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| Family Head-Turners Think just because you’ve got kids, you can’t drive a cool car (or truck)? Think again.... by Ken Gross If you’re like most guys you’re probably drooling at the open roadsters that are hitting the streets with summer temperatures. There’s no denying the sexy appeal of cars like the Mazda Miata, BMW’s Z3 and its new Z8, Mercedes-Benz’s SLK and SL and Honda’s S2000. Want to really drool? Check out Audi’s new TT two-seater, Toyota’s MR2 Spyder and a flashy 2002 SC roadster from Lexus. Great fun (or fantasy) if you’re a single guy, or if you’re married with-out kids, but what do you do if you’ve got a family, a need to haul some weekend hobby or do-it-yourself freight occasionally, and most importantly, you’re on a budget? Don’t despair. Car buffs are fond of saying, ‘the good old days are now!" I can’t remember a time when we’ve had more interesting cars and trucks available. Asked if we could recommend some cool, affordable vehicles that weren’t obvious sports cars, our biggest challenge was to keep the list short. Here are our criteria: no more than a $35,000 sticker; room for at least four people plus a complement of luggage; fun-to-drive, of course, and each vehicle has to be a head-turner in its class. Enthusiasts used to turn up their noses at four-door sedans, but not any more. Some new models are so stylish they look like coupes; and after several German carmakers redefined the term ‘sport sedan,’ many domestic and Japanese rivals jumped on the bandwagon with equally nice, more affordable alternatives. Here are just a few we really like: Sedans: Chrysler 300M: rakish styling, a lively 253-bhp V-6, great roada-bility, a lot of car for its $30,000 pricetag. Pontiac’s supercharged Bonneville SSEi: flamboyant looks, punchy power, stiff and snappy, but not for everyone.... Lincoln LS: Lincoln’s basically built a German sports sedan -- the $30,000 six offers a five-speed manual; the V-8 will keep up with Jags and Bimmers and beat ‘em both on pricing. Chevrolet Impala: For upwards of $20,000, this is a surprisingly nimble four-door with impressive brakes. Too bad they won’t sell the quicker, stiffer police package version to civilians. Nissan Maxima: recently restyled, priced well under $30,000, unburstable engine, under 7 seconds to 60 mph,great road manners and high reliability. Audi A4: A little jewel that effectively balances pricing (starting at $24,000) performance, usefulness and timeless good looks. BMW 3-Series: Still the standard, $27,000 and up, and for good reason. The Sport version is very nearly as good as the M3. Cadillac Catera: New sheet metal for 2000, right on the $35,000 mark in price, better than you’d think for an entry level Cadillac Saab Viggen: Rorty, funkily shaped, fast, with mucho torque steer, the Viggen is quirky, entertaining -- just what Saab owners like. Coupes: Dodge Stratus R/T: Nice new looks, EZ to use Autostick shifter, just over $20,000 gets you a lot of car; she’ll think you spent more. Acura 3.2CL: Controversial razor-edged styling, plenty of power, dead-nuts reliability, five-speed automanual is fun to use, BMW 3-Series: so the coupe’s a few grand more than a sedan, definitely a consideration, this car says volumes about its owner. Honda Prelude: Just $24,000 for a nickel rocket that squirts through holes in the traffic pattern with all the aplomb of its bigger Formula 1 cousins. Short takes: Although we only recommend trucks for truckers, there’s a lot of space-cheating utility, good value for $$$ and, for the class, rather nifty styling in Ford’s Explorer Sport Trac, Isuzu’s VehiCross, and Nissan’s Xterra. Finally, for $20K, if you can find one for sticker price, Chrysler’s funky PT Cruiser will have everyone in the neighborhood lining up for rides. Ken Gross is a journalist and Executive Director of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. His and his kids' favorite car is their '32 Ford Hiboy Roadster
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