It could happen 🤔

I'm a big fan of nice rides. Every time that I see a special car out in the wild, I do everything in my power to get a close look at the beautiful specimen. I've only owned two cars ever in my life. A 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse and my current 2009 Audi A4. I plan to continue driving my A4 until the wheels fall off and it refuses to function anymore. As much as I love cars, I prefer financial stability over leisurely fun.

I was asked the other day if I had thought about what my next car would be. My answer was of course a resounding YES! I imagine myself behind the wheel of a street-legal racecar pretty much every day. I love to watch videos from YouTubers such as Doug Demuro, The Straight Pipes, and even Hive's very own @planetauto. Although I fantasize and dream of owning an expensive car, I'm not jumping the gun to do so. I have been patient for years and will continue to be wise until purchasing a new car of this level feels like it won't cause a huge dent in my wallet.

My list of desirable cars that I very well could own in the future is far too long to simply say I'd get this one or that one. I once wrote about my dream coupes under $250k, but today I am going to be a bit more realistic. There are a few cars from that list that will be mentioned today, but a lot of these are well under $100k and could realistically be obtained by me now if I wanted to make the financial sacrifice early.

I have basically narrowed this new list down to a coupe with at least 300 hp and preferably AWD, but maybe RWD or even another sedan. Most likely another European auto, but perhaps Japanese. I'll list the base price for each vehicle, but know that additional options could increase the cost by quite a bit. I'll also include a few words about why I love each ride. This list is in no certain order. Without further ado, let's get started talking about 13 of my dream cars.

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Price: From $75,900
Horsepower: 444 hp
Torque: 442 lb-ft
Engine: 2.9 L Twin-Turbo V6
Curb weight: 3,990 lbs
Drivetrain: AWD

I had to start this out with a banger since I am an Audi fanatic. Driving my base model A4 since 2013 has me totally in love with this brand. The car is quick, handles so well, and is a beast in the snow. The A4 is far from my ideal Audi though. My personal favorite is the RS5, particularly the Coupe option over the Sportback with 4-doors. I would be happy with an S5 too, which starts around $55k. I'd prefer the RS5 and its extra power and track-ready design. This could be considered a sleeper beast since the overall design can be considered modest to some. I however am in love with the RS5 and love the blue color option.

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Price: From $57,000
Horsepower: 401 hp
Torque: 369 lb-ft
Engine: 2.5 L Turbo 4-cylinder
Curb weight: 3,472 lbs
Drivetrain: AWD

The RS3 is another Audi that has my attention. The brand new lime green color option is absolutely stunning and this updated RS3 will go on sale here in the USA later this summer. I love the fact that this car is so small, yet still packs a similar punch that the RS5 has. I'd go with the RS3 over the S5 if that was my choice. They are about the same price, but the RS is meant to be pushed harder. This one has 4-doors rather than my preferred coupe styling, but that doesn't stop this from being sexy to me. It would basically be a smaller version of my A4, with twice as much power and superior handling. Sign me up!

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Price: From $73,200
Horsepower: 394 hp
Torque: 354 lb-ft
Engine: 2.5 L Turbo 5-cylinder
Curb weight: 3,329 lbs
Drivetrain: AWD

I tried to tell you that I love the way Audi does things. The TTRS is the smallest Audi that one could purchase and that doesn't mean that it comes lacking. This car is below the RS5, but it is a close call between the TTRS and the RS3. I prefer the styling of the smaller coupe, but the fact that it lacks a back a true backseat could be an issue at times. The maneuverability of a smaller car has always intrigued me and the TTRS would surely be an excellent ride to daily drive.

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Price: From $51,640
Horsepower: 382 hp
Torque: 368 lb-ft
Curb weight: 3,400 lbs
Engine: 3.0 L Twin Turbo V6
Drivetrain: RWD

The new Supra is one of my favorite-looking coupes on the road right now. Every time that I see one in person, my mouth starts to water. This car gets a lot of hate for not being the new Supra that everyone was wanting and instead of being more of a BMW Z4 with Toyota's badges. I ignore all of the hate and am strictly judging this car from the fact that I think it is incredibly stylish. There is a 2.0 and a 3.0 option, but I would obviously want to go with the V6 with more power. The RWD would be something new to me, but it surely wouldn't take long to fall in love with how easy it would be to get sideways in this thing.

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Price: From $78,800
Horsepower: 503 hp
Torque: 479 lb-ft
Curb weight: 3,880 lbs
Engine: 3.0 L Twin Turbo V6
Drivetrain: AWD

I fell in love with the BMW M series whenever I struggled to defeat the final boss Razor back in the day while racing in Need For Speed Most Wanted. The new M4 is totally my style. I love the new grill, despite many calling it hideous. The Competition is the only way to get RWD, so the regular M4 wouldn't really suit my needs. I prefer the coupe-style, so this makes the M4 the obvious match for me. I'm not as big of a fan of BMW as I am Audi, but I still love both makes in a big way.

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Price: From $59,000
Horsepower: 385 hp
Torque: 384 lb-ft
Curb weight: 3,979 lbs
Engine: 3.0 L Twin Turbo V6
Drivetrain: AWD

I'd rate Mercedes-Benz below both Audi and BMW in my mind, but that doesn't mean that this German automaker doesn't impress me. These three kings of Germany all produce some of the most luxurious and enjoyable rides in the business. I'd be all over the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a C43 AMG Coupe long-term. This car has pretty much everything I'd ask for and is fairly priced too.

