With $300,000, What Would Be Your Dream Car Garage?
A new NHL season is underway and hockey poolers are already busy at work. This inspired us a little game: with $300,000 (before tax), what would be your dream car garage?
Just like teams have a general manager who must assemble the best possible group of players that fit within the salary cap, imagine having a few hundred thousand dollars to stock your driveway or garage. The idea here isn’t necessarily to start a collection with rare and exotic cars, but rather to select models that you would use in your everyday life, from weekday commutes to weekend fun and everything in-between.
A tough task, isn’t it? It doesn’t help that some brand-new or completely redesigned vehicles are coming in the near future without knowing how much they will cost. Nevertheless, we’ve come up with three different proposals for three different types of drivers.
Note: Prices were valid at the time of writing and include the various fees but not taxes.
For the sports car enthusiast…
- Mazda MX-5 RF GT 6MT ($48,558): Even after 35 years, the small Japanese roadster is still a global benchmark for fun handling at a low price, in addition to being reliable and frugal at the pump. We’ll go with the retractable hardtop variant, which is quieter.
- Volkswagen Golf R ($54,180): Compact yet practical, the quintessential German hot hatch offers plenty of thrills and convenience for your buck. It’s a shame that the manual gearbox is no longer available, but the DSG is a fine unit.
- Porsche 911 Carrera GTS ($194,135): Any dream car garage must have a 911, right? Timeless and unbeatable, the Porsche icon uses a new hybrid system in GTS trim (here with rear-wheel drive) that makes it faster than a GT3.
Total: $296,873
For the EV-loving driver…
- BMW i4 xDrive40 ($73,133): The German compact sedan is a favourite of The Car Guide, combining superb driving dynamics with high levels of technology and pretty commendable range.
- Kia EV9 Land AWD ($68,276): This eye-catching and versatile Korean three-row SUV is capable of hauling a large family or several friends/colleagues, or even towing up to 5,000 lbs.
- Lucid Air Grand Touring ($161,200): A marvel of technology, the American grand tourer is exclusive and exceptional in many ways. Big-time power combines with industry-leading range for memorable cross-country road trips.
Total: $302,609… just slightly over budget
For the SUV-obsessed…
- MINI Countryman JCW ($60,223): The largest MINI comes with a “maxi” trunk and proves to be the most fun-to-drive in the subcompact crossover segment, especially in juiced-up John Cooper Works configuration.
- Ford Bronco Raptor ($117,690): Assuming you’re not a die-hard Jeep Wrangler fan, the ultimate Bronco has lots of character and capability. This is arguably the go-to SUV for tackling extreme terrain conditions at any speed, but particularly at full throttle.
- Polestar 3 Performance Pack with options ($120,200): This uber-classy and athletic Swedish electric SUV brings all the luxury, comfort and efficiency that the other two lack.
Total: $298,113
