I need a car.

[lagilman]

No, not for me. Well, for me, but fictionally.

*sighs, tries again*

In the original draft, the car in question was a Bentley, because it suited all the plot-needs and because hey, Bentley. Fun car. However, a beta reader pointed out that a Bentley would, by its very nature, be easier to track down than the plot requires.

So. I need a car. An upper-level, Old Money kind of car, the sort that makes people who Know go "ooo, nice" and the rest of us just think "that was more money than I'll ever have, purring by," but doesn't raise eyebrows or cause one to think "midlife crisis, ahoy!" or have its very own personal registry.

I have a few thoughts, but figured the Great LJ Mind could help out with specifics. So (AutoJim?), who's got suggestions?

EtA: here's an idea of what I'm looking for. Or this, although not in white (bleah)

Have decided to go with the S-class Benz, as it's the right size, shape, and $$. Thanks, all!

Comments

[vee-ecks.livejournal.com]

A Jag? Lots of people with less money buy aftermarket used ones for the prestige factor, they're big with old and new money, and there are plenty of them in any big urban center.

[copperwise.livejournal.com]

I was just going to say that. Also I've noticed that most people who drive Jags around here have them in subtle colors, dark greens and blues, which definitely don't stand out. Of course when you can drive a Jaguar, it doesn't need to be screaming shiny red, does it...

The Car

[alterego66.livejournal.com]

I like the Jag option, it is bad ass but quite a few in production. How about a AMG BenZ say an S63 anothter very high performance car but not as rare as a Bentley?

[quarkwiz.livejournal.com]

I like the Jag as well. There's also the Maybach, which looks unremarkable, but hooooboy.

[lagilman]

While I like the Jaguar (an XJ-8 in racing green for me, please) it doesn't have quite the "oomph" any more of what I need for these characters....

Re: The Car

[lagilman]

I had been considering the Benz, but the S65 is a convertible, and that doesn't work... is the S63 a sedan or a coupe?

Re: The Car

[alterego66.livejournal.com]

The S63 is a sedan. Here is a link. http://www.carcasher.com/vehicle:659481-(2008-Mercedes-Benz-S600)

I forgot to say Good Luck!

[lagilman]

O. M. G.

*makes grabby hands*

Ahem. yeah. Okay, we may have a winner. And to not spend an hour drooling over that site....

[eeknight.livejournal.com]

Here in Chicago a long, sleek Mercedes S class (often in black) is the usual way for the old money to stand out without standing out so to speak, or a BMW 7 Series. A BMW M5 is a possibility too if the potential driver wanted performance suitable for a racetrack without all the NASCAR stickers.

[mzipser.livejournal.com]

While I'm not a car guy (but I do watch Top Gear on TV), how about a Morgan. I've always thought those were very classy and still sporty. I like the ones with the leather strap on the front. take a look at

http://www.morgancars-usa.com/

[neutronjockey.livejournal.com]

Rolls Royce remake of the classic Silver Ghost. (http://allworldcars.com/wordpress/?p=1147)

You said old money right? That's Old Money.

[ianrandalstrock.livejournal.com]

I've been impressed with the Maybach since I discovered it a year or three back. Nice, classy, the lines are somewhat related to the Rolls and Bentley you linked to, and still, very few people know what the heck it is.

Not sporty, but bucks.

[lagilman]

Yeah, unfortunately the lack of easy recognition works against it, in this case. I don't have the page-space to explain without ruining the scene. SO I'll just have to keep it in my own private wish-file....

*prods Hollywood* Dudes, where's my movie deal? Momma has toys to buy!

[lagilman]

Morgans have the same problem the Bentley did -- far too easy to trace, because of the relatively limited number and careful record-keeping....

[caryabend.livejournal.com]

lack of easy recognition works against it

So... rarefied, but still in the breathable zone?

Audi A8 12cyl?

http://www.audiusa.com/audi/us/en2/new_cars/Audi_A8/A8L_W12.html

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

Not knowing the rest of the plot, I'd be inclined to a late '50s Mercedes 220S or similar -- fast, unobtrusive exterior, posh inside. I used to own a '59 -- it died of cancer, but non-road-salt versions are still out there.

