I've reached that point in my life where my longing for turbocharged Porsches etc. is being replaced by the strange urge to get a 'Gentleman's Cruiser' ,,,, 2 doors,,, hardtop coupe only,,, (I already have a cabrio) ,, with enough room for me (6'4") and the old lady to go cruising with style and enough luggage space for a weekend getaway.

Thing is,,, like many of you that are around my age (38), I grew up with posters of Countaches and DeTomaso's on my bedroom walls,,,, but recently I'm finding myself lusting after cars that previously I though were kinda lame.

I'm after suggestions, opinions and/or ownership experiences both good and bad. I have about $25k to spend maximum (I'd prefer some change),,, and I could live with maybe $1k a year average in running costs for the 2k or so miles a year I'll likely be putting on it.

Remember, I'm not remotely interested in a cabriolet,, I want a proper fixed-head coupe only.

So far,,, the shortlist with thoughts:


Jaguar XJS

One of my dream cars as a younger guy. Looks like a true 70's supercar. I've had a ride in a V12,, fantastic,,, but I've heard they're a lot of trouble if not excercised frequently. The 1991 and later 6 cylinders seem to have a decent reputation for reliability. Should be able to get a perfect example for less than 20k





Jensen Interceptor

I never really liked these until I saw one at a show a couple of years back. Never been in one but they look cool,,, I mean really really cool,,,and I guess a lot of the mopar engine should be relatively easy to replace.



Fiat Dino Coupe

One of my all-time favorite cars. Glorious noise from the Ferrari 6 and fantastic looks. The history of the car is fascinating also. I've driven the earlier 2.0 and it was a blast,,,, I would likely be looking for a good original 2.4 though. This car shares a lot of parts with the Ferrari Dino and Lancia Stratos,,, probably looking at horrible bills if anything goes 'tits-up'. Of all the cars here,, I love the way this one looks most of all,,,, by a mile. To me, this is the epitome of GT styling.



VW Karmann Ghia

Another car I don't know much about. I saw one recently on Ebay,, fully restored with guards/signal red body and black roof ,,, I thought it looked awesome. Even well-restored ones seem pretty cheap.


Porsche 928

Wow,, how much did I want one of these when I was younger? (a LOT). Love the styling and the amazing mid-range performance of the S4. Worried about repair bills on the v8 though (and that Mercedes transmission).



Porsche 944/968


I've owned 2 944 Turbos,, a 1987 and a 1989S and they are amazing cars. Kilo for kilo and dollar for dollar I think these are the best sports cars ever built. The 968 6-speed has similar performance figures to the 1989S (but without the massive turbo lag) but I've never driven one. Maybe a bit too 'recent-looking' for my tastes,,, and the 1989 944S Turbo is rapidly appreciating in price,, not the bargain it was 2 or 3 years ago. (And yes,, I hate the stock 'pepper pot' wheels as well).


Mercedes 450SLC

I know nothing about these cars whatsoever,,, but I love the way they look.


MGC GT

A bit of an oddball, but by all acounts it's a real driver's car. Not sure about interior space, never driven one.


Opel GT

Again,,, never driven one but love the looks,,, like a baby 250 GTO. Seems there aren't many of them over here in the US,, but importing 25+ year old cars is pretty cheap & easy, so I can source one elsewhere,, even restored examples are fairly cheap.



Volvo P1800

Awesome but quirky looking,,, I understand that many of these were actually assembled by Jensen in England. I've sat in one but never had a ride,,, plenty of room,,, has that cool hand-made feel to it.


Saab Sonnett
Just throwing this in here because it looks so cool. I have never seen one in really good condition and from what I've seen & heard,, the build quality is iffy at best.


There are no US cars on my list so far,,,, I always liked the late 60's Mustang fastbacks,,, but the prices are just crazy right now (thank you Babyboomers!).


Constructive feedback only please,,, I'm after your opinion of the cars,,,,I'm not interested in your opinion of my opinion!

Any other cool GT's I've overlooked? (Yes,, I wish I could afford a 330 GTC/4 or an AM V8 ).