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01-19-2009, 12:37 PM | #1 |
Have My Own Room
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Top 10 Manly Automobiles
I found this on another site and thought my fellow inmates may enjoy reading and probably debating the list. Top 10 Manly Automobiles honorable mention Muscle car greats 1964-Present When it comes to muscle cars, there’s no substitute for cubic inches, and there’s no way a look at manly cars could realistically contain just one or two representatives, since most of Detroit (and even Kenosha, Wisconsin, when you include AMC) had multiple interpretations of the philosophy. That’s why we opted for a special unranked tribute to them all. From a performance standpoint, many consider the muscle car party to have ended after 1971. With this feature’s emphasis, the character has endured -- from the first Pontiac GTO through to the screaming chicken Trans Ams, 5.0-liter Mustangs and IROC-Zs to the new Challenger. Number 10 Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser 1960-1984 To look at Toyota’s portly 2008 Land Cruiser, you don’t immediately think “manly car.” Go back a while and consider the old two-door version, the Japanese Jeep known as the FJ40 Land Cruiser. Once upon a time, owners subjected their Land Cruisers to tougher duty than navigating mall parking lots. The inspiration for today’s FJ Cruiser (no manly slouch itself), the original Land Cruiser was just as rugged and capable as the rival Jeep CJ, but with tougher looks and better reliability. The timeless demand keeps collector values high and has even inspired a re-creation from TLC, a California company specializing in the restoration of these manly cars. Number 9 Bugatti Veyron 2007-Present Maybe it’s just as well that most of us will never experience this car firsthand, as we’d forever be spoiled from that moment. Yes, there’s the face-distorting acceleration and top speed. Remember, though, this isn’t just about the seven-figure sticker price, the 1,001 horsepower or the ability to top 55 mph speed limits by almost 250 mph. As a manly car, the Veyron has the look of an assassin. It's not overtly tough like Rambo, but that’s because it doesn’t have to be. If James Bond were French, this would be his car. Number 8 Cadillac Eldorado 1953-2002 In the late 1960s, having a new Cadillac was a symbol of success, but not coolness. That changed when the division made Eldorado, a very distinct model instead of a premium trim level on the parade floats. This manly personal coupe wasn’t meek, but its sizable proportions were neat and purposeful, managing to look more sophisticated than other models and more appealing to younger male buyers. Sadly, it was short-lived. The Detroit Way of the era led to a bloated redesign of the Eldo for 1971, introducing the pimpmobile look and causing a drought of manly cars for the automaker that has only recently been addressed. Number 7 Dodge Ram 1981-Present Full-size pickups have always been manly, but when Dodge redid the Ram for 1994, and gave it a broad-shouldered, big-rig front end, the genre was redefined. Park a ’93 Dodge next to a ’94, and you’d swear they were made decades apart. On the basis of manliness, they were light-years apart. Buyers responded accordingly, and the years since kept enthusiasm going strong with variants featuring big diesels, crew cabs, dual rear wheels, and even a version with the Viper’s V10 under the hood. 2009 brings another update to the Ram, but Dodge has wisely chosen not to make radical changes, keeping this a manly car for a long time to come.
