As a car enthusiast, one of the first things that people ask me is ‘What is your favourite car?’. This is quite a straightforward question for most people, but a very heavy one for me. Over the years, my favourite cars have changed, and that is plural, cars. As a classic car enthusiast, I have over a century of cars to choose from, including many greats that were built over the years. My answer ends up being vague, and that is not what people want to hear.
When I was a child, I had a very earnest answer to the question, but it was so off-centre that it confused even the most knowledgeable – the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16. My love for it came from repetitively watching the few rally and Dakar video cassettes that were lent to my father by veteran auto journalist Bob Rupani and his brother, Gul. The 205’s classic hatch design, blown up with full Group B wide-body fenders and a vicious mid-mounted turbo engine, caught my imagination. I even got to sit in a regular 205 hatch, an ex-consulate car in Delhi. As I have grown older, my love for the 205 has not diminished, but my fondness for other cars has grown.
The Mustang has always been one of my all-time favourites, and I am sure it is for many. The classic 65 red convertible, which has been a pop culture icon is a contender, but over the years, as I have dwelled deeper into the history of this car, and had a chance to see many up close and even drive a few, my preference has changed to the monstrous 1966 Shelby GT350 R — the full racing version of the 66 fastback, with performance upgrades by the legendary Carroll Shelby. I’ll take mine in Wimbledon White with Ford Racing Blue stripes.
A favourites list cannot go without Ferrari, and mine is another legendary racing car — the 250 GT SWB. I have become fonder of racing versions of cars. Not full racing versions that require a team of mechanics to run, but those that can easily and legally be driven on the street as well as the racetrack. Practical thoughts given to lofty ambitions that require an incredibly big bank balance. Let’s turn that question around – What is your favourite ‘odd-ball’ car?
The car that won’t necessarily be on anyone’s list. Mine is the Matra Simca Rancho. A 1980s oddity made by the now-defunct Matra company, it was an early take on the concept of the soft-roader or crossover. It had inbuilt spotlights, fender flares, and a step-up rear roofline with large side windows. It was also just a three-door, and as I later found out, underpowered and mostly made of fibreglass. I liked it because it looked cool. It also helped that I had a few Matchbox versions of the car, and even managed to sit one on multiple occasions. A family friend owned what was perhaps the only one of its kind, in India, back in the late 80s. I do not know what happened to that car, but I do hope I can own it one day.
