Practical Dream Cars

"Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch" (bman76)
07/14/2016 at 03:32 • Filed to: None

Everybody has them, for some around here it’s a Toyota Tercel. For me it’s a ŠKODA Octavia vRS Estate.

14 years from being importable

I just love how these cars look. The best being Mk.2s (above) & Mk.3s (below) in blue. Sporty but practical, heck the one below is a diesel.

22 years from being importable

I’d even settle for a Mk.1 vRS Sedan in silver, it’d make for a fun commuter. Also, it has the funky 20-valve 1.8T, which is interesting if nothing else.

10 years from being importable

What about you Oppo, what’s your practical dream car? What do you think of the ŠKODA Octavia vRS?

DISCUSSION (52)

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 03:35

4muddyfeet has one of these in mk2, diesel flavour. As for practical dream car, maybe a volvo 850r.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/14/2016 at 03:37

I’m aware... and jealous ;)

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/14/2016 at 03:42

Also, the 850R is a solid choice. A boxy fighter. Because race car:

Kinja'd!!!

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 03:47

One of the oddest but coolest race cars ever.

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 03:47

I’m quite fond of the V RS, especially in this grey.

Kinja'd!!!

But my (affordable) practical dream car would be a E46 BMW like this one

Kinja'd!!!

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem
07/14/2016 at 03:50

That grey is very nice. The E46 has aged incredibly well IMO.

Otto-the-Croatian-'Whoops my Volvo is a sedan' > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 04:00

The Škoda Octavia Mk1 is one of the beigest cars you can get here. That and the Opel Vectra/Astra are Croatia’s Camry. I dunno man.
The estate, yes. But the sedan is dreadful.

CyberDashie > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 04:00

Caliber Srt4! I have a 5speed Caliber Sxt. I can have someone riding shotgun and sitting behind me, while hauling my entire drum set. However, add the turbo, the police pack charger brakes, and looks that can kill and you have the Caliber Srt4!!! Oh, and you can almost fit a sportbike inside if you remove half ofthe bike! xD (First pic is mine obviously, while the second is my affordable dream car.)

Kinja'd!!!

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > Otto-the-Croatian-'Whoops my Volvo is a sedan'
07/14/2016 at 04:07

Definitely, non-vRS Mk.1s were everywhere in Ceske republica. In vRS trim it’s a decent looker.

OPC Opels are neat too.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > CyberDashie
07/14/2016 at 04:09

I don’t mind the SRT-4 Caliber, they’ve gotta be fairly rare at this point.

Svend > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 04:14

What about 4muddyfeet’s Octavia Mk2?

Kinja'd!!!

Nicer cleaner lines than the later Mk2 facelift.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > Svend
07/14/2016 at 04:17

It’s very nice, I like the pre-facelift version best, but I don’t mind the facelited cars either.

Svend > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 04:22

I’ve got my affordable, practical dream car.

Ford Mondeo/Fusion size car for Ford Focus money.

Kinja'd!!!

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > Svend
07/14/2016 at 04:23

Love the Superb, so much more elegant than the Passat IMO.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Svend
07/14/2016 at 04:28

I dont usually like white cars but one of our higher ups visited the store the other day in a white 16 plate superb. Looked very smart.

Svend > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 04:33

Ye’, her sister doesn’t do it for me.

Kinja'd!!!

CRider > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 04:33

I’ll take a Brabus Maybach 900. It’s practical, right?

Kinja'd!!!

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > CRider
07/14/2016 at 04:35

I mean, it has a built in fridge, very practical.

Svend > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/14/2016 at 04:35

There are I think four Superbs as taxis where I am, only one is white though and the guy doesn’t keep it very clean. :(

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Svend
07/14/2016 at 04:36

Ah this one looked like it had been detailed, not a speck of dirt on it.

CRider > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 04:38

The seats also recline and massage you, so you could sleep in it. It would be irresponsible to not buy one, if you think about it.

Svend > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/14/2016 at 04:52

The way they should look.

samssun > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 05:03

To me, practical dream car means AWD, 5-door, and forced induction (since nothing with decent displacement will be light). So RS3, Focus RS, or maybe the next S4 if it’s really 3500 pounds.

samssun > CRider
07/14/2016 at 05:03

Practical...ly two dream cars.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 06:49

I’ve wanted one of these since the day they came out, and it was worth the wait.