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01-19-2009, 12:39 PM | #2 |
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Re: Top 10 Manly Automobiles
Number 6
Lamborghini Countach 1974-1990 Few manly cars have a silhouette you’d recognize immediately. Of those few, there’s arguably none more unique than the Countach. If a poster of this manly car wasn’t on your bedroom wall when you were younger, something had to be amiss. If this manly car didn’t stir the testosterone pot, you were probably devoid of a pulse. To this day, the Countach is an uncompromising, temperamental brute with a “screw you” attitude. You’d better do everything just right when you’re stuffed behind the wheel, or things could get very ugly very quickly. Somewhere along the way, you realize the bull in the emblem is apt, and you’re just the matador with a fine line of uncertain control. Number 5 Chevrolet Corvette 1953-Present No other manly car on this top 10 list has been in production as long as the Corvette, and few ‘Vettes have a hard time living up to the manly car specs. The 1953-’54 cars are excused from this discussion, and some odd color options on the C4 of ’84-’96 dilute the manliness. The manliest is the C2 Sting Ray of ’63-’67. Some see a Sting Ray and think “phallic symbol on four wheels.” Others attribute the manliness to its road manner, which doesn’t suffer fools. Whatever it is, things weren’t quite the same when the Sting Ray designation took a year off for the ’68 redesign and returned as "Stingray" in ’69. Number 4 Ferrari GTO 1962-1964 With six decades of Ferraris to consider and remarkably few undesirables in the mix, it’s unthinkable to leave Maranello out of this discussion but challenging to select the quintessential car. Think back to some of the guys who’ve driven them: Steve McQueen had a Lusso; Clint Eastwood had a 365 GT4 BB. Edging those and all other models is the original GTO. It was built to win races, so the design was the result of wind tunnel and test-track refinement, not an attempt to appeal to customers. Nevertheless, the manly V12 dominated the track and has become a legend. To this day, it’s just your average streetable race car -- if you dare to attempt it after finding a willing seller and parting with many, many millions. Number 3 Hummer H1 1992-2006 Just like the original Jeep became popular as a civilian model after World War II, the Humvee for public consumption was an instant manly car success after Operation Desert Storm. Arnold Schwarzenegger is credited with pumping up AM General to dress it in civvies, and this is no girlie-man’s car. The look is unmistakable and intimidating. The toughness and off-road prowess is incredible. It may have generated more publicity than sales during its run of public availability, but it will always be one of the manliest rides ever. Number 2 Dodge Viper 1992-Present Some cars have had their lean years when they weren’t very manly at all. In other cases, it takes a special option package to beef up the works. That comes standard on the Dodge Viper, wholly a man’s car since it was launched as a 1992 model. It has always had a V10, and that’s always been tied to a manual transmission -- no paddle shifters here. What’s more, there isn’t much to save your bacon if you get too crazy; no coddling electronic aids are going to make it all better. You either get it right or face the consequences -- truly the sign of a manly car.
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"The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants." Albert Camus Cool Cigar Themed Stuff |
01-19-2009, 12:41 PM | #3 |
Have My Own Room
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Re: Top 10 Manly Automobiles
Number 1
AC Cobra 1962-1967 It wasn’t built to look good, but it did. It wasn’t built to overwhelm drivers, but it did. It wasn’t built to become part of automotive history, but it did. Carroll Shelby just built the AC Cobra to win, and you’d better believe it did that too. The car was virtually unmatched by anything else on the track or the street, and its performance is still formidable over four decades later. Whether equipped with a 260 cubic-inch, small-block V8 or the fearsome 427, the AC Cobra is our manliest car for its aggressive and timeless looks, untamed character and association with Ol’ Shel’. One Car I think should have made the list somewhere is a Vector. Super fast and sleek.
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"The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants." Albert Camus Cool Cigar Themed Stuff |
01-19-2009, 12:54 PM | #7 |
Gramps 4x's
Join Date: Oct 2008
First Name: Horatio Seymore Hiny
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Re: Top 10 Manly Automobiles
I am upset this one didn't make the cut.
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01-19-2009, 01:02 PM | #9 |
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Re: Top 10 Manly Automobiles
I would argue too many of these.
Fun list though |
01-19-2009, 01:08 PM | #10 |
Illusione Whore
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Re: Top 10 Manly Automobiles
very nice cars right there but sadly as I scrolled down I was waiting to see a pic of my saturn ion? I just don't get it my car is manly, isn't it?????
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01-19-2009, 01:44 PM | #12 |
Have My Own Room
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Re: Top 10 Manly Automobiles
Do we need Arnold to "pump us up"?
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"The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants." Albert Camus Cool Cigar Themed Stuff |
01-19-2009, 01:59 PM | #13 | |
Have My Own Room
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Re: Top 10 Manly Automobiles
Quote:
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"The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants." Albert Camus Cool Cigar Themed Stuff |
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01-19-2009, 03:51 PM | #14 |
Go Browns!
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Re: Top 10 Manly Automobiles
you know what car is super sharp? i love this certian year (body style)
the 2003-2005 infiniti M45. Very cool unique design... and a 345hp v8. here is one "done up" (yes i am a japanese car whore)
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