Five Cars That Are Sure To Make You Scream Like a Fool! 2 of 5

Lamborghini Countach

Most of the cars that have made it onto my list of top ten cars that 'are sure to make you scream like fool' are on that list because they are either extremely unique, have broken new ground in the automotive world, or are just drop dead gorgeous.  The Lamborghini Countach covers all of those bases and more.  The Lamborghini Countach at first glance doesn't look like a car at all!  If you were to come upon it in the right setting you might mistake it for a prop in the next "Back To the Future" movie; it is really that futuristic.  In fact, there are few cars on the road that can rival the Countach in futuristic looks or extreme dimensions.  The Countach is very wide and very low. At just over 40 inches tall, the countach is only about waist high for many people and at 79 inches wide the menacing Lambo is clearly built for performance.  Because the Countach is so wide it was equipped with scissor doors to help aid in entering and exiting the car in a parking lot, this of course just adds to it's futuristic looks and awe inspiring dimensions.  Photos, although impressive do not do the Countach justice. 

As you can imagine, this car can generate quite a response when in the right company; exquisite machines like the Lamborghini Countach generally are accompanied by a flock of glassy eyed, rubber necking crowds that are full of questions: "How much is it?, How fast does it go?, What is that?!"  Because I already know the answer to those questions the only thing out of my mouth is usually the fabled scream, followed by convulsions and some kind of exclamation.  This kind of response is actually what gave the Lamborghini Countach it's name and why it has made the list!  When the Countach was first being designed, those who first saw it, even before the car received it's name, uttered the word "Countach" which is an Italian slang word for something like "surprise".  Very fitting if I don't say so myself.... or scream it if you don't mind!

While the Countach still looks very modern today it is actually quite an old car.  Built from 1974 to 1990 the Countach varied quite a bit over the years in everything from fins and vents, to engine size, to performance.  The one thing that did not change however was it's ability to stun the public and push the performance barrier.  Ferrari of course is, and always has been, Lamborghini's biggest rival and from 1974 to 1990 the Countach was Lamborghini's designated hitter; actually it was Lamborghini's only hitter as they only built one car at a time back then.  While the performance of the Countach is only average when compared to the super cars and current Lamborghini's of today, it was world class back in it's prime.  With a 5.0L V12 and roughly 455HP the last of the Countach's could reach speeds of just over 180MPH.

There have been many a Countach that have been captured by mobile phone cameras or hastily taken by a digital camera.  It is just one of those cars that you didn't expect to see and that you hate to see driving away so soon, any period of time is too soon once it leaves.  I have had one of these surprising opportunities twice in my life, and yes I am counting, both of which are burned into my memory forever.  Both times resulted in very erratic driving, as experiencing such an automotive legend has a tendency to mess with the senses!  I remember being blown away at how low and wide these beautiful machines are as my wife, Aubrey, and I were returning home from a family reunion and were able to have such a rare experience of passing such a beautiful machine.  I could have really cared less as to why it was in Blackfoot Idaho and such thoughts were quickly forgotten as the sounds of that growling V12 washed over me.

The Lamborghini Countach will always be one of my all time favorites as it has been for millions of others.  There is hardly a bedroom wall or mantel of a teenaged boys bedroom that does not bear a Lamborghini Countach.... any boy worth his salt, of course, and when somebody says exotic it is almost always the Countach that comes to mind.  Long live Ferruccio Lamborghini- ridiculously wide tires and scissor doors!

  Disclaimer: This photo was taken by my wife (the passenger) not by me (the driver), as it would have led to increasingly erratic driving.

          

    

Five Cars That Are Sure To Make You Scream Like a Fool! 1 of 5

Dodge Viper

Whether you are one of those people born with a love for the horseless carriage or you're just an average Joe that needs a car to get from point A to point B; everyone has to admit that there are some rides out there that make you weak at the knees.  Everyone has a different reaction when they encounter something that, to them, is truly awe inspiring!  It seems, that every time I stumble upon a truly unique, legendary, or just plain beautiful car, my eyes dilate, I become short of breath and, yes, a truly ear shattering scream involuntarily leaves my mouth.

While there are a great deal more than just ten cars that would assuredly cause such a foolish scene, five is just a good common number and the following cars are just a few of my personal favorites.

The Dodge Viper is actually the brain child of this article as it is one of the first cars to evoke such a socially awkward spectacle.  There aren't many cars out there that actually look like their namesake; the Viper however most definitely does.  It's wide stance, slanted headlights, and large vents make it look just like it's reptilian counterpart; waiting to strike at anything in it's path.  

There have been many times in my life where I have encountered a car that is so exquisite that I just couldn't contain myself.  Covering my mouth in one swift convulsing jerk as I scream involuntarily is the usual display which is accompanied by stares and awkward behavior from the unfortunate bystanders.  I'm too busy to care, however, as I am soaking up every second that the culprit car is in my presence; imagining what it must be like to take a cruise in such a wonderful work of art. 

I still remember the day well, the day that I first encountered a Dodge Viper.  It was a beautiful summer day in Rexburg Idaho, probably sometime around July or August of 1996 I believe.  I distinctly remember sitting in the back seat of my parents white Plymouth Voyager (it was a 1987 or somewhere around there).  I was around 11 years old and as I was sitting there in the van watching traffic go by, as I often still do, here came a brand new 1996 Dodge Viper GTS in Viper Blue with the white racing stripes down the middle.  I just couldn't contain myself! Out came the ear piercing scream, deafening my family members that were unfortunate enough to be trapped within the confines of our mini van.  Not willing to lose the viper so soon, I scrambled over bench seats and pressed my face against the window closest to the fast escaping dream car.  I had seen a viper before at the state fair a few years earlier after it had originally been released but that had been an RT/10 model which is a convertible and considerably less curvaceous.  The new that year GTS that I had just encountered was beautiful beyond compare and those impossibly wide tires looked as if thy could peel up pavement had they been allowed to do so.

