Every Man Should…Test Drive These Three Classic Cars

By Jonathan Brendemuehl

Everyone enjoys that new-car smell. But isn’t there something to be said for a vehicle that has stood the test of time? Like a great wine or a first-edition book, some things stand up just as well, if not better, decades later.

To help determine which cars should make the cut, I reached out to Josh Dreyer, a local auto enthusiast and the marketing director at Willis Auto Campus. Here are the three classic cars he says every man should drive at least once in his lifetime:

Any air-cooled Porsche 911 (1963-1989)

The Romans had their chariots; we have Porsches. The iconic automaker has delivered a number of highly respected performance cars throughout its 84-year history, but perhaps none has delivered the driving experience of this coveted classic. “To experience an original 911 is to experience sports car driving in its most pure form,” Dreyer says.

The Austin Mini Cooper S (1963-1965)

Sir Alec Issigonis was clearly onto something when he designed the original Mini. The economical car with a unique appearance has transcended the classes and is a popular choice among guys ranging artists to executives. The Austin Mini Cooper S dominated the European road rallies of its time. “This is one small ride not to be missed,” Dreyer says.

A Land Rover Defender 90 (1994-1997)

Hypercolor T-shirts, center-part bowl haircuts, the CK One fragrance by Calvin Klein. The 1990s gave guys a lot of things we might prefer to forget; however, it was during that decade that Land Rover produced one of its most sought-after vehicles, the Defender 90. “Although a less-than-ideal ride on the freeway, this all-terrain beast could be defined as the last bastion of gentlemanly masculinity,” Dreyer says.