Congratulations! You just hit the big one in an alternate universe, whatever the Powerball lottery is called in a dimension where everything’s the same except custard enjoys anti-gravity properties. Even after taxes, you’d have an obscene amount of money to play with, and the fabulously rich are certainly known for prominent indoor displays of machinery.
Truthfully, if I hit the lottery, I’d be more interested in buying a three-bed two-bath house in a convenient neighborhood, getting a reasonably nice winter car/tow rig I won’t have to worry about for a decade, parking a few million in the S&P 500, and living well below my means off the interest than doing the whole mansion thing. I mean, have you seen what good groundskeepers and cleaners cost these days?
However, if I had to do the whole mega-flex thing and park a car in my living room, it would have to be something brilliant to look at yet tiny and comically underpowered.
Something that’s better as a static object d’art than actual transportation. For that, I’m going with a Mitsuoka BUBU 502. Sure, it’s not exactly known as the most beautiful car of all time, but it’s striking, compact, and perfectly-sized for indoor display. Plus, if I tried to take it out on the roads of Toronto, I’d quickly get mowed down by someone in a RAV4, so keeping it as a living room plaything would be an act of mercy.
So, if you were suddenly flush with hundreds of millions of dollars from hitting the Powerball, what car or motorcycle would you keep inside your house? Oh, and don’t worry about having to upgrade to a place with zinc countertops and onyx statues to gain the space. That’s all part of the new money game.
(Photo credits: Maserati, TTTNIS — own work, CC0)
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Type 35 Bugatti, the one that won Le Mans in the 30s. If not that one, then a Pur Sang replica would do.
I would have a Dale. Those never actually ran anyway, so nothing of roadworks value would be lost.
But it could be an interesting conversation piece.
*roadworthy.
Stupid autocorrect…
If I can get it out ant drive it my z28.
If art, bugatti veyron
Easy, a McLaren MP-4 that was driven by Senna of Prost.
The engine from a M8F, with those chrome velocity stacks.
E-type, Early 911 and/or an RS200.
A new top-top model Hummer so I can power the house when the garbage infrastructure lets me down.
I’d get a collection of factory cut-away engines, transmissions, etc. from the 30s-40s-50s-60s, displayed museum-style on nice plinths.
Specifically this Murphy Bodied 1931 Duesenberg Model J Long Wheelbase Coupe
I like the cut of your jib!
I was thinking of this Weymann-bodied Stutz
I think I’d have a go kart track running around my living room, maybe around my whole house, so a couple karts would be in there.
So you’d do the whole “Charlie Sheen’s house arrest ad for the 500 Abarth” thing?
Haha, I forgot about that ad completely.
That’s exactly the idea.
Sorry, I’m not DT, I don’t want cars or car parts in my living area. I would have a super nice garage for them, like a museum. I also would get a McMansion. I hate cleaning/dusting and what not, so I’d live some place on the smaller side miles away from people. Actually the garage would be bigger that my living area LOL
Same though! I also hate dusting/cleaning. With hundreds of millions of dollars, I’m absolutely getting a double wide on some property and a garage like 2/3 times the size that double wide for all the cars I would end up getting.
Don’t think I’ll do a double wide. I want something that will survive (or me) a Tornado/hurricane LOL
I live pretty good within NYS, so I’ve only ever had to worry about tornado’s once every like, decade at worst? I don’t even remember the last time a tornado touched down close to me before the one a few months ago, but that was in a completely different county.
If I could find a similarly sized single floor house though, I’d go with that too lmao
Not trying to flex, that is completely achievable without winning the lottery. I live in a 3 bed, 2 bath “manufactured home” with property, a big garage and a modest barn shop. The wife and I have normal people jobs. My project cars are more David Tracy level than Beau level but the kids have more fun beating the crap out of the old TJ then they would helping to restore anything nice
It’d be achievable for me if I didn’t have half my monthly income going to loans!
Definite dream though.
Nothing. Drive your cars.
Although I would display a full size model of a Miura in blue. 🙂
I’m gonna go with outboards.
Specifically a set of 1950-1951ish Chris Craft outboards, Commander and Challenger. I would also need a few late 1930s Water Witch outboards.
All would need to work, of course.
