Open Diff: What cars are on your Powerball shopping list?

1925 Bugatti Type 35 at Gooding’s 2013 Monterey sale. Photos by author.

It’s said that winning a significant lottery jackpot is the surest way to financial, moral and spiritual ruin, but just for once I’d like to prove that theory wrong. With tonight’s drawing hovering in the $1.5 billion range, it’s impossible not to speculate on how winning that much money would change one’s life, and in the case of anyone passionate about cars, force a significant addition to the garage.

After establishing a budget (since even a jaw-dropping $1.5 billion, probably $900 million or so in a lump-sum payment, isn’t a bottomless well) and generously supporting my favorite charities, I’d spend a while shopping for cars that have always been on my wish list, but have perpetually remained unattainable. This isn’t meant as a comprehensive accounting, since I often think the list of cars I wouldn’t want to own would be shorter, and probably far shorter when it comes to sports and racing cars. With no further ado, and in no particular order, here’s my Powerball-winning shopping list; what’s yours?

A 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra at RM’s Monterey auction in 2014.

Shelby 427 S/C Cobra – Despite countless hours behind the wheel on roads, race tracks and in all weather conditions, I’ve never driven a car that scared me. Yes, circumstances have given me cause for concern from time to time, but no vehicle, two wheeled or four, has ever left me white-knuckled and in a cold sweat. A 427 Cobra, driven near the limit under the proper closed-course conditions, would almost certainly change that – and leave me wanting more.

Bugatti Type 35 – Of all the prewar racing cars, perhaps none was more successful in a variety of series than the Bugatti Type 35. To this day, Bugatti owners are renowned for exercising early cars on a regular basis, and I’ve never seen a Type 35 driver with anything other than a smile on his (or her) face. Clearly Bugatti owners know something I don’t, and I believe the only way to solve that mystery is to purchase a patina-rich Type 35 of my own.

Yenko Stinger – I can certainly appreciate the high-horsepower supercars created by Don Yenko, but owning one isn’t on my bucket list. On the other hand, owning a Chevrolet Corvair-based Yenko Stinger is, though I suspect an original and unmodified example may be extremely difficult to locate. If driving one is anything like I’ve imagined, I suspect the Stinger would soon become my favorite track-day toy.

1997 McLaren F1 at Gooding’s 2013 Monterey sale.

McLaren F1 – Had the McLaren F1 been introduced in my formative years, it surely would have graced my bedroom or dorm room wall. I was already gainfully employed when the car was launched, and to this day it remains near the very top of my automotive wish list. Funky center-position driver’s seat and substandard air conditioning aside, I think the sound and fury of the McLaren’s 627-horsepower BMW V-12 would overcome any shortcomings.

Mercedes-Benz Unimog – Sometimes, you have places to go, regardless of Mother Nature’s whims, and I can think of no better foul-weather vehicle than the venerable Mercedes-Benz Unimog. Make mine an ex-NATO radio truck, with a camper conversion, for those weekends when I want to get as far off the beaten path as humanly possible.

A Penske Trans Am Camaro at the 2013 Monterey Historics.

Vintage Trans Am Camaro or Mustang – In the eyes of many fans, Trans Am was perhaps the best racing series to ever grace these shores. The best drivers of the day ran head-to-head in race cars built from models essentially purchased off the dealer floor, something that’s largely absent from modern professional racing. I can think of no driving experience more visceral than piloting a Penske Camaro or Bud Moore Mustang around a road course, working hard for each incremental gain in speed.