Even in the past 5-10 years, the automotive landscape has changed dramatically, and I’m fairly certain that most of our readers and writers are at least a few years older than that. In honor of turning 25, I recently wrote about a 1993 BMW 525i, a car from my birth year that has come to mean a lot to me throughout my car-related life. The E34 is a car I’ve always admired, and this many years later I’d love to own one.
In the comments of that article, Wagonlove, sharing the 1979 Buick Electra Estate, proposed the interesting idea of everyone sharing the car from his or her birth year, which he or she would most like to own.
PolarBear also shared his choice, a 1954 Oldsmobile 98 Starfire convertible. So for today’s Question Of The Day, which car from the year you were born would you most want to own if you could? You know my pick!
I was born in 1965 so the shortlist is:
Land Rover Series IIA 88 station wagon
Lotus Elan
Ford Mustang GT convertible.
Citroen DS21 Familale
2010 Tata Nano. They were hot.
Wow, you were born in 2010! Very well spoken for an 8 year old!;-)
Easy. A 1958 T-Bird.
1981 Renault 5 Alpine/Gordini.
Or, given that some are choosing Exotica (which indicates Car Santa has the budget for a pair), an Aussie Falcon Ute and an Argentinian Falcon sedan.
I could probably find a US option, but it’s 1981 and the level of brain-wracking required is too onerous.
I would choose either a 1962 Dodge Dart w/the Max Wedge option or a 1962 Corvette
1977? The Lincoln Mark V. All.the.Way. Also my PLC of choice.
I was born in 79 and so was my Mark v. I bought it last July. I liked these since I was a little boy. I read alot of Lowrider magazine in the 90s.
Is that your car??? We need more pics
Nice!!! BIg fan of the Mark V and yours looks like a well-executed mild custom. Original paint color?
My brother owns it.
1999 Volvo S80
Hey no fair!
1944 cars are few and far between. And gas and tires were rationed.
But this would be nice to tool around in.
American car, 1959 Corvette fuelie.
European car, 1959 Mercedes 300SL. I flip flop on roadster vs. gullwing.
I`d take this 1981 FJ-60
Malibu SS 454 LS6, of course.
it’s right in the middle of the Malaise Era.
I’d rather walk.
Oh, good grief. I’m having a great deal of difficulty thinking of a single 1976 car I’d really want to own; it was a grim time to be in the market for an automobile. The Citroën DS went out of production in ’75, so I’m out of luck there. The Dart and Valiant were wheezy, underpowered, ill-built shadows of their former selves, so no thanks. The ’77 GM B-bodies were still a year away.
I would probably have to settle for a Volvo 245 or Cutlass Supreme or something. :-
No to the Citroen CX and GS?
Yeah, I guess those could be on the list. But only if I lived in France.
Saab 99 EMS!
Don’t feel bad. At least the Cutlass of that era was still a nice ride even with the de-smogged 350. I’d take one of those over our family’s ’78 Gutless fastback any time.
Born in the near end of ’89 (September) i’d have to go with a Corolla GTS with a Guns N Roses cassette playing.
So yes, technically it’s a ‘65, but I’m going with a 1964 1/2 Mustang, given that it appeared two and one-half months before I did!
I think a 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SL would be just the ticket…
VW Beetle by default. 1974 was a tough year.
1980
AMC Concord
Dodge Diplomat/Chrysler LeBaron
Dodge Aspen/Plymouth Volare
Buick Lesabre/Chevy Caprice
I lack creativity and have owned examples of these that served me very well.
’67 Impala coupe
1948 Dodge
Finally a grown-up answering this question! And a great choice. As a fellow 48-er, I think I might be partial to a DeSoto Suburban. Or a T&C convertible. Or even a Plymouth convertible — I like that the Plymouths still had a blind-quarter convertible top!
1967 summer of love, baby! So a 911S with the one year only Weber’s with additional WOT enrichment circuit.. 140mph on 165 section width tires with no aero!
Boy, you guys are all lucky. I was born in 1946.
Then you are eligible to pick the 1942 model of your choice!
This is surprisingly difficult. There are lots of cars I like from 1969, but nothing I really lust after.
Short list:
Olds 88
Buick Riviera
Chrysler 300
But probably the winner would be a Dodge Charger.
