Consumer Reports Cars Blog: A car guy's Father's Day

A car guy's Father's Day

Seeing as June 18 is Father’s Day, I asked the male engineers what would be their ultimate automotive-related Father's Day gift. (Don’t worry: next Mother’s Day we’ll do the same for the female engineers here at the track.)

I asked the men to be creative and not be restrained by price…in other words, if a $165,000 Ford GT on eBay would be the ultimate gift, I wanted them to say so and explain why. Maybe it's an old car, or maybe it's a new car…maybe it's a trip to Le Mans…whatever.

Here are their choices (in no particular order):

Rick Small: “Since I have already built my dream car, an ERA Cobra, I would really like a loaded Nissan Murano, which is a fun, sporty and practical ride and can still tow my boat on occasion.”

Gabe Shenhar: “Last year for Father’s Day, my kids got me a radio-controlled Ford Focus rally car, just like the one Collin McRae drove in World Rally Championship. I initially had a ball playing with it, but guess who’s playing with it now? My two boys...

“For this year, especially with the ‘money is no object’ clause, I think I'd go with the Porsche 911 Carrera S that we’re now testing. This is an outright sports car that can be driven with gusto, yet comfortable and accommodating enough to be a daily commuter. It’s so much fun to drive, and not only when you're driving hard; the handling, the sound, the throttle response, the steering and brake feel are just wonderful. With the two rear seats, my kids can come along for the ride. The front trunk can take a weekend suitcase for an impromptu getaway with my wife, such as a trip to the Nürburgring.”