Cars you've driven that have impressed you

[Lightning Strike GT]

One of my mates 09 HSV R8 Clubby
We swapped cars for a few hours - not a bad car the only thing I did not like was the steering wheel - was not a chunky as the FORD one

[Rodge]

Jaguar XFR Awesome car, adaptive dynamics, trick diff, all class.
Perhaps the best looking Jaguar ever...Only fault is its a little quiet but perhaps that was me listening to the Bowers and Wilkens stereo system no other car stereo system compares.

[Poetic Justice]

I'm probably lucky in a way due to working the car industry I get to try a few different cars. Some of the top cars haven't been work related but anyway, the ones that I recall that I was impressed by were as follows:

1) MY99 Subaru WRX STi 2door Type-RA - I'm lead to believe a factory built rally spec vehicle that is road registered. Had a full on bodykit and a roof scoop to boot. Probably the fastest thrill I've ever encountered, or it might have simply been because it was the fastest manual transmission car I've driven (manual for me means more feel to the experience.) Wound it out on to the eastern freeway and needless to say I had to take it home straight after that because it scared the bejeezes out of me.

2) 2011 Audi RS5 - Only released last year. A mate of mine works for an Audi dealership and had a press release car I believe it was for the weekend. I didn't get into it as much as you would want to, but a couple of squirts here and there and you got the feel of what it was like. The overall feel of the car is beautiful, and well, when you accelerate it hard all I recall was thinking "the thing even SOUNDS expensive..."

3) 2010 Nissan 370z - I currently share one of these with my oldman and its a damn awesome car, plenty of fun times to be had in it and for sub $60k it feels like it's a lot more of an expensive car than it is.

4) Audi Q7 3litre TD - I traded one of these in on a Landcruiser a few months back and managed to take it home for a day off before my used car manager noticed it had arrived. Fantastic car, and whilst it's not a powerhouse it was a beautiful car to drive. Plenty of power for a big SUV, and fantastic feel, massive sunroof etc.

5) Audi TT-S - Again see mate who works for Audi.

6) Focus XR5 T - Again, I suppose this thread isn't just about cars that are awesome, just cars that impress you. I traded a 1 year old Focus XR5T a couple of years ago now, had the leather recaro seats and a sunroof I believe. I was blown away by how much of a little rocket it was. I almost considered buying it actually, but our used car department sold it for a pretty penny pretty quickly. Amazingly quick and had all the goods I wanted in a car (bit of performance, some economy, leather, heated seats, sunroof, aggressive look...)

[Brazen]

Whilst some sporty cars and luxury car are naturally impressive, the following cars stand out for me:

Holden Cruze diesel (series 2) -drives like a car a lot more expensive, impressive roadholding and refinment. My pick of the small cars.

Kia Rio - new 2011 model, great little car.

Honda Jazz - very very practical, fun to drive in a dorky way.

I am still blown away with my two current cars - Holden SIDI SV6 Sportwagon - first family car I have in which I cannot ever imagine selling.

and my FG2 EcoLPI cab-chassis, the ultimate sleeper and stupidly cheap to run.

[psychoticgroove]

Just test drove a manual 2007 VE SSV with full exhaust yesterday for a mate of mine. Windows down, the burbling sound was like a 10 piece symphony orchestra. Do I want to buy it? Hell yeah!

[superpursuit83]

Driven a lot of nice cars but the one that impressed me most to date is a certain silver AU with Terminator number plates. Had a dog box and a heap of boost.

[Glen 5150]

Audi A1. Yeah yeah I realize its regarded as a ladies car, but from a bloke who's only owned Ford V8's for the last 25 years, its was amazingly impressive for a small car, and didnt want to hand the keys back. Incredible value, solid as a rock, superb handling, looks great, and went like a shower of *****. Would i buy one? Probably not, but yes it was impressive.