1962 Chrysler 300,h with a/c. If I didn’t live in the south, I’d say 1962 Citroen DS.
1949 Cadillac Sedanette
I really want an old car to mess with. I have four kids, though, so anything I get has to be big enough for my whole family to enjoy. So I’ve been looking for “family cars”, which means the station wagon! If it has to be from my birth year, I would want a 1970 Buick Estate Wagon. Preferably WITHOUT the fake wood, though-I’ve always disliked it.
1953
It was a very good year ……
Great topic! The first one that comes to mind is a 1980 Pontiac Grand Lemans, preferably a 301 4 speed, though I’m not positive if the stick was still available by then.
For a truck, I’d go with a half ton Dodge, Slant 6 with an overdrive A833.
Only one choice for me – 1988 Cadillac Brougham d’Elegance. Velour instead of leather, and Symphony Sound stereo. If I can’t do that, a Olds Cutlass Ciera International with the 3.8 and full instrumentation please.
1967 was the year of Peak GM, IMO. Most everything they made that year is a classic of some sort or another. They made so many great cars that year, it is hard to choose one. But if I must, I can’t resist taking the rare full-size Chevrolet 427 SS, convertible and 4-speed of course!
Although the Camaro SS and Coupe DeVille convertibles would be highly tempting as well!
The only good Cadillac from that year, a 1983 Cadillac Fleetwood 75, still equipped with the Cadillac 368 V8 and THM 400.
If it has to be an owner driven model, Jaguar XJ6.
Steve McQueen’s 1963 Ferrari 250GT Lusso. Brown for the win.
Elizabeth Taylor drove one in A Place in the Sun
…Uhhh, 1966?
Can’t even narrow that one down.
Come on.
I had never thought of a question like that Brendan but as soon as I read it the answer popped in my head
1963 Pontiac Grand Prix
Triple Black
Factory Air (being black mandatory)
Automatic
389 Tri-power V-8
1962 Corvette.
1996.
Either probably a final year Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham or a Mercedes Benz S500.
Anything else during that time period, I’m not terribly picky about it being my exact year.
1968 NSU Ro80.
If it had to be locally made, a Monaro GTS with a V8. Rubbish to drive if standard HK’s were any guide, but Holden’s best-ever looker.
I see I’m not the only car guy to think about this. Too much. Like others, I’m a bit torn by the issue that I was born in the fall. In my case, of 1964. So, as a car guy, isn’t that really model year 1965? I’ll take it! Oh, boy! What a year to get to choose from!
I was lucky enough to briefly own my choice, the photo is the actual car I had, and it was well optioned close to the way I would have ordered it, down to the color!
The Riviera by Buick
Born in ’81 but ’82 model year production had already started so I’m going with this
1950 Ford. Hopefully a flattie, not the six/3onthetree the old man owned. (Must have been a regional thing; my maternal grandpa owned a 59 Ford with same powertrain.)
For 1977
Daily: Mercedes Benz w123 300D
Trips: Citroën CX Prestige
Sporty: Chevrolet Corvette
1957 Jaguar XKSS – though the chances of finding one are tiny.
For ‘sensible’ choices I’d prefer something from when I was 10.
1952 is tough for American cars. One year before the Cad Eldorado, Buick Skylark and Olds Fiesta, Corvette, Packard Carribean and Studebaker Starlight. Guess these would be my choices:
Convertible- 1952 Hudson Hornet or 1952 Chrysler New Yorker
Wagon-1952 Ford Country Squire
Hardtop-1952 Cadillac Coupe DeVille
Foreign-1952 Jaguar XK120
I do own a 1952 Chris Craft 22′ Sportsman, so I’m covered in the boat department.
well, i can’t believe no one chose one of the most influential and beautiful cars ever made…..and since i have a 61 fleetwood brougham and a 61 impala convertible……………..that means i can also afford this beauty!!!
Buicks were hot for 1967, so I would want an Electra coupe, Riviera or Wildcat…
1974 was the first production year of the Lamborghini Countach LP400.
I think my choice is clear.
Ahh 1980 there were a fiew nice cars that come out that year. The new f series were nice and the Oldsmobile toronado
I’m no fan of Fords, but they got the look right in the ’80-’86 models. My dad had a ’85 Bronco, blue over white that was one helluva sharp rig. The ’87 ‘aero’ models got REEEEEEAL ugly.
This was my Dads 81 F100 Ranger XLT in 85..he bought it new and traded it in in July 88. Ignore the Maverick.