'The Price Is Right' Dream Car Week: What's Our Dream Car?
CARS.COM — Dream Car Week is back on “The Price Is Right,” which means that lucky contestants have a chance to drive off in a series of dream cars that the show has assembled.
Related: ‘Price Is Right’ Contestants to Bid on ‘Dream Cars’
Appearing alongside host Drew Carey this week will be rides like the Ferrari California T convertible, Cadillac Escalade, BMW i8, Maserati Ghibli and the Land Rover Range Rover Sport. A few more modest rides are mixed in as well, such as the BMW 320 and Mercedes-Benz CLA 250.
We asked some of our editors what they’d like to see behind the curtain if they made it to the “Showcase Showdown” and the range of responses showed that some of us here at Cars.com dream big, while others dream more practically with an eye on the tax bill.
2017 Honda Civic Type R
Raise the curtain and my dream would be to see Honda’s Civic Type R. I’m a huge fan of the edgy aero kit, the pipe organ exhaust tips and it’s a hatchback, meaning loads of room for around-town errands or cross-country road trips. Plus, with 306 horsepower, any time friends invite me to “come on down” to their place, I’m there in no time flat. — Matt Avery, multimedia editor
Porsche 918 Spyder
I’m about as good at guessing the prices of things as Jerry Seinfeld and Howard Stern, but let’s be generous and assume I not only went on but won “The Price Is Right.” Most of my life’s dreams have involved racing Porsche 917s and 962s, yet you couldn’t put a price on my face the moment I realize a road-going 918 Spyder with the Weissach Package in Dark Blue Metallic is all mine to figure out the luxury taxes for. With 608 hp, 398 pounds-feet of torque, a seven-speed manual transmission and all-wheel drive, I’m taking the longest way home and I’m not taking it slowly. Either my accountant or my lawyer will be hearing from me first; your guess is as good as mine there. — Patrick Masterson, copy editor
Nissan Versa Sedan
Since you’re required to declare game-show winnings — even expenses-paid vacations and, in this case, cars — to the IRS, I would prefer not to get stuck with a big tax bill or be bumped up into an artificially higher marginal tax bracket just for being good at guessing the retail price of dish detergent. The 2017 Nissan Versa sedan is the cheapest new car you can buy, minimizing my exposure as opposed to being unlucky enough to win a Lambo. — Matt Schmitz, news editor
BMW M5 (E39)
The BMW E39 M5 (2000-2003) is a rear-drive performance sedan with a smooth-revving, naturally aspirated V-8 and proper manual transmission. That alone would make it a unicorn of a new car. More than a decade ago, I spent all of 15 minutes behind the wheel of one, but it was enough to fall head over heels to toes. Granted, a typical used example would require considerable maintenance — so the full “dream” might require a hefty repair fund, too. — Kelsey Mays, senior consumer affairs editor
2018 Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon
I’ve lusted after one of these since it was an E55. It’s quicker than a whole host of two-seat performance cars, and it has room for five people and their luggage. It has a Drift mode; I will probably never use it, but it is there. I absolutely cannot afford one and do not expect that to ever change. That’s what a dream car is, isn’t it? — Brian Normile, logistics editor
Chrysler Pacifica SRT Demon
Sometimes, life with kids is dullsville — why shouldn’t errand runs and school drop-offs be a blast? A Pacifica SRT Demon combines the practicality of a minivan with the go-fast thrills of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. I’d need to add the seats back in, though, and it needs to actually exist! — Jennifer Geiger, assistant managing editor, news
Ferrari 488
The Ferrari California T is not the Ferrari that people dream of owning — it looks like a Chevrolet Corvette having an allergic reaction to some bad shellfish. No, the true, proper dream Ferrari is a mid-engine one, like the 488. Let’s go with the 488 Spider, in keeping with the convertible theme. It’s gorgeous, makes amazing noises, goes like stink, but isn’t a rare unicorn like the La Ferrari. — Aaron Bragman, Detroit bureau chief
Mercedes-AMG G63
Mercedes-AMG G63: It’s tall, slim and unlike anything else on or off the road — it makes a Range Rover SV Autobiography look like just another big SUV. The G is luxurious, but not in an overstuffed S-Class way. From the hand-built twin-turbo V-8 to its off-road capability, it’s ready for anything. And to be honest, it had me at the twin side pipes. — Fred Meier, Washington, D.C., bureau chief
Rolls-Royce Dawn
Restricted by family needs to practical vehicles that haul kids, dogs and boats, my dream mobile is something just the opposite: the impractical but dreamy Rolls-Royce Dawn. From its sumptuous interior to its V-12 oomph, this is a convertible built to pamper adults. — Jen Burklow, copy editor