[2011G6E]

Suzuki Kisashi AWD Sport...great styling, nice leather guts and comfy seat, good equipment levels, very nicely balanced in the corners, just a bit under powered...even the salesman said to us "when they come out with the Turbo version, these things will just walk out of the showrooms in droves". We really liked it a lot, but Ford offered a much better trade in deal on the Landcruiser.

Probably also add a test drive I had of a VL Commodore when they first came out...you have no idea how much of a leap that thing was over the stodgy VH with the old black Holden 3.3 motor...it was just so much more modern, the Nissan engine so much more responsive, it was amazing.

[fast gt]

Both of my uncles ferraris. His 360 with the paddleshifts is just insane you can keep you foot buried and change up and it does it in split second and the down change noise when you give the throttle a blip is just amazing His 355 the noise it make cos it has a tubie system makes it sounds like an f1 car!!!! They are both suprisingly comfortable My mates diesel 100 series landcruiser it has a chip and throws you in the seat on accelaration. Also my mates 180b rally car the noise from the webbers makes me smile everytime almost make me want to take the injection of my rally car and convert it to webbers

[Peuty]

'11 E63 AMG - the noise, the poke. Many skids were had that day.

'11 Range Rover Vogue Supercharged - who'd have thought a fourbie could go so fast? And be so capable off road as well? This thing went places that Land Cruisers couldn't.

'11 Audi A8 Quattro V8 - feels like your sitting in a business jet. You could drive this thing around Australia without needing a break it's that comfortable

'68 HK Monaro - this particular one had the 327 Chev in it. Great fun to drive, like the above AMG, would do skids till the cows came home. The thing that surprised me was the owner had spent time making the suspension work as well, so it handled much better than what I was expecting.

[Fireblade]

Merc SL65 AMG, have never experienced a car as awesome as one of these, I personally don't like Merc but these are a great car, handling and brakes are sensational and the power from the bi Turbo 6L was a rush, the 7 Speed is sublime like anything you would expect from the Merc factory.

[mcnews]

Lots, but nothing holds a candle to a 911. Nothing even remotely touched the outright brilliance of the Porsche.

[Vincenzo]

My current AU 111 XR6 - picked it up in Ipswitch and five days and 8,000k's later arrived in Darwin via Sydney, Canberra, Mildura, Adelaide and Alice Springs. Power, handling, comfort and economy were great. Woke up fresh each morning for the drive.

XW Phase 2 GTHO my uncle owned - sheer brutality and raw power. There was nothing refined about it at all.

Brand new Mitsubishi Evo 1 handling in a tropical downpour was absolutely outstanding. Was able to corner about 40 kmph faster than a v8 crumpledore.


Works Datsun 1200 coupe - could hold high corner speeds.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Holden Cruze and a Hyundai i45.

[smoo]

I used to have a V8 P38 range rover, these were launched in 1995, handle and ride better than an E series, way ahead of their time just a bugger the build quality and reliability was dodgy at the best of times.

My uncle traded his VE SV6 on an E60 530i essentially a base model German Taxi which first appeared in 2002, as much as I like VE/FG they still haven't caught up 10 years on.

For 1972, Mercedes W116 280SE, fuel injection, four wheel disc brakes, 4spd auto, twin cam sweet I6 that loved been close to 7000rpm, back when Mercedes were the best in the world. They don't die either, we have tried several times.

[THE SLUG]

I drove an Aston Martin Rapide. 6.0L V12.
That was VERY nice.

I 'd recommend them.

[z80]

2011 Corvette.

I got to 250km/h in fourth gear (with two gears to go) and chickened out.

[Scott]

Originally Posted by THE SLUG

I drove an Aston Martin Rapide. 6.0L V12. That was VERY nice.

I 'd recommend them.

