The romantic getaway remains an essential daydream for everyone. For enthusiasts, the choice of proper wheels wheels is almost as important as the choice of companion. These are Jalopnik readers' picks for the best cars for a romantic Valentines Day getaway.
Welcome back to Answers of the Day — our daily Jalopnik feature where we take the best ten responses from the previous day's Question of the Day and shine it up to show off. It's by you and for you, the Jalopnik readers. Enjoy!
Photo Credit: Diego Cervo/Shutterstock
10.) Jaguar E-Type
Suggested By: dontloseyourdinosaur
Why it's so seductive: If the E-Type comes across as a bit blatant, it dresses those intentions in absolute style and charm. The E made its case as the sexy car fifty years ago, and it hasn't lost a bit of its allure. Past the shape's suggestiveness, the classic interior and race-derived running gear play their parts in maintaining the lovely spell as well.
Photo Credit: Robert Couse-Baker
9.) Volkswagen Microbus/Vanagon
Suggested By: SennaMP4
Why it's so seductive: There's nothing like invoking the spirit of peace, good vibes and free love to set a deeply groovy mood. The Volkswagen bus has been the standard for counterculturally-inclined coed reclining since before the Summer of Love, and it's proven to be an endless summer.
Photo Credit: Carol Browne
8.) 1970s custom van
Suggested By: I, Oilburner
Why it's so seductive: Take the Microbus's general idea, shift to a domestic platform and top it off with Seventies-style funkiness. No self-respecting sin bin was complete without plenty of airbrushing, high-grade stereo gear, and a well-upholstered (ahem) lounge in back. Just don't let anyone's disapproving dad see you; he might have had the same setup back in the day, and he knows just what's on your mind.
Photo Credit: Tylor Sherman
7.) Vintage domestic pickup
Suggested By: FordRunner
Why it's so seductive: For the all-American grass-roots getaway. Pickup trucks have probably figured in more love songs than all other vehicles put together, and the chance to get together with someone special and come up with more songwriting material cannot be underestimated.
Ladies, take note: Everything on this list is an equal-opportunity proposition, but a girl in an old pickup is absolutely irresistible to the male psyche.
Photo Credit: Dennis Rubin
6.) Lancia Stratos
Suggested By: Desu-San-Desu
Why it's so seductive: This is the car to be used on what might be called the "test case." If your significant other gets the point and enjoys the ride, it's a done deal. (If they offer to read pace notes, you need to figure out why it took so long.) Also, the intimate confines and constant shifter work guarantee continuous brushing up against each other, which is no bad thing in the right company.
Photo Credit: grantuking
5.) 1960s Lincoln Continental
Suggested By: Timtoolman
Why it's so seductive: If product planners had asked the right questions, bench seats would have never gone away. The blissful closeness and intimacy allowed by a big bench has yet to be really equaled by designers. Combine that with the unfettered panache and old-money class of the fourth-generation Continental and your Sinatra-era dreams are complete. Come fly with me, indeed.
Photo Credit: Stefan Georgi
4.) Volvo 240 Wagon
Suggested By: DasWauto - Stupid electronics, I like mechanical things
Why it's so seductive: The indisputable top pick for alterna-indie kids of all ages looking for some time together, the big Swedish cargo carrier is perfectly suited for trips to some romantic hideaway, whether it's across town or across three state lines; its practical charm adds an ironic erotic note of its own. The fact that it's so roomy with the seats folded down does it all kinds of favors as well.
Photo Credit: Ben Der Gabelschwanz Teufel
3.) Citroën DS Chapron Cabriolet
Suggested By: Bluecold
Why it's so seductive: Oh, my. So stylish, so smooth, so French. The Henri Chapron-converted décapotable Goddesses are the official ride of European sinful decadence, and a peerless way to get you on your way to a different kind of sin.
Photo Credit: Andrew Fort
2.) 1964-66 Ford Mustang
Suggested By: nibby4WD
Why it's so seductive: No other car combines all-American sexiness with cosmopolitan charm as well as the Mustang. The original ponycar was almost a focus-group study in how to make a romantic car, except that for once in focus-group history it was an amazing success. And it still is; the convertible is the natural choice for wind-in-the-hair backroad cruising, but any body style is among the classiest, most romantic cars on the road.
Photo Credit: Rob
1.) Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider
Suggested By: keenan9
Why it's so seductive: Not only does the Giulia roadster effortlessly click off every box on any conceivable checklist — it is the definition of sensuous, confident, sophisticated, dignified, and elegant — it does so with such grace that the list doesn't matter. An utterly lovely car, perfectly suited for two people in love.
Photo Credit: Lorenzo