Every now and again my brain wanders with visions of driving an old car as my daily driver. I mean how cool would it be to cruise the streets everyday in a classic Chevelle, Charger or Mustang. People constantly giving you the thumbs up, you’d feel like a rock star at every stoplight and valets would always give you the prime spots. I mean hell, if you’re going to go out and drop 25 or 30 large on a new Mustang or Challenger why not get the original right? Before you consider doing this, however, take heed because I’ve been down this road and want to give ya’ll some real world impressions about driving that classic everyday.

I tried doing this last year for over a month in my modified 1968 Dodge Charger. I started on July 20th and finished up on August 25, 2009 and in that time I logged just under 6000 miles… not bad for one months worth of driving. The reason for all those miles was one big ass road trip around the continental United States. I even rigged my baby out with all the conveniences of a new car by installing navigation, satellite radio, a new comfy interior and even a CB radio.

Throughout that entire month I never encountered one problem as the car ran beautifully. Going back to the above paragraph I can safely say that we were indeed the highlight of every stoplight, intersection and destination that we traveled too. Inquiries and comments a plenty were thrown at us and hell, we even got on the local news a few times. So with that being said, would I drive a classic everyday? The answer is simple… no.

While I had a wonderful time driving my old sled, I have to say that by the end of everyday it was exhausting albeit a bit nerve racking. The main ingredient that new cars have over the classics is 42 years of technology and innovation. Yes, new cars do essentially the same things as old cars, but they do it in much different ways. Things like ride quality, interior cabin noise and safety are leaps and bounds over the classics and don’t even get me started on fuel economy. One must also consider possible breakdowns and parts availability as some items are simply not available any more. Ask anyone whose ever tried to find a replacement grill for a ‘68 Charger… it’s a total bitch as well as being SUPER expensive. Maintenance on the classics is a bit cheaper (especially if you’re DIY’er) but will be more frequent than on a new car.

What it all comes down to in the end though is this: new cars are just that… new. They look new, smell new and perform like new. They come with such wonderful things as a warranty, good fuel economy and air conditioning. They’re also safe, quiet and reliable. Where old cars are cool, new cars are practical. Where old cars are a thrill ride, new cars are a safe ride and where old cars look great, new cars just perform great. In the end it is obviously up to the individual to make this decision. Just a word of advice though from someone whose been there.

Buy new, drive safe and get from point A to B without any drama. Just make sure however you have that extra spot in the garage to put that four wheeled dream in when the time comes.

As a bittersweet farewell to one of the most tumultuous years in automotive history, RideLust presents to you a re-cap of all the biggest industry events in 2009…and a few that slipped in under editorial bias.

Rick Wagoner, Bob Nardelli, and Alan Mulally spent weeks feigning humility and destitution in three piece Brooks Brothers suits in an attempt to wrangle a billion-dollar loan from an apparently benevolent Uncle Sam. Eventually, the government acquiesced and agreed to bail out both General Motors and Chrysler so as not to interrupt their steady production of poorly built, aesthetically unappealing vehicles.

Stunt double Ben Collins outed himself as Top Gear’s infamous masked driver, The Stig, potentially blowing the sweetest gig on planet Earth. Rather than kill him off, Top Gear attempted to counter the rumors by fingering (::snicker::) legendary racer Michael Schumacher as The Stig. Gearheads in America with an Internet connection that’s too slow to cope with downloading the weekly BBC broadcast still don’t give a rat’s ass.

There was some sort of F1 scandal involving Renault intentionally throwing the Singapore Gran Prix, but we were too immersed in our rally obsession to care. Just Google it or something.

As per their plan to cut costs and pretend to pay back taxpayers, GM made the logical decision to axe one of the only remaining brands that consumers still cared about, Pontiac. Shortly after the announcement, rumors began to circulate that the late John DeLorean’s company was interested in purchasing the rights to produce the Pontiac Solstice. The idea, much like the DMC-12, was short lived.

Drawing heavily from the blatantly phallic styling of the Ambiguously Gay Duo’s car, Porsche released it’s first 4-door sedan, the Panamera.

Adding to the Ford Flex’s already sizable reputation as one of the coolest people movers on the market, the Friends of the National Automotive History Collection (NAHC) recently bestowed upon it a new honor, awarding it 2009’s “Most Collectible Vehicle of the Future.” Apparently, the Flex’s unique, retro-modern styling not only makes it a hear turner today but also guarantees it plenty of limelight at the Woodward Dream Cruise in 2034.

Ford is naturally elated by the news. “We are delighted that the Ford Flex has been recognized by the NAHC as having a design that will become a collectible of the future,” said Kate Pearce, Flex marketing manager at Ford. “We knew from the start that we had a vehicle with stand-out design that looks like nothing else on the road, but that also meets the needs of our customers looking for passenger space with innovative technology and great fuel economy,” she said. “Reaction from our customers has been fantastic and we hope they will enjoy their cars long into the future.”

