Every car enthusiast has that one elusive car they dream of driving, to sit behind the wheel and feel its power grip the road as their hands guide the steering wheel. How satisfying could it be, though, to just circle your dream car around an empty parking lot or maneuver it through city traffic?
One day, you may get lucky enough to sit behind the wheel of a 1959 Maserati 3500 GT Spyder, perhaps … and to completely appreciate this car for all it’s worth, you must put its 220 bph/3585 cc DOHC inline six-cylinder manual to the test – get it out on the open road and really feel what this baby can do!
So here’s a list of open roads we dream of driving, and the cars we think are best suited to handle their curves.
Get Some Fresh Air
Are you ready to shake those winter blues? We think a perfect way to kick the snow off your boots is a trip down to the Palm Beach International Raceway and enjoy a few laps around one of its many tracks.
What car would you drive at Palm Beach? We’d choose to jump behind the wheel of a classic 70’s Plymouth Hemi Cuda, specifically a 1970 or ‘71. Only 21 of these models are made in the convertible style, and we’d love to throw the top back and take one for a spin on the 2.034 mile, 11-turn road course, or maybe open up the 426 cubic inch Hemi engine on the quarter-mile dragstrip.
Driver’s Bucket List
It’s on every driver’s bucket list to take their favorite car for a serious spin on one of Germany’s Autobahn stretches.The real-life speedway has suggested limits of 80 mph, and there isn’t a technical limit on this extensive network of roadways, so drivers can regularly be seen racing down this iconic open road in the triple digits.
Our perfect car to release out onto the Autobahn would be an original 1996 Lotus Elise. Built for racing, this under-2000lb pro is designed to handle high speeds with its 1.8-liter, four-cylinder Toyota-sourced engine. This elusive road monster pulls 189 horsepower on open stretches and can hit 0-60 in under five seconds.
Exotic Twists & Turns
It’s time to take a drive down south … all the way down in the Southern hemisphere … on the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in São Paulo, Brazil. This weaving double lap, 4,309 meter road has us dying to run its curves in a car just as special as this Formula 1 certified stretch. So what car should we choose for this tricky, twisty track?
Bueller? Bueller?
You guessed it! We’d take the classic 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder featured in the movie, Ferris Bueller's Day Off to bank the corners of the Autódromo, and open up its 3.0-liter SOHC V-12 on the circuit’s big S-curve. We can just imagine feeling the wind in our hair and the 280 horsepower under the hood of this two-seater drop-top.
Rock & Roll All Night
Our next track of choice is the famous home of the 24-hour Le Mans, the Circuit de la Sarthe. This circuit has been in existence since the early 1920’s, providing a home for the longest endurance race in the world -a race that regularly breaks starters and only sees a resilient few cross the finish line. The hills of France give this historic open-road track some gorgeous scenery. Twenty-four hours might be a stretch on your eyelids, but this 10 mile stretch of road is certainly worthy of your time!
So which classic is the perfect match for this all-nighter? We look to the ultimate supercar: the 1986 Lamborghini Countach 5000s. The Countach has the right kind of power to honor the legendary Le Mans, pulling over 368 horsepower and clocking in at 7500 rpms. American-made models of this supercar can hit 0-60 in just over five seconds.
Want to feel what it’s like to take a spin on the Circuit de la Sarthe? Check out this video:
Bring It Home
There you have it. Five open roads. Five classic dream rides. When do you leave?
