I got engaged last weekend, to my wonderful girlfriend. There are many issues to resolve in planning a wedding not least in our case which country the wedding should take place. Not exactly the most important issue being discussed but the most relevant one for this blog is what the wedding cars should be?
It probably won't surprise many regular readers of this blog that I would like to drive my Daytona to the wedding and take my new bride home in it, but that still leaves open the car for the Bride to arrive at the big day in?
Wedding cars in the UK seem of late to fall into two categories, the first is a white Rolls Royce Silver Spirit probably with somewhere north of 200,000 miles on the clock and signs of rust bubbles appearing around the wheel arches. The second is a horrifically stretched modern American car such as a Lincoln Town Car or if your really unlucky a stretched Hummer often with the web address of the hire company liberally plastered on the side of the car. Instead of these less than desirable cars here are a few suggestions of the car I would like her to arrive in.
Maserati Quattroporte
In terms of modern cars the German luxury saloons are all a bit to staid, the modern Bentley's and Rolls Royces a little too bling and I'm not sure about the styling of the new Jaguar XJ. That leaves the wonderful Maserati Quattroporte as the only real choice. With a 440bhp V8 she also should be on time for the wedding, and the subtle class of the big Maser should be the perfect compliment to my beautiful lady.
Cadillac Eldorado Convertible
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My Fiancé is American so it would be appropriate if one of the choices was something from the land of the V8. In terms of an American car to arrive in a Cadillac Eldorado convertible seems to be the best choice. I would prefer the shape of 1956 models over the kitsch charms of the tail finned 1959 model that is arguably a more familiar shape. Whichever model there should be plenty of room for the bridal party.
I mentioned earlier that the modern German saloons are a little too staid to be used as a wedding car. The same cannot be said of some of the classic Mercedes. The obvious classic Mercedes would be a 600 Pullman, trouble is the 600 seems also to be the choice of many of the worlds worst dictators, not something I would want associated with my wedding. From the same era the 280SE convertible fitted with the 3.5 litre V8 is a perfect convertible cruiser and a fine way for the bride to arrive at the wedding on a summers day.
Ferrari 365 California
Anyone who has read this blog regularly will notice a bias towards Ferrari's. I have had one of the Sultan of Brunei's 456 based saloon or estate cars suggested as a wedding car and somewhat less desirably the horrific stretch limo conversion of a 360 (it's too horrible for a photo but do a search on You Tube if you want to be offended). However, It would be rather nice for my Bride to arrive in a classic Ferrari but which one? Well assuming she is going to arrive with a small party of people it will have to be one of the 2 + 2 models. and a cabriolet would also be nice. That really leaves only the 365 California (also appropriate as she currently lives in LA). The 365 California was the last of the line of super luxurious Ferraris for the super rich that had begun with the 375 America. Using a single cam 4.4 litre v12 rated at 320bhp, it would certainly provide an elegant way to arrive although the rear seats would probably be a little cramped, but the real issue with this car is it's rarity as Ferrari only made 14 of them so I don't expect to find one on the fleets of many wedding hire companies.
Citroen DS Decapotable
The final car here is also one of the least powerful cars featured on this blog as it is the Citroen DS. To be honest any original DS (not the new C3 based hot hatch) would make a chic and unusual wedding car, but the versions that really excite me are the rare Chapron convertible's,
Henri Chapron was a French coachbuilder who developed a nice line in converting DS's (and also some SMs) into something out of the ordinary. Initially converted by Chapron and later as a production model the so called Decapotable is one of the rarest and most desirable Citroen's. In any form the DS's legendary ride with its hydropnematic suspension would mean that my wonderful Fiancé should arrive at the wedding unruffled.
(This is the 4th attempt to post here.) There is one car that leaps out of the screen for me. I do not have the proper jargon as I kept my interest in bullets and fins with monster V8's. I did nothing but ooooh'd and awww'd at the sleek Jags and laughed at the farting Citroen. The Ferrari's were so far out of our price range all we could do was oggle them and dream. The clean, sweeping lines of the 365 California soft top just appeals to me. I quiver when I think of her riding into your arena in her princess dress and smiling through her tears of joy.
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