[difrancis.livejournal.com]

My thoughts were along the lines of everyone else: Mercedes, BMW, Lexus . . . Not very original, am I?

[ferragus.livejournal.com]

Of course I'll say Benz, but look at the Aston DB9 if you want a British car.

I've been watching a lot of Top Gear (on BBC America) and getting to see a lot of cars that are out of my price range.

[kalligraphy.livejournal.com]

The problem is that any car that meets your critieria is going to be RARE. Rare vehicles are traceable by the sheer fact of their rarity. A car that says "old money" means personalized service provided by the dealership. These aren't Fords, the dealers know their clients. When someone comes in and drops $150K+ on a car, they stand out. Even if the car is old, it gets serviced someplace and the number of mechanics that work on upper end vehicles are limited. If the police are looking it gets even easier. Exactly how many cars of limited make and rare model of X color even exist in a particular state or area? If you want to go with expensive, but not so outrageously expensive that there aren't a decent number around. Go with a major manufacturer such as Jaguar, BMW, Porsche or Mecedes and stick with their upper end production vehicles.

[handlebar605.livejournal.com]

One author (recently deceased) used an Alpine Tiger. it may have been a made up model of car, but everyone knows about Max Smart's Alpine Sunbeam. the Tiger supposedly had a V8 instead of the 4 cylinder.

[handlebar605.livejournal.com]

actually, I was mistaken, the Sunbeam Alpine came with a V6, While the Sunbeam Tiger came with the V8.

http://www.britishv8.org/Photos-Sunbeam-Conversions.htm

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

The Sunbeam Tiger was a royal bitch to drive -- way overpowered for the chassis and bad weight distribution.

(Was a foreign-auto mechanic in a long-ago and far-away time.)

[autojim.livejournal.com]

Sorry I missed this. Day Job interevened.

The S-Class Mercedes is a fine choice. As for model, there's only one way to go, and that one way has two flavors: S63 AMG has a 6.2L normally-aspirated V8 with purt near 500 hp. S65 AMG has a twin-turbo V12 with enough torque to alter the planet's rotation.

If I win the MegaMillions Lotto? I'm buying an S65 for long-distance, miles-eating highway use. In black, naturally. With the ID-badge delete option that removes the S65 and AMG logos from the decklid. Severely understated so as to fly under the visual radar of law enforcement. A dark-colored big Benz can subtract 15 mph in apparent speed from your true speed in most circumstances, yet is a solid cruise-all-day-at-140mph car.

One of the benefits of the Maybach (MAI-bock) is that it's very related to the big Benz and looks similar enough as to pass largely unnoticed by the casual observer except as a big Benz. The drawback is that the Maybach is essentially a bespoke car, is sold in very small numbers, and thus is relatively easily traced back to its owner. I would probably not be wrong, for instance, to think that there are single-digit numbers of privately-owned Maybachs in the greater Detroit area.

S-Class Mercedes is an inspired choice for the application.

[autojim.livejournal.com]

Oh, and the car in the picture? 2005 Mercedes-Benz C55 AMG. Built on the smaller C-Class, with a 5.5L V8 and nearly 400hp.

The reason that one's all tarted up in all that vinyl is that is the start queue for the 2005 Cannonball One Lap of America.

Yep, we drove it 4000ish miles over 8 days (states driven in: IN, OH, PA, NY, VT, NH, MA, CT, NJ, WV, VA, MD, NC, SC, GA) and ran 20 timed events at 12 different racing facilities. On the same tires.

No, it's not my car.

[redwolfexr.livejournal.com]

Heh, long time no autojim.

Its probably too late, but I would toss in a non-car option. Supercharged Range Rover HSE. Costs about 100K and is the offroad-capable version of the Luxe car.

There isn't that much obvious difference between the Supercharged and the non, except 40K and a lot of power.

Probably the same vein as Jaguars. (it has a Jaguar sourced motor and both companies were sold together by Ford recently)

[anisosynchronic.livejournal.com]

And now I have an earworm of Peter Heck singing "Lord won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz" in my head!