cars every year. Anyways, look at any comparison of the Corvette ZO6 and the BMW Z8 and the Corvette blows the beemer away in every single performance catagory. C4 corvettes weren’t up to par, but the C5 corvettes are really world-class in performance at less than half the price of the competition(aka - BMW Z8). Next years ZO6 is supposed to be bumped up to 400hp and have better handling to match. Back on the topic - Both are beautifull cars, but my predjudice remains towards American cars and I like the looks of the Beemer more, but considering how overpriced it is I wouldn’t buy it even if I had the money!
Forget the Volante. The prettiest “old” Aston is the V8 Vantage, of James Bond fame. Grrrowl.
Gotta be a Studebaker, Tucker 48, or a Packard! Not that I can presently afford to own any of those. 
I’d also not turn my nose up at classic Mustang or AMC (including pre-Chrysler Jeeps, hadda Cherokee once, best thing I’ve ever owned). Most of the cars produced today look waaaay too much like everything else on the road (notable exceptions being the New Beetle, PT Cruiser, and Aztek [makes loud hurling noises]) for my taste. Gimmie something to drive that doesn’t look like something made by somebody else! (Confession, I currently drive an 84 Honda Accord 4 door. Hey, it was all I could afford and its 100 times the car my '88 Lincoln Continental was!)
