Big Plans, Top 5

Hi again,

It's pretty late, but I'm not very tired, so I'll let everyone in on some of the new stuff I'm working on. For starters, NAIAS attendance is looking more and more probable daily. Something else that I'm working on right now is creating a mobile site...and not just for smartphones. If you have a phone, and you don't mind the quite-possibly-astronomical prices of going online, then you'll be able to get news from here whenever you want. That may not sound all that special right now, but when I'm out on the show floor in Detroit posting live from my iPhone, it'll be interesting to be able to get content immediately. Once I get a definite answer for the auto show, I'll send out a message to everyone in the Facebook group (which is this: http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?folder=[fb]messages&page=1&tid=1065501653823#/group.php?gid=246465348781&ref=ts )letting everyone know the plans. I try to avoid many messages, because I've always hated those groups that send you lots of messages. That's not the point. I'd like the people who are interested to read and find this on their own. I'm just going to provide a solid chance for people to find me, and I think adding a mobile site as well as an NAIAS trip will drastically increase reader numbers as well as interest.

Before I head to bed, I think I'll mention something that one of my friends asked me about, namely, which ten cars would I buy if I had the money? This question is often answered in interesting ways. When I've heard this topic brought up, the involved parties have been my age. This means they tend to drive their parent's cars...of course, a few people have their own nice cars before they're out of high school. But most of that is beside the point: some people want 10 Priuses, or nine and a bike. Others want whatever their parents have, but throughout a certain model range. Who are the most interesting people to answer, or attempt to answer this question? The ones who CERTAINLY can't name 5 cars, let alone ten. Now, that's nothing to be ashamed of, though it may require slight ignorance in today's society. Oddly enough, I don't fall into any of these categories. I'm in the slim category of people who love cars, and have a list ready whenever the aforementioned question is posed. So, I'll try to remember them, though I must admit that my list is subject to frequent change:

1. Saleen S7 Twin Turbo. Why? It's absurdly fast.It's the second fastest production/street legal vehicle in the world, to the Bugatti Veyron...unless the Koenigseggs are mass produced. I don't know a whole lot about those. Speed alone won't win on my list, though. This car has an idle that makes motorcycle gangs and Jason Statham cry and then run. Of course, it also happens to be ridiculously gorgeous. And no, it certainly isn't practical, that would defeat the purpose of such a car.

2. An '05 or newer Ford Mustang GT. If any car fanatics are reading this, they most likely think I have no credibility. After all, I have a $585,000 (base price) car at my #1 spot, then my #2 car is roughly $25,000 (base as well). Think whatever you want, this is my list. The Mustang GT offers amazing performance for nearly unmatched price. Yeah yeah, the new Nissan 370Z is a tiny bit faster, but that doesn't matter. The Z has a V6, and sounds whiny next to the deep, throaty gurgle which emanates from the Mustang's 4.6L V8. The Mustang sounds mean, but in a good way. Then there's the styling. It looks great in most colors, except for black. If you decide to get a black Mustang, you're in for something better than great. It looks downright sinister. It's a muscle car, menacing and fast at times, and then it can be a nice family car or highway cruiser, provided you don't have a family of greater than 4, and you don't mind a bit of resonating V8 noise.

3. A 2010 BMW M3. This car is touted to have it all: power, refinement, speed, beauty, utility, reliability, and the inevitable classiness of a BMW. The 414hp V8 moves the car phenomenally, and there are as many safety, luxury, and standard features as you could ever want in a BMW costing under $100,000. Just a fantastic all around car. If I had to be realistic, I'd choose this car over all of the others.

4. 2010 Mazda Miata. A number of people think this is a rather "girly" car. The thought must be founded somewhere, as most stereotypes are, but I'm not quite sure what "girly" entails, when in a car. The Miata has a rev-happy engine, sporty chassis, and smooth gearbox. It's not particularly powerful, but it's fun to drive. It's not always about the speed, so long as your ride makes you grin.

5. 2009 Dodge Viper. What list would be complete without an absolutely ludicrous vehicle? If you read about the first car...you might notice there are actually two absolutely ludicrous vehicles in this list. I couldn't resist. The Viper is just the kind of car that everybody knows the name of. It's the car that some children have on posters on their walls. It's like a Corvette, but meaner, and scarier. All of these things make it an iconic American sports car, and I'd be thrilled (and terrified) to own one. For those of you who don't know, the Viper has a huge engine, and it's very fast. It's also difficult to control at the limit, so the driver has to know what he or she is doing, or the Viper bites back. But I'm willing to bet that it's extremely fun to drive, if just for the V10 roar and the awestruck look of bystanders. If I had absolutely no need for practicality, this would be my top choice.

I said I'd give you the top 10, but it took me quite a while to write all that...and I am tired now. If many people are interested, I'll post something about the others on my top 10 list sometime soon.

Thanks for reading!

-Stephen