Kinja'd!!!

It’s good on gas, can fit four somewhat big people, and has more room in the hatch than I thought, so plenty practical.

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 06:56

Money no object: BMW M550d Touring

Kinja'd!!!

Cheap and cheerful: Dacia Duster kitted out for offroading

Kinja'd!!!

LongbowMkII > Svend
07/14/2016 at 07:29

You'd never guess that the skoda is the value brand out of those two. Maybe it's a difference in trim (top skoda vs bottom Passat) but still..,

LongbowMkII > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 07:31

I already have my practical dream car have I mentioned that I have a minivan with 3 pedals? I do. It's great.

interstate366, now In The Industry > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 07:41

Mine is a different version of a car I already own: a JDM 4th gen Prelude with a specific set of options. About a month from being importable.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 07:52

LS and manual swap and done.

Kinja'd!!!

Svend > LongbowMkII
07/14/2016 at 08:12

My Piglet is a just over mid spec SE L Exec.

Kinja'd!!!

The VW Passat is a slightly less than midspec 2.0TDi SE Business spec vehicle for comparison.

Kinja'd!!!

Both vehicles retail for Ł26,000 and 25,000 respectively. Though I only paid Ł21,000 after discounts, loyalty discount, etc...

Milky > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 09:27

90% of the time I’m in the car by myself and I barely use my trunk at all.

Kinja'd!!!

... Man I want this thing. 50k miles, salvage title but only $24.5k.

bhtooefr > Svend
07/14/2016 at 09:31

Dat liftback.

Svend > bhtooefr
07/14/2016 at 09:48

Ye’, looks great and the boot is massive.

Kinja'd!!!

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 09:59

Vauxhall Insignia VXR Supersport. Or an RS6. That would be nice too.

bhtooefr > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/14/2016 at 10:03

Mine doesn’t exactly exist, unfortunately - characteristics of it exist across multiple real world cars, but not in one car. And, a couple of them conflict.

My practical dream car is RWD, or (depending on circumstances) rear-biased AWD. It’s relatively lightweight for what it is, and as a result has nimble handling (and other decisions by the manufacturer emphasize that). It’s a kammback liftback body style for optimized aerodynamics and good cargo capability (not as good as a wagon, but better aero than a wagon, and usually when I need a wagon, the length is more important). It doesn’t have to be a manual, but if it’s not, it needs to be a power split hybrid - I will not accept stepped-gearing automatics (this includes DCTs). I have more of a priority that the cargo space be flexible than the passenger space be comfortable, as I’m usually alone, and if I have a passenger, I have a passenger, not three. (But, at the same time, make the rear seat an actual bench, not two bucket seats - it makes it more useful for some cargo configurations if nothing else.) Speaking of hybridization, it’s a plug-in hybrid with at least about 10 miles of all-electric range. The engine doesn’t need to be anything exciting - I’m perfectly satisfied with, say, the acceleration performance of my (2016) Prius - slow car fast is the name of the game that I play.

Basically, I want a mashup of my Miata and a new Prius, with more battery somewhere, and with Mazda in charge of the suspension, steering, and brake feel (although the Prius suspension is actually quite composed, and the steering has a very good artificial feel (but it is still an artificial feel, it tricks you into thinking you’re understeering when the thing is cornering neutrally, if you push through the “understeer”) - the brake feel is bad, though).

The biggest conflict comes in with figuring out how the powertrain would work, though - I almost have a suspicion that the vehicle would be mid-engine RWD, with the engine laid as flat as possible. This would allow the (at least 5 kWh, for this application, I think) battery to live in a central tunnel, and the fuel tank to be ahead of that.

The closest things that exist to what I want are the Prius Prime (which isn’t as light as I’d want (although it may be as light as is possible with a PHEV of its EV power, size, and all-electric range), compromises the cargo space AND the back seat packaging, is FWD, and will have the same brake feel issues as the Prius Liftback), the Gen 2 Volt (even heavier, still FWD, and the handling and ergonomics suck IMO), the E46/3 or E91 with a 4-cylinder and a manual, or the Lexus IS 300 SportCross with a manual swap.