What would you pick?
If you do have $150,000 in cold hard cash, what is that one car you'll really love to own? The Oneshift.com lads dig deep into their hearts, and tell you their choices...
With a price ceiling of $150k, that puts my perennial favourite Lotus Elise just out of the running.
Nonetheless, there are still several driver's cars out there that cost less than $150k. And of these cars, the one I'd like to drive this month is the Renault Clio Renault F1 Team R27 (to give its full name) - which incidentally was my choice for our very own Car of the Year 2008 award.
Its tried-and-tested formula of a large, hearty engine in a compact body never fails to work wonder. The grunty, smooth-revving 2.0-litre unit puts out a credible 200bhp, enough to propel the 1.2-tonne pocket rocket to 100km/h from a standstill in just 6.9 seconds. Plus, its top speed of 223km/h is more than adequate for keeping up with more powerful (and heavier) cars.
What truly amazes me is its handling which is simply phenomenal. It changes direction just as you are thinking about it, grips when you want it to, and slips when you ask it to. There are no other cars in this price bracket that are more fun to pilot than the Clio R27.
To me, at least.
Most drivers are used to it - driving home, zipping past slower traffic in their comfortable metallic cocoons. The tranquility that modern-day cars can provide us with often becomes an excellent place to unwind from a stressful day at work.
Yet once in a while, we get awaken by cars that reach beyond that bare minimum of comfort provision - cars that remind us that motoring should really be much more exciting.
One such moment happened to me during a routine drive home from work. A sudden flash of white light via the rearview mirror caused my eyes to constrict before they rapidly dilate in excitement as I pieced together what is fast catching up. The glare intensified, along with that distinctive high pitch mechanical whine only a Honda engine could muster. Moments later, a white JDM Honda Civic Type R overtook me to continue its rush towards the horizon.
Yes, Type Rs are really not that uncommon, but for that sweet revving engine, for that metallic symphony, for a car this intensely special, the JDM Civic Type R is a car that I can never resist having a drive in, even when it means breaking the tranquil drive my mind needed so much.
This time, my heart wins.
what about yourself? What would yours be? Take a deep breath, think hard and tell us what your $150,000 choice is!
Credits: Pictures courtesy of Oneshift.com archive
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