I think, for most of us anyway, we like and seek cars that make us feel like we did when we were much younger and first saw them. Everybody is getting older and everybody is mortal and as we age (I'm a 1962 model) we wax nostalgic to bring back the feelings from a bygone-never-to-return era.
Also boys tend to absorb their Father's viewpoints and if Dad liked it we probably will too.

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1983 M-B 240D-Gone too.
1976 M-B 300D-Departed.

"Good" is the worst enemy of "Great".