Maybe an MR2 MK1 – such a joy, but is it good to try and relive the past. Probably a DS21 – I don’t want to die without having experienced this car. Mostly I’m a motorcycle guy and I have what I need to thrill and kill. Otherwise – take care of friends and family, put some away, and use the rest to support those helping people who need help.
Nothing street legal, that’s for sure. And definitely a bike, either MotoGP or 500cc bike. How about a Rothmans Honda? https://ogden_images.s3.amazonaws.com/www.motorcycleclassics.com/images/2021/04/07102236/Honda-1-967×840.jpg
Rothmans Honda… agree 100%
Probably something smol and Italian that’s modest but timeless.
Lancia Fulvia Zagato coupe.
Hell, a Lancia Fulvia in general.
Those old buzzy Italian 4-cylinders are a riot, just too much needed TLC for me.
Also an excuse to get a Nissan Be-1 and build it up. They’re basically Nissan Marches, and there’s some rally homologation Marches (i.e. Super Turbo) out there where you could yoink out the suspension, powertrain, etc. and put it in the Be-1.
Something Italian that would rot if driven in the midwest makes sense to me. I think Alfas from the 60’s look better than Lancias, but the Fulvia would actually retain its engine fluid, and fits my personality better.
Personally, I think a Lamborghini 350 or 400GT would be nice sculptures. I’d drive it, though.
A set of the WRC Group B rally cars. They don’t even need to run. I’d just sit in them making engine noises, working the gear shift and turning the wheel.
Mazda Bongo Brawny Sky Lounge
None, cars belong in giant, warehouse-style garages, living rooms are for the collection of original Duncan Phyfes and Eliphalet Chapins
Nice thang about the Mitsuoka BUBU 502 is when pets or family become too much, you can go in and watch a netflix film in peace. The word around the house: “Shhh daddy is in the Mitsouka.”
I’d never own a mansion, for starters. An off-grid bunker paradise 50+ miles from the nearest town? Fuck yes.
And I’d proudly purchase and buy the Alfa Romeo BAT cars if they ever went on sale, just to make kit car bodies off of them. A Miata base with the BAT7 body on it and a 1.9L 4-cylinder TDI engine would be AMAZING. These would be genuine sub-150 Wh/mile EVs as well if converted to run on batteries.
Failing that, multiple VW XL1s, to do similar to the above. An XL1 turned into supercar with a mid-mounted 5.0L V10 TDI and 6-speed manual would be all kinds of amazing. Imagine 60+ mpg highway, and the ability to reach over 230 mph on flat ground.
I’d also like a Panhard CD Peugeot 66C LeMans race car. As an alternative, the world’s only Alfa Romeo Disco Volante coupe will do.
Another possibility? Revive the Solectria Sunrise.
Nope, not in the living room. Sure, I’d have a showroom-like garage, in which I could have some entertaining space, but I’m not bringing a car into my normal living space. If it’s a condition of winning the money, then I am absolutely picking the smallest thing I can get away with. Can I just have a Motocompacto in the room?
Nothing? I’m gonna go with nothing. I’m not spending money on a car I’m not going to drive.
That being said, I would probably buy something super rare like an Alfa 33 Stradale and piss everyone off by driving it to Walmart for shit
I like this approach. Those cars were MEANT to be driven.
Exactly. It’s depressing to see cars roll out of a trailer to be shown off but never really getting to do the thing they were made to do.
If I had that kind of money, I’d just buy a garage and do free oil changes and basic maintenence for poor folks who need a car to get to work but can’t afford it. Why have it if you’re not going to do some good with it?
Agreed, so I’d have a set up so I can easily swap the cars around so nothing is sitting around for too long.
But… I’d also feel like a terrible person spending so much money on cars and other junk. I think for every dollar I spend on such trinkets I’d donate an equal amount to some type of charity.
Jaguar E-Type coupe, Series I, silver. Keep the cars for driving in the garage, the E-Type is there as a work of art.
None. Because that’s some gauche New Money shit.
My horse stable would be converted to vehicle spots though. That’s classy as fuck right there.
The only two cars I’d really want to stare at as art would be a Singer 911 or a Spyker C8.
I think I’d go with the Spyker for display and a Singer to drive.