I think one of the reasons that I love the Dodge Viper so much, putting the life altering encounter aside, is the fact that it was being developed as a concept car just as I was coming into my obsession with the Automobile... around two years old if I remember right!  It was also one of the first real, true blue, super cars that I ever encountered that wasn't in a magazine or on a flickering computer screen.  Up until the Viper hit dealer showrooms, the Chevrolet Corvette had a monopoly in the American muscle car market and those could be seen on daily basis if you were in the right place.  The Corvette wasn't the only one out there of course but it really had no competition as the others were less powerful and less expensive pony cars like the Mustang, Camaro, and Firebird.  When the Viper came on the scene, it was pure pandemonium. The Corvette was left playing second fiddle to the Viper for nearly two decades when it came to bragging rights made up of horsepower, displacement, and 0-60 times.  Chevrolet of course has recently unleashed the Corvette ZR1 which most assuredly gives the Viper a run for its money but thats another story for another time.

The 1992 Dodge Viper was powered by an 8.0 Liter V10, originally meant for application in stump pulling, hard working, Ram pick-ups.  While the V10 did do just that it also found it's away into the Viper. Unlike many cars out there, the Viper was built around the V10 rather than putting the engine into an already designed car.  The 1992 Viper generated an even 400 horsepower, a good 200 less than the current variation; yet 400 horsepower is nothing to be ashamed of by any means.  Up until the Viper, there wasn't a car built in America that could generate such performance numbers as european and german super cars, but the viper still stands today as one of the worlds highest performing super cars. While the Dodge Viper has been around for nearly 20 years now, it's formula hasn't much changed.  While it wasn't designed by Carroll Shelby, the legendary man behind the Shelby Cobra, he did play a part in the purpose of the Viper.  The Viper was designed with the Shelby Cobra in mind; two seats, big power and wide tires.  The Shelby Cobra is of course a legend and coveted vehicle in the automotive world as will the viper be.  That is why the viper will forever stand as one of the automotive greats and of course as one of those rides that make you weak at the knees!    

Five Cars That Are Sure To Make You Scream Like a Fool!

For you car nuts out there come back soon!  I'm working on an article that I'm sure you'll agree with; there are just some cars out there that make you want to scream like a fool!

The legendary Jaguar xj220; any guesses on what the 220 stands for?  It ain't horsepower!

My first drive in The Ultimate Driving Machine.

As a married college student and a father of a diaper decimating three-month old it's no surprise to often find me behind the wheel of a budget friendly beater.  Currently my trusty steed is mostly green 1997 Honda Accord LX with a 5-speed gear box; I say mostly green because just like many other late model Accord's it's losing it's clear coat in   all the usual places.  It may not be the prettiest car on the road but for now it must do and fortunately for me it is reasonably fun to drive, it being a 5-speed and all.
    Considering my circumstances and taking into account the fact that I am a very dedicated car enthusiast, it's no surprise that I take advantage of every opportunity to drive other cars no matter the make or model.... mostly.  So it's no surprise that when my boss at work asked me to take his courtesy car back to the dealer and swap it out for his personal car which had been in for some transmission work, that I jumped at the chance.  The fact that his courtesy car was the new BMW 128i had me chomping at the bit and it was a laborious work to hide my over exorbitant  enthusiasm.  After taking it for a spin I've found that my enthusiasm was not misplaced in any sort.
   I've read hundreds of articles, played dozens of video games, and watched several movies depicting BMW's as "The Ultimate Driving Machine".  Throughout the my life as I've read through automotive magazines and admired how journalists convey their experiences with the cars they've driven, I've often imagined what it must be like to drive them.  Because of where I grew up and the financial circumstances that I've always been in I haven't had much experience with driving most of the immortalized rides that grace the pages of such magazines as Motor Trend and Car & Driver.  That is why I have been left to my own scheming practices of test driving cars that I could in no way afford at this time or my relying upon the good graces of those that have them who are kind enough to let me take them for spin.

   This particular 1-series, although it wasn't the 135i  it's 300 hp twin-turbo six, was an exquisite experience from the moment the key fob was placed in my hand.  The 1-series, while smaller and less expensive than the rest of it's siblings is distinctly BMW and that is what you have to love about it.  The 128i starts out at around $29,500 which for a brand new BMW is quite a bargain.  BMW's have been around for a long time and for a long time BMW's have had a reputation, a very good one at that.  Nearly every sports sedan on the road today has been built with BMW's in their crosshairs; BMW is the benchmark when it come to luxury sport sedans and many sport coupe's.  The new 1-series did not disappoint with it's distinct BMW character lines and kidney bean grille; thick boston leather covers the seats and the thick steering wheel feels like the perfect fitting glove when you wrap your hands around it.
   I'm the kind of guy that could drive all day just for the joy of it, even in my well worn Accord; so you can imagine how hard it was to pull the 1-series into the dealer lot to relinquish my keys.  The 128i that I was driving was a real pleasure do drive, without the twin-turbos it generates 230 hp and 200 ft-pounds of torque.  Just in case your wondering that is plenty to have a good sporting time with, I only got to drive the 128 for about 20 minutes but it was 20 minutes of pure heaven.  Extremely responsive steering, communicative handling and quick acceleration helped to convince me that the BMW 128i lives up to the BMW name and legacy.  What impressed me was the fact that 2007 BMW 525i that I drove home felt just as good.  I may not have driven a great deal of the competition but in my opinion BMW truly is one of the premium brands in the automotive world.  If I have things my way, my man cave will most definitely have something from Bavaria and if its the budget 128i you'll be hearing no complaints from me.