Pure gold

[FalconXR6]

BK (older model to current gen) Mazda 3 MPS.
- super stealthy
- super grunty
- awesome handling
- well equipped
- solid build quality
- surprising economy
- re-defined my whole ideals on what I wanted and needed from a performance vehicle

While I've never driven these few models, I would LOVE to sample;
* Renault Megane RS250
* DC2 Honda Integra Type R
* Nissan 370z (this has been earmarked as quite possibly my next car to purchase within the next two years or so).

[XP6]

The car in my Avatar best handling car I've ever been in, went allright for what it was... 5ltr falcadoors couldnt keep up!

[mrghia]

my mates SV5000 VQ stato its nuts bout 300rwkws and will chirp 245's going 3rd to 4th at around 140kms.

My 351 manual XD when i had it running i was stunned with how quick it was even with the rear brakes seized on.

and a brand new VZ SS thunder ute 6L 6spd that thing was a animal wheel spin first 3 gears

[Windsor342ci]

Theres beena few cars. But i guess the VYSS I owned. Hence why I bought it. Surprised how quick that thing was for bog stock. (13.6 1/4 mile)
EVO9 was pretty awesome too.

[buickman]

The daughters XR5 Focus great sound and performance and handles corners very well.

[mickbundy]

Usually anything that I can't afford hahahah
Serious there is some lovely gear out there. Even if it is only for .. Comfort ,, Handling .. or what ever you personally want .. Enjoy what you can afford

[scottyg938]

The cars i get stuck driving for work, BMW 745i + 745Li, Mercedes S500 Both are soo nice to drive, very smooth and haven't had a chance to drive the S600 yet.

[KRL-94]

'04 elantra, i was quite suprised with the power of it. was a little too short for my liking. drank too much too.

'04 falcon. i knew what it was capable of, but being behind the wheel, its a totally different car. loved the triptronic 'box.

'94 fairlane. on LPG, i was quite suprised with what it could do.

'92 patrol. little slow on pick up, but its an awesome machine to drive.

'92 starlet. all i have to say is WOW!!! i thought they were a POS!!! I WAS IMPRESSED!!!

[wrongwaynorris]

A mates roaring forties GT40 .

http://s42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...&current=8.jpg

http://s42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...urrent%3D7.jpg

http://s42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...urrent%3D4.jpg

http://s42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...urrent%3D3.jpg

http://s42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...rent%3D1-2.jpg

[GT 160]

My R32 GTR, every day i kick myself for selling it. Granted by the time i let it go it was a long way from stock but for a 90's car it was lightyears ahead of it's time just a brilliant, brilliant car and loved every single second i had it.

2009/10 Nissan GTR, it's just stupidly fast without even trying or realising how quick you are actually going. I'd happily put up with it's awkwardness on the road day to day but on the track it's just in another world. I'd buy one tomorrow if the Mrs would let me.

A work mates Audi RS4, it's been modded a bit and as Clarkson would say
" it's biblically good " the handling, the sound, its just an amazing car.

2011 HSV Clubsport with full Difilppo exhaust, loved it and wouldn't think twice owning one. Oh and the sound !

Sisters BMW 135i M Sport, absolute tyre frying machine. I was amazed at so much performance for $90K and her previous Mini Cooper JCW which was bucket loads of fun but i couldn't live with it day to day.

Early 2000 Porsche 911 GT3, only drove this on a track but was blown away by how capable it was at everything. So so easy to drive, can't imagine what the newer models are like.

Radical SR3, i know it's a race car but my god. Definetly capable of some serious brown shorts moments.

Caterham Super 7, Ralt rt4, Reynard F300 car, again race cars but ear to ear grin for days.

[Poetic Justice]

Originally Posted by scottyg938

The cars i get stuck driving for work, BMW 745i + 745Li, Mercedes S500 Both are soo nice to drive, very smooth and haven't had a chance to drive the S600 yet.

"get stuck driving.."?


I "get stuck driving" a sign written Camry. Hold your head high champ.

[THE SLUG]

Originally Posted by Scott

Pure gold

It was indeed. The noise that thing made.....
I was up to 100km/h in first and it was loving it!