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Last year, I had a pinch-me moment when I got to slide behind the wheel of a 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 with Hagerty. Laugh if you want, but it was something I’d dreamed about since I saw Back to the Future in the movie theater back in 1985. Even then, the model was a few years old, and it was a revelation. In large part because of the movie series, the DeLorean model was a head turner then and it still is today. Driving it was fun in 2021, and I can only imagine what it was like to take it for spin right out of the box in 1981.
If you had the ability to time travel, either backward or forward, which car would you want to drive brand new?
Have you seen The Adam Project on Netflix, by the way? Because it’s a trippy time-travel flick with vehicles from 1982 to 2018 sprinkled throughout. Even wilder is that the original Blade Runner was made in 1982 and set in 2019, and everyone was expected to have flying cars by then.
One car I wish I could drive new is the 1987 Honda Prelude, which was ahead of its time in many ways and boasted precise steering and excellent handling. Another would be a 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL with its iconic gullwing doors and beautiful body lines.
In 2017, I got to whip a brand-new Lamborghini Aventador S around a curvy track south of Dallas, Texas, and it remains one of my favorite driving experiences of all time. Getting behind the wheel of a new Aston Martin DBS is at the top of my list, as well; I’m exceedingly envious of Mike Spinelli’s time in the cockpit of the brand’s new Valkyrie.
Honestly, though, I am head-over-heels in love with the cars of the 30s, 40s, and 50s, and dream about taking an extra-long 1933 Chrysler CL Imperial Dual-Windshield Phaeton for a spin. Or an elegant 1931 Cord L-29 Cabriolet. Or a sunny yellow 1935 Lincoln K Convertible Roadster.
What is your dream drive if you got to blast into the past (or the future)?
Got a tip? Send it to kristin.shaw@thedrive.com.