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Price: From $65,870
Horsepower: 472 hp
Torque: 395 lb-ft
Curb weight: 3,902 lbs
Engine: 5.0 L V8
Drivetrain: RWD

You may not be aware, but this Lexus RCF is well-known for having one of the meanest sounding exhausts at this price range. The styling is a bit dated since Lexus refuses to update, but the car is still very appealing. The naturally aspirated V8 combined with RWD makes this car one of the most desirable options still available new for a true driving enthusiast. Plus, just look at how wicked that orange color is.

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Price: From $40,000
Horsepower: 400 hp
Torque: 350 lb-ft
Curb weight: 3500 lbs
Engine: 3.0-liter Twin-Turbo V-6
Drivetrain: RWD

Nissan has finally decided to redesign the outdated 370Z and is coming out with a new car simply called the Z in mid-2022. This thing is as JDM as it gets at the present time. The Toyota Supra has some serious competition ahead of itself with the new Z. My brother's first car was a 350Z and I always thought it was one of the coolest Japanese coupes to exist. This refreshed version of the well-known Z name is surely going to impress a lot of people once we start seeing them out on the road.

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Price: From $60,500
Horsepower: 300 hp
Torque: 280 lb-ft
Curb weight: 3,064 lbs
Engine: 2.0 L Turbo 4-cylinder
Drivetrain: RWD

There are so many different Porshe coupes that I would drive in a heartbeat. They climb up in price pretty quickly and it can also be difficult to secure one without having connections or paying above MSRP. This has lead me to avoid the outrageous pricing of something like a 911 and instead focus on the Cayman. This is the lightest car on my list, which surely increases fun factor and makes up for the fact that it only barely has 300 hp. The 718 Cayman T is a step above the regular 718 Cayman, but still below the likes of the Cayman S, GTS, and GT4. The upcoming GT4RS will be at the peak of the scale in terms of the most impressive Caymans once it releases in the summer of 2022. I don't even consider the Boxster since I am more of a fan of regular coupes rather than convertibles.

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Price: From $113,540
Horsepower: 565 hp
Torque: 467 lb-ft
Curb weight: 3,933 lbs
Engine: 3.8 L Twin-Turbo V6
Drivetrain: AWD

I've been in love with the Nissan GTR ever since it first made its way to the USA with the 2009 model. Much like the Nissan 370Z, this model has remained largely unchanged for over 10 years now. There have been small updates here and there, but Godzilla is still Godzilla. The NISMO version is in the $200k range, so totally out of reach. The Premium option still has plenty to offer and would be an absolute joy to own. The price is the first on this list to go over $100k, but a used GTR could be found for a more affordable rate.

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Price: From $199,800
Horsepower: 602 hp
Torque: 413 lb-ft
Curb weight: 3,516 lb
Engine: V10
Drivetrain: AWD

Don't laugh at me for including this $200k Audi. This is the best of the best from arguably my favorite automaker. It would be impossible for me to not include this car. The AWD Quattro version costs way more than the RWD version, but it is an option I think is essential. The naturally aspirated V10 produces powerful sounds that would be music to my ears each time that I accelerate. This is for sure the most unlikely car for me to actually own on this list, but that won't stop me from dreaming.

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Price: From $78,830
Horsepower: 505 hp
Torque: 443 lb-ft
Curb weight: 3,806
Engine: 2.9 L Twin-Turbo V6
Drivetrain: RWD

A lot of you probably are unfamiliar with the dynamic capability of this Alfa Romeo sedan. This is the only Italian car on my list and it has made it here for good reason. I only wish that it was offered in a coupe design with AWD. If that were possible, then this would be even more enticing to me. The four-leaf clover badge that distinguishes the Quadrifoglio is an easy way of knowing you are encountering a monster of a car if you ever see one of these out in the streets.

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Price: From $78,830
Horsepower: 490 hp
Torque: 465 lb-ft
Curb weight: 3,366 lb
Engine: 6.2L V8
Drivetrain: RWD

Last, but certainly not least is the new mid-engine Corvette. This is the only American-made car on my list. I just can't help but love the new C8. Every time I see one on the road, I am obsessed with it right away. The design just looks so damn good to me. It is also the second lightest vehicle on this list. It surprises me to know that the RS3 and TTRS from earlier in this post are slightly heavier than the Vette. Only the 718 Cayman T is less heavy. I see a lot of these new Corvettes, which kind of makes this car less cool to me, but here I am including it on the list still.

Burning through gas ⛽️

That about does it for my dream cars. I could add more smooth rides that I love, but this list of 13 already gives me plenty of options to choose from. You may notice that I didn't include any electric cars. This is mostly due to the fact that the sound of a gas-powered car is something that I am still addicted to. I'm not ready to let go and move towards electric, although I'm sure our future is headed in that direction.

The prices for the cars on this list range from $40k-$200k. I have never paid more than $25k for a car before. My first car was under $15k. Sure many may try to tell me that I should just keep dreaming, but I know I will have one of these dream cars eventually. It may not be today, tomorrow, or next year, but I see a dope car like one of these in a future garage of mine.

What car on this list is your favorite? Do you think that I should have included some different rides?

Let me know what your dream car is with a comment below. I would love to get some auto-talk going.

My NFTs: @daltono/nfts