The Cars We Love

Who needs Valentine's Day when you have cars?

There's a special place in everyone's heart for the car they love above all others, whether it's their first car, the car they grew up with, or the car they'd buy if only money trees were real.

For Valentine's Day this year we asked the Carparison office about their favourite cars - and as predicted, got some interesting responses back. 

From muscle cars to classic cars, and quirky EVs to roadsters, it's a mixed bag. And we wouldn't have it any other way. 

BMW M4 2015

Contrary to nearly every other car on the list, Jamie does own this one.

He bought it at auction as a CAT D write-off and has since put hundreds of hours of blood, sweat, and tears into it to restore it to its former glory rather than a heap of metal destined for the scrap yard.

Sure, the added modifications aren't strictly necessary - but they are good fun, and make it an excellent track car.

And I defy you to think of a better way to spend a hot day than bombing down a track, dust cloud in your wake. It's what dreams are made of, right?

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

In an era dominated by the German giants, Ryan's flying the flag for Italy.

The Giulia Quadrifoglio is a beast of a machine with its snarling front end and beefy lines. It's a modern-day poster car with the performance to match - whether you're nipping to the corner shop or sprinting down a deserted track, the Giulia will keep you entertained every step of the way.

According to Ryan, if he won the lottery tomorrow, this is the car he'd be putting on his driveway.  Specifically the Giulia in Competizione Red, with dark alloys and more carbon fibre than you could shake a stick at.

Unfortunately for Ryan, he's never bought a lottery ticket. 

Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk1

The VW Golf is a fan favourite, both in our office and in the UK - it topped the best-selling car in the UK list last year and is set to be just as popular this year.

But we're not talking about any old garden variety Golf - Tom's gone for the classic Golf GTI Mk1. It's a classic that kickstarted the public love for hot hatches, even if yes, technically Renault got there first with the 5 Gordini.

But even your Great-Aunt Bessie has heard of a Golf GTI.

With its go-faster stripes, 106bhp 1.6-litre engine, four-speed manual gearbox topped by the iconic golf ball gear-knob, and a lowered chassis, the GTI was defined by its grip, agility, and exhilarating driving experience.

If you can get your hands on one, it's still great fun to drive.

BMW M3

The BMW M3. The epitome of pure power.

It’s the original high-performance saloon, and it’s still considered by many to be the best. According to Simon, it has all the creature comforts needed to be a good car, while keeping that little roughness around the edges that a muscle car needs. 

The BMW M3 really is the perfect car if you need something sensible and family-friendly, but you’re not quite ready to relinquish the excitement and power. 

And with its distinctive styling and M-touches everywhere, there’s no mistaking this for any other car.

Just the way we like it.

1970 Triumph GT6

Buckle yourselves in – if you’re a car lover, Chloe’s tale of car woe might just drive you to the brink of tears.

When she was growing up, her dad owned a 1970 Triumph GT6 – but it was soon languishing in the garage, waiting for someone to give it the care and attention it deserved.

Chloe would often sit in the driver's seat, dreaming about the time when she was a grown-up with a cool car, and could wear sunglasses and leather gloves, and drive everywhere really, really fast.

But it was never meant to be.

Despite Chloe and her dad beginning the work the Triumph so desperately needed, it was callously sold while she was away at Uni. She’s never quite recovered from being so close, and yet so far from her childhood driving dream.

It’s truly the car that got away.

Mazda MX-5 MK2

A practical choice? Absolutely not. But it was the car that taught Sarah that a car didn’t just need to get you from A-B – driving could be something you did just for fun.

Yes, she lived on a farm peppered with potholes. Yes, her favourite weekend activity is paddleboarding – you try strapping one of those to a convertible. But all the niggly bits aside, the Mazda MX-5 stands up as one of the greatest small roadsters to ever hit our streets.

Solidly built and good fun to drive, if you’re looking for personality over practicality, nearly nothing will beat the MX-5.

And though she’s had to change to something a little more practical since – a bit more boot space, seats in the back, roof – one day the joys of the Mazda MX-5 will be hers again.

Honda e

She might not have ever seen one in real life. She might not know anything about it other than it looks cool, and you can turn the screens into an aquarium. (You can even feed the virtual fish!).

But you give her enough time and Beth will wax poetic about the Honda e.

Not everyone’s first choice, probably not in most people’s top ten choices, but there’s no denying it has a certain charm.

From the ‘70s Civic-inspired styling to the lounge-style interior to the 137-mile range, the Honda e is divisive, cute, and packed with technology. It’s truly the full package.

Alfa Romeo Stelvio

In the words of Josh, it’s ‘gorgeous.’

And he’s not wrong.

The second Alfa Romeo to feature in this unique line-up, the Stelvio has all the ‘versatility of an SUV with the performance of a sports saloon’ according to the Italian manufacturer – and they aren’t wrong.

Combining flamboyant styling, powerful engines, and the traditional Alfa-Romeo driving experience in a more practical SUV casing, the Stelvio is the perfect blend of performance and practicality.

And if you’re looking for even more bite that matches an even bigger bark, opt for the range-topping 503bhp Quadrifolgio model.

You won’t regret it.

1981 DMC DeLorean

Rounding off the cars we love is a car we’ll never own whether we win the lottery or not – the infamous 1981 DMC DeLorean from Back to the Future.

After all, why would you want to own a regular old DeLorean when you could, in our fantasy line-up, own one with a flux capacitor and 1.21 gigawatts of power? Certainly not Charlotte.

Sure, the DeLorean might have a reputation for poor build quality and a poor driving experience, but that’s not a problem when your car can time travel and is powered by plutonium.

And wouldn’t it be cool to hop forwards or backward in time whenever you felt like it?

We’ll take three.