Of course, some critics may dismiss the optional wood paneling, mini fridge, and panoramic moonroof as red herrings meant to distract from the fact that, at its core, the Flex is nothing more than the Windstar’s cleverly-disguised successor. While they may be right in some respects, it is imperative that naysayers not forget that while the Flex may posses some inherently minivan qualities, it still remains unparalleled in its class. In 2034, the Dodge Caravan will be rusting out behind a tool shed in northern Michigan, the Toyota Sienna will be scattered in charred bits along I-95, and the Honda Odyssey will still be lame.

Indicative of a painfully slow news day, the most front-page worthy reports coming out of the automotive industry that don’t involve bankruptcy, recalls, or some combination thereof is from the General Motors camp regarding the retooling of their Flint, Michigan plants.

Preparing for the future production of the 2011 Chevy Cruze and Volt, all four Flint facilities, including the Flint Engine South, Flint Metal Center, Flint Tool & Die and Grand Blanc Weld Tool Center, have collectively undergone a $230 million overhaul in the name of Mother Earth. On estimate, once the reconstruction is finished the Flint Four will be capable of recycling a staggering 97% of their waste products, including more than 12 tons of batteries, 47,000 tons of scrap metal, 616 tons of oil, 229 tons of wood and 74 tons of plastic paper. Once finished, the plans will be responsible for every component of production for both the Cruze and Volt – everything from the powertrain to the power windows.

Image: egmcartech.com

As you might expect, Saturn dealers are none too happy that Penske backed out of buying Saturn after being unable to secure a commitment from an unnamed foreign manufacturer to provide cars for rebadging. That means unless new money is thrown down the hole into the marquee, 350 Saturn dealerships and (according to a Saturn dealer group) 13,000 jobs will be lost. All they need, according to those same Saturn dealers, is a $250 million cash infusion from Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (better known as “the Bailout”).

In Sweden, a virgin with a 1973 Lincoln Continental and a cool $1 million spent about 5 years crafting a full scale replica of the Batmobile. Now, perhaps we’ve been spoiled by years of high-resolution studio photographs of some of the most beautifully engineered cars in the business, but to our discerning eyes the Swedish Batmobile looks a little, uh, shop class. It took the guy 20,000 hours to build though, so despite our penchant for going for the jugular we’re going to stymie the snarky criticism before it starts and simply give credit where credit’s due. Nice job, Sven.

Full gallery after the jump

GM’s announcement that they’re closing the Pontiac (the city, not the defunct brand, in Michigan) truck plant after 37 years puts a big fat “!” at the end of news that truck sales have fallen off to their lowest point since Reagan was in office. High margin pickup trucks were the bread-n-butter of Detroit’s strategy since car buyers defected to the Japanese in the ’80s and ’90s, making up 15% of all light passenger vehicles being sold. That percentage has now dropped to 10% of the market, and unless something drastic happens those numbers are expected to slide further.

In a few short weeks, General Motors is expected to finalize the whoring out sale of HUMMER LLC to China-based Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co. If the deal receives the required approval from the Chinese regulatory commission, Sichuan has earmarked $9.4 million to fund the construction of a new U.S. headquarters to be built in either Detroit or the Detroit suburb of Auburn Hills. When the final location is selected and the facility is opened for business, the Michigan Economic Growth Authority estimates it will create some 300 jobs for the community and in return for the anticipated economic stimulation, Michigan is preparing to greet Sichuan with the mother of all welcome wagons.

If you ever wondered what the sadistic minds at the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety do to celebrate their birthday, stop. It’s horrible. IIHS has been smacking cars together now for 50 years, and so to celebrate, they decided to show the world how far vehicle safety has come. To do this, they procured a relatively intact, low-rust 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air and proceeded to hurtle it against a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The results are conclusive: smacking an old car into another object destroys the old car. It’s the equivalent of a nursing home celebrating their anniversary by smacking around one of their elderly patients in order to prove something we already know. For your information, the hypothetical driver of the Malibu would have had a mild injury like a sprained ankle, and the driver of the Bel Air would have died instantly. Make the jump to satisfy your morbid curiosity with a video.

Hide in shame no longer, Ford fanatics, the 2011 Ford Focus is almost here and it’s going to be a damn sight better than that Methuselah-esque jalopy currently masquerading as a new car. Ford fanboys already have some good news with word coming down of US-bound Ecoboost turbocharged four-bangers, and this is bound to have them hootin’, hollerin’, and sprayin’ each other down with Miller High Life in celebration. It’ll share architecture with the brand new C-Max pictured above which is debuting at Frankfurt, and you’ll have your choice of a four-door sedan or a five-door hatch (which isn’t a bodystyle available on the current North American Focus, although it was in the past). AND it’ll get a version of the Ecoboost engine we were gushing about earlier today. If you’ve always wanted a Focus RS, cross your fingers, because it might actually happen on these shores. Huzzah!!!

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