Top 5 Dream Cars- From a Racing Instructor & Founder of P1 Exotics
Antonio Unanue, founder of P1 Exotics and MSF High Performance Education Instructor, has been a car enthusiast since elementary school after catching a glimpse of a Ferrari 360 Spider drive by on the playground. His love and passion for exotic cars motivated him to found P1 Exotics, a NJ licensed dealer dedicated to supporting fellow car enthusiasts by sourcing and consigning luxury cars.
Antonio breaks down his top five dream cars in this list of incredible vehicles that every car enthusiast would drool over.
Cover of ‘Hot Pursuit 2: Need for Speed’ video game via Steam Unlocked
4 & 5. Lamborghini Murciélago and Ferrari 360 Modena
Antonio used to play a well known video game called Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2. He describes it best: “I was obsessed with that game.” The two vehicles displayed in the opening video montage are the stunning Lamborghini Murcielago and the incredible Ferrari 380 Modena. For Antonio, the desire to acquire these incredible cars in his inventory or for his own possession is not a want, but a need.
Lamborghini Murciélago via Car and Driver
The Lamborghini Murciélago has a 6.5 L V12 engine with 632-661 horsepower, with about 4,099 of these supercars ever being produced. The valuation of this vehicle can be up to half a million dollars depending on the condition, and for good reason. Whatever the Diablo (the predecessor to the Murciélago) lacked, the Murciélago excelled in. Antonio, who drove the Lamborghini Diablo, said, “I loved how it looked, [but] driving that thing was miserable.” This comes from a combination of lack of proper suspension, handling, and steering by today’s standards. A 2000’s car such as the Murciélago can guarantee a much smoother ride for its passenger and maximize the pure enjoyment of the ride. “It goes to show the difference in technology over the course of 15 years and how much it improves.”
Ferrari 360 Modena via Wikipedia
The Ferrari 360 Modena, the other half of the epic Hot Pursuit 2 montage that got Antonio hooked, boasts a 3.6 L V8 engine and the sheer classic beauty of the Ferrari brand itself. But, Antonio says, “no one would put this car in their top five.” Instead, the lack of rarity that may turn car enthusiasts away is what draws Antonio into the 360 Modena. It is much more affordable (averaging around 100k), reliable, and with less service costs. Plus, the Ferrari 360 was the car that ignited his passion for luxury cars in the first place. Antonio may be closer to his dream of achieving these two cars than he originally thought. Recently, P1 Exotics obtained a “gated manual blue Ferrari 360 Spider in inventory, so [he] kind of feels like it’s checking off the box slightly.”
3. Saleen S7
Saleen S7 via Road & Track
Antonio declared the Saleen S7 to be “one of the most beautiful cars ever produced of all time,” and reasonably so. The stunning and iconic look of the Saleen S7 combined with its reputation make it instantly recognizable. The Saleen S7 blows the past two vehicles on this list out of the water with a whopping 750 horsepower and 700 lb-ft of torque. Steve Saleen declared the 2000’s vehicle to be able to go 0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds and get a top speed of 220 mph. It is also the first car on this list to be built by an American manufacturer, defying the stereotype that supercars are always European. Antonio also mentioned that the luxury car is “super rare and collectable” due to the low production run with estimates ranging between 100-1,500 Saleen S7s ever produced.
2. Porsche Carrera GT
Porsche Carrera GT via Carscoops
By now, it may be easy to recognize the pattern of 2000’s cars dominating Antonio’s ‘top five dream cars of all time’ list. He notes that “I’m a huge fan of the early 2000’s cars because I think they are that perfect balance between modern performance, and more importantly modern reliability, combined with vintage analog experience.” When driving in some of the most modern supercars today, Antonio feels that everything is electric and computerized and lacking manual transmission. “It feels like you are in a videogame in a bad way. It did exactly what you wanted, nothing exciting.” The Porsche Carrera GT comes in at number two due to maintaining the safety standards of modern vehicles while still giving drivers the thrill of the ride. This incredibly well known car lives up to expectations with a 5.7 L V10 and 605 horsepower engine, apart from the legendary Porsche brand itself, which is widely known for their high performance and luxury cars.
Ferrari F40
Ferrari F40 via Wikipedia
And finally, the epic conclusion to ‘Top Five Dream Cars of All Time’: the Ferrari F40. You won’t find a luxury sound system or heated seats in this car; and that’s what Antonio loves about it the most. The Ferrari F40, simply put, is an “absolute race car. [The] only thing that was a luxury in it was air conditioning.” The F40 even lacks door handles, as Ferrari strove to make this car as lightweight as possible to achieve top speeds and performance. Apart from being arguably “one of the most iconic cars ever built,” Antonio also mentions that it was the “last car that Enzo Ferrari put his hands on before he passed away.” The Porsche 959 was Porsche’s attempt at making a better car than Ferrari. It went 200 mph and was super high tech with numerous features and packages. Ferrari’s reaction was to focus solely on the racing aspect, making the F40 incredibly lightweight, carbon fiber, and essentially the “exact opposite of what Porsche created.” Ferrari’s efforts paid off: the F40 reached a top speed of 201 mph, besting the Porsche 959. Antonio’s racing roots and experience of being an MSF High Performance Education Instructor shine through in his reasoning for loving the Ferrari F40: it’s “absolute race car for the road.”
Honorable mention: Shockingly, despite my input, the 2010 Honda Odyssey minivan did not make the cut. However, I would argue that none of the vehicles on this list have a backseat DVD player, showing the Odyssey’s strive for practicality at entertaining children on long road trips.
