What is your ONE archetype for a car?

JimCorrigan

JimCorrigan

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I mean the car that instinctively comes to mind, a primal image, without having to think about it. Probably one of the first cars you ever saw (real life or pictures) that grabbed your full attention and even lo these many years later, will not release its grasp. Note: this is not the same thing as your "dream" car, or your "favourite."

Example. On Top Gear, JM and JC discussed how the Lotus Esprit was, to them, THE definitive shape for a super car.

For me, any mention of the term "sports car" automatically, always, without fail, conjures up this one:

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The C4. The first car that left a lasting imprint in my brain. I've tried denying it for so long, but it still is numerous uno in my mind. It might have to do with the fact that the body style was introduced around the same time I started elementary school, and production didn't end until the same time I graduated from high school (that's grades 1-13 in the system I grew up in). Talk about happening during one's fomenting years!

What's yours? Doesn't have to be a sports car, can be ANY car/truck that imprinted itself on your psyche as the archetypal vehicle.
 
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"Sedan."





(Read the detail text below the first pic - pic is clickable for high resolution version.)
 
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McLaren F1

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"Daily driver" ... see my profile picture. :p

Alternatively a Volvo, Passat or A6 wagon.
 
For me it is also a Corvette, but a 1963. One of my earliest memories was getting a 1/24th scale model of one for Christmas. It's stuck with me all these years and always seems to be on those Most Beautiful Cars lists.

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I don't think I can point to one car that really triggered what I want in a car. There are several that I can point to and say that it had this feature that I loved about it. Or I grew up around big cars so I want a big car.

The one that does come to mind that really stood out to me was one that I got to see in the Buick headquarters lobby. I could not find a decent pic of the car, but I did find the magazine layout I had on the wall.

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You could get a replica that had similar stripes, but it was not the same. The color is different, the stripes are lame in comparison, and there is no hood bulge.
 
Supercar (and I expect for many other children of the 90s)
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EDIT: Damn you Lev, sniped!
 
Same here. But it has to be an early-model Diablo for me.

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For me it always was the F40. But I love Diablo too, so here's a pic of them both:

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The first car I remember by shape is an F40. I got 1:24 Bburago scale model when I was maybe 4 years old. I immediately knew it was something special, and that exact model is still in perfect shape. The F40 was also launched the year I was born, which makes the connection even stronger.
 
I will have to go with supercar, the father of all supercars. Lot has come after it, but none has had same shock value and showing how things are to be done.
Just what Supercar means to me, show stopper, totally impractical, loud in styling and real life. Just there to scream it's being and nothing more.
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This:



Growing up, it was our only car from the time I was 3 (1953) until I was 13 (1963). If you say to me: "Go for a ride?", the image that I see is our 1951 Chevy Fleetline.
The photo above is from the day my dad brought it home. To his credit, the fenderskirts were off the next day! When my mom moved in 1990, I found them in the rafters of the garage. And yeah, I still have them... I guess I'm a hoarder.:p

After years of casual looking, I finally found another '51 that I wanted about 4 years ago. It's not a Fleetline and it's not blue, but it drives just like the one in the photo and I thoroughly enjoy it!

SL
 
"Car"
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First car I owned. Really crappy RC, in silver like this one. Because of that, it became the first silhouette I was able to recognize and also my father and brother taught my it was a Porsche.
I knew it was different than the cars I saw on the street, but it didn't excite me.

This, on the other hand...
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I blame this movie:

I was about 14 when I watched it, had no idea what it was, had no idea all the mumbo jumbo was bullshit, but I was SMITTEN.
I mentioned the movie to my brother and he told me "Yeah, it's a Lamborghini, actually".
And an obsession was born. :lol:

Since then, every time I think "supercar", I think red Lamborghini Countach.
 
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