As Father’s Day rolls around, I’ve been reflecting on cars and their meaning and in relation to my own sweet- when- they- want- to- be- kids. While my boy - almost six - loves his hot wheels and loves cars so, so much - his sister, soon- to- be- eleven, well, she’s the real car enthusiast in the family, with a keen eye towards design and aesthetics and even though she’d claim otherwise, it’s a sense of false modesty, something we both share, aside from our birthdays and matching blood types.
Recently, my daughter has taken to asking me a set of questions from the front seat of whatever car I am driving: “How much does this car cost?“What do people think of us when they see us in this car?”“Why are there no knobs?” The last one is a question many people seem to have, and the first one, a common question; the middle one is perhaps somewhat existential–it’s about the feeling of a car. I could not be more proud.
But I guess it makes sense, as most of the metal that has been moving through the driveway is new and sometimes not yet to market and with her keen eye, my daughter can tell very quickly the difference between a BMW XB7 Alpina SUV (from $156,000) and a BMW X3 M50 (from $64,700), even though it's the same brand, and she can spot the vast differences between the BMW SUVs and a Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend (from $30,995), and even though she likes the Ford’s buttons and looks, she knows it’s not the same.
But to her, and to an extent to me, there really is no value assigned here, as cars are awesome and fun and while some may be nicer and faster and run on gas rather than on electricity, that variety is what makes the wheels go around, especially with the roomy family cars - so the kids and the dog and the friends aren’t cramped - that have been on my calendar as of late.
She, like me, can enjoy almost all cars, especially the ones with over-the-top features. Case in point: The Mercedes-Maybach S680 sedan (from $240,500) with the optional $25,000 Maybach Night Series Design Package or the ultra-luxe electric EQS SUV Maybach (from $179,900), which both have intricate stitching on the seats, like a fine pair of benchmade shoes, and lights that can go from purple to pink at her choosing and ones that are stylish and smell good and even better if they have buttons. Me too, little one, these are the ones I like too.
Though what’s not to love and, truly, it really is hard to find fault with the BMWs or the Mercedes-Benz models, which being a very judgy critic, she did not. That said, I was incredibly surprised by the BMW XB7 Alpina SUV, which a friend of mine said was the best BMW they make, which I argue may be a tie between the Alpina and the M5 Touring wagon (from $121,500). Both feature BMW's 4.4-liter V-8 twin turbo, with the Alpina kicking off 631-horsepower and the M5 Touring a whopping 717-horsepower. I love them both as family cars. If I had my druthers, which I don’t, I would daily an M5 Touring, is an almost perfect representation of a #dadcar.
I don’t hit the higher speeds with my kids in the cars but we do load the cars with scooters, helmets, bags and snacks and in the backseat booster seats for my boy and head to the bike path - both fast and in style in either one of these cars.
As someone who has spent more than a decade in new cars, my daughter does have a catholic sense of taste, and can point out the differences with other imported cars, like the Infiniti QX80 Autograph (from $109,900), its sportier and more utilitarian but similar driving sibling, the Nissan Armada Platinum Reserve (from $76,990) or the Nissan Rogue Rock Creek (from $34,880) which came in a swell- looking Baja Storm color and was actually really fun to drive. These too, another side of #dadlife cars.
Infiniti, though, hit a walk-off with their all-new QX80. Where the outgoing model had its diehards - and one the strongest and most loyal buyers in the segment - the QX80 is a massive leap forward in terms of drive, looks and extends the brand even further upmarket and into the six figure range. I spent some time last summer driving it all across Napa Valley, in the hot heat and cool mornings, and it was a comfortable drive, perfect for meandering or taking the kids to school. I was shocked but not too surprised when a marketing rep from Infiniti told me the strongest crosshop was the Lincoln Navigator. The only thing I’d like to see from the Infiniti and Nissan brands is a stronger push to hybridize their lineup; they helped to create the EV market with the Leaf and have the technical know-how to pull it off and I’ve heard rumblings that something is coming soon-ish. I can’t wait. A QX80 with a hybrid power plant would be a strong contender in that price range and would really make the whole package sing a bit louder.
But what my daughter really loved that rolled through our driveway - and the car she still talks about weeks later and kept asking for when she is old enough to drive - was the all-new, all-electric MINI Countryman SE ALL4. There are infinitesimal ways you can live with the MINI that makes owning one all so perfect: the packaging, the ease of driveability, the cuteness factor. The new electric model definitely improves on their last EV with a whole lot more room, range and power. To consider: a dual electric-motor with 308-horsepower and 364 lb-ft of torque, 0-60 in 5.4 seconds, a 29 minute 10-80% battery charge at a 130 kW DC Fast charger, a 212-mile range from the 64.7 kWh battery pack and a four-doors, larger storage and much better drive. What got her, though, was that MINI cuteness factor and the well- thought- out design. Also it doesn’t hurt that when in ‘Go-Kart” mode the MINI shouts “Woo-Hoo!” when you floor it. MINI is also my son’s favorite brand, which if you have kids you know that two siblings agreeing on something, anything, is a miracle. Good job, MINI.
My daughter liked the MINI so much she said to me on the jaunt home from school the last day we had the car, “Dad, people must think good things about us when they see us driving.”
“Ruby, my dear, if only life and people were so easy to decipher.” I thought as I reflected on the fact that my time with my little ones and their excitement over being in these cars and, more importantly, their excitement about being with me in these cars would be fleeting. As I kept driving onwards towards home, a loud “Whoo-Hoo” started to ring out.
