Most enthusiasts are familiar with their tastes changing over time. If you’re in this hobby long enough, you’ll likely come full circle on a lot of different cars. From love to hate back to love, this passion is a lifelong quest to capture a machine that offers irreplaceable experience and perhaps fills a deep sentimental void.

BMW E9X – When these were new I thought it was the beginning of the end (how many times have we heard that in this space). Now I realize that’s rarely the case; we as humans just hate change. These cars do all the 3 series things, perhaps better than previous generations. They are more sophisticated, more reliable, and more commonplace and therefore cheaper than most of their predecessors. The design is very basic but that’s part of the charm. Kind of like how MK5 VW’s have become endearing, so have these. Facelift models can actually be considered handsome as well.

Late Nineties-Early Oughts Mercedes – I just straight up took these for granted. W210’s are still hauling tourists around in many different countries and there’s good reason for that. The W220 is peak S Class and the 202 is becoming as iconic as the 190e.

Vans and minivans – An eventual right of passage for all enthusiasts; I’d even have a Chrysler so long as I can modify it appropriately.

The E30 – This one I’ve gone the other way on. Don’t get me wrong, they’re as good as advertised, but that’s just the thing. They’re no longer a pleasant surprise. The expectation is high. This is the same reason why I’ve always found it hard to appreciate 911’s. What you see and what you hear is what you get and the Easter eggs are nowhere to be found (anymore).

This week’s bit of Youtube serenity comes c/o ItalianSupercarVideo and their footage of a Mustang GT3 Car testing at Misano (a near perfect venue for GT racing). The new entries by Ford and Chevy have really revived this class that was otherwise growing a bit redundant and dull. The American diversity will certainly add a lot of intrigue to the already stacked grids and the fact that this noise will be echoing around the globe in GT competition with a Ford badge behind it is enough for me.

Lately, I have been experiencing a lot of joy just simply driving my family from one place to another. It’s especially fun on the holidays as the spirit usually fills the cabin with some extra excitement and positivity. As holiday travel plans continue to take place, I urge you to consider driving. Take the slower, more scenic route and just enjoy the ride. So much can happen inside of a car that can only make life outside of one that much better.

Finally, this week’s driving tune comes from The Who. Lately I have been on a big Quadrophenia kick and you can’t pick a better throttle mashing song than this.