THEN vs NOW: How My Childhood Dream Cars Evolved
Almost all of the models I loved during childhood are gone now, but their spiritual successors ease my pain with more power.
When you’re a kid, the closest you can get to owning your favorite cars is the Hot Wheels or Matchbox versions. I grew up with a 1:64-scale fleet of fantasy vehicles, but the 1:18-scale models (gotta love those $10 Maisto specials at Sam’s) were the ones that really locked in my love of exotic, performance cars. Many of the vehicles on this list no longer exist in name. Fortunately, all but one of their respective manufacturers currently make something similar to them.
THEN: Lamborghini Diablo
(1991 MSRP: $239,000 | 5.7-liter V12, 485 hp, 428 lb-ft)
One random summer day, my dad brought me with him to a yard sale. He directed my attention to a red and tan Diablo model car. One dollar later, it was mine. A buck for a three-dimensional version of a ’90s teenage boy’s poster car and the most current Lamborghini supercar? What a deal. Its V12 may not have worked and I may have had to make the exhaust sounds myself, but I was fine with that every time I looked at the Diablo on my shelf.
NOW: Lamborghini Aventador S
(MSRP: $417,826 | 6.5-liter V12, 740 hp, 507 lb-ft)
Over time, the Diablo’s simple, angular shape gave way to a flagship Lambo with more curves – and power that used to be the stuff of unrealistic youthful fantasies. The raging bull company abandoned the traditional manual transmission years ago in favor of faster, more sophisticated gearboxes, but it has stuck to the naturally aspirated, large-displacement V12 despite the popularity of downsized, turbocharged engines.
THEN: Ferrari 550 Maranello
(1997 MSRP: $204,000 | 5.5-liter V12, 485 hp, 420 lb-ft)
When my dad got me a model of the 550, he might as well have handed me an enchanted ancient artifact. I couldn’t stop staring at Ferrari‘s perfectly polished wedge. Even in 1:18-scale form, with its exaggeratedly long hood, it was hyperbole taken literally and manifested in metal.
NOW: Ferrari 812 Superfast
(MSRP: $335,000 | 6.5-liter V12, 789 hp, 530 lb-ft)
Ferrari’s newest way of blasting across continents with one other person keeps the same general portions as its ’90s ancestor and adds swoopiness. Like its big V12-powered Lambo rival, the Superfast combines a naturally aspirated V12 with an advanced transmission (a 7-speed dual-clutch box). It doesn’t have the wonderful visual simplicity of the 550, but makes up for it with curves and proportions that scream “exotic GT” – in Italian.
THEN: Dodge Viper GTS
(1997 MSRP: $66,700 | 8.0-liter V10, 450 hp, 490 lb-ft)
The original Dodge Viper RT/10 roadster was an immediately recognizable oddity that made the most potent Mustangs and Camaros of the time seem tame. Its GTS coupe cousin came along a few years later and instantly became a modern classic with its giant clamshell hood, erotic curves, and center-exit exhaust.
NOW (ISH): Dodge Viper GTS
(2017 MSRP: $107,995 | 8.4-liter V10, 645 hp, 600 lb-ft)
Amazingly, Dodge was largely able to replicate the beauty of the original Viper GTS two decades later without creating something too derivative or awkwardly sentimental. Too bad it didn’t keep at it. The 2017 Viper was the last and greatest of the species.
THEN: Toyota Supra
(1998 MSRP: $30,918 | 3.0-liter I6, 225 hp, 220 lb-ft)
You might be wondering why I didn’t put the Supra Turbo on this list. That’s because the MKIV Supra my dad briefly considered buying was a naturally aspirated model. That was the closest teenage-me was going to get to one of the curvaceous coupes at the time. I didn’t care how much power it packed. It had a straight six, rear-wheel drive and a design that distinguished it from its Nissan enemy, the 300ZX.
NOW: Toyota GR Supra
(MSRP: $49,990 | Turbocharged 3.0-liter I6, 335 hp, 365 lb-ft)
After more than two decades, Toyota finally – FINALLY! – brought back its flagship sports car. So did BMW. That’s the problem. Many people on the interwebs were not pleased to learn that the new Supra has a substantial amount of BMW hardware under its skin, including its turbo I6. That doesn’t keep me from wanting to test one out, though. If it’s a hoot-and-a-half to drive, I’ll be grateful – no matter which company makes what.
THEN: BMW 750iL
(1997 MSRP: $93,300 | 5.4-liter V12, 322 hp, 361 lb-ft)
I blame James Bond for this one. Tomorrow Never Dies was the first 007 movie I ever saw in a theater. Bond’s big-bodied German luxury sedan was a radical departure from the two-door sports cars he had previously driven. Not only did it have handsome lines and 12 cylinders, but it had some…um…”optional extras” on it, including missiles in the sunroof, spikes that fell out of the rear bumper and a remote control disguised as a cellphone.
NOW: BMW M760i xDrive
(MSRP: $157,700 | Twin-turbo 6.6-liter V12, 600 hp, 627 lb-ft)
James Bond went back to driving Aston Martins 18 years ago. His return to the British sports cars and the renewed popularity of trucks and SUVs didn’t cause the demise of the 7 Series. It’s bigger than it ever was, whether you’re talking about the size of its V12, the amount of power it produces or the twin-kidney grille it sits behind.
Photos: Ferrari, Lamborghini, Dodge, Toyota, BMW
Prices: NADA Guides
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