Pickle of a question. Since Friday I’ve been going over all the cars I’ve driven recently (and that are currently on sale) trying to figure out which one I wouldn’t mind being straddled with forever. And it has been one helluva tough decision. But actually, the Bullitt is such a fantastic car that it wasn’t that tough. Please allow me to try and explain my thinking. First of all, I’ve got to be attracted to the car I’ll be polishing and primping until I retire. And, well, look up. That’s hot. Now, take the Volkswagen Touareg with the meaty 553 lb-ft torque monster V10 and the Piechian-perfect interior. It might be the finest vehicle you’ve never driven, but… she’s not my type. Kinda funny looking, you know? Then there were the cars I found attractive… (jump)

Like the Pontiac G8 GT. What a car, right? Fat V8 power, a chassis that’s all about dancing and the best interior GM’s ever bothered with. Comfy, too. But there’s that slushbox… And while handsome, the G8’s looks really ain’t that great. Especially not for the long haul. OK, what about the Mitsubishi EVO X? Ah yes, a true canyon carver with the massive ability to tackle any road at any speed and do it fast. Well yeah, but… “sterile” is the wrong word, but you know it’s the fancy bits that allows you to play Colin McRae, not your McRae like skills. Kinda too easy, you know? And won’t the EVO XI be even more of the same computerized thing? Right, so, that leaves us with Mazda’s RX-8 R3 in terms of cars I’ve driven and gushed over and want to keep for at least the next three decades. But… no. As good as the RX-8 R3 is to drive, it’s missing that special thirty-year obsession factor. Plus, all the cars I just mentioned share a common flaw — four doors. It takes an incredibly special four-door to be a keeper car (Citroen DS), and even though both Jack and Zach chose sedans, I simply can’t.

I choose the Bullitt. Americans and really the world have been obsessed with Dearborn’s pony car for more than four decades. The appeal is pretty damn undeniable, especially in V8 form. And the latest iteration of the Bullitt is so much more than an homage to a movie. In my mind the dark green thug is the distillation of everything that makes a Mustang a Mustang. Great looks, lots of howling power, low price and despite the half-finished interior, inside it’s a wonderful place to be. How’s that? You wouldn’t think I’d need to turn to the French to describe an American icon, but there’s a je ne sais quoi to driving Ford’s best of breed muscle car that’s simply transcendental. The Tao of ‘Stang. Zen and the Art of Driving Mustangs Next to Water. If you don’t get what I’m trying to say, drive one down the coast from SF to LA. It just feels right. Best of all, you know that appeal, that feeling, isn’t going anywhere. Not now, and certainly not in 30-years. Hell, the Bullitt will probably improve over time. A real keeper.