Photo: X-Tomi
Assuming you get your driver's license the second you turn of legal age, the last type of vehicle you would want to be seen behind the wheel of is a minivan.
Sure, being able to take six or seven friends on board for a road trip sounds like lots of fun, but you'd be willing to let all that go for the chance of driving something like a roadster, a hot hatch or a sports car of any type.
Like a Type-R, for example. The sporty version of Honda's Civic has lost some of its legendary status over the past years, with some of this lost glow due to the fact it was forced to let go of its wonderful i-VTEC high-revving, naturally aspirated engines and settle for a turbocharged one.
This move did briefly give it the Nurburgring lap record for a front-wheel-drive car, but it also took some of its character away. However, that probably wouldn't stop any young driver from enjoying its acceleration and, most of all, its looks.
As we grow older and we start a family, out priorities start to change. A fast car that handles well is of no use when the kids are throwing up in the back and the wife is screaming at you, so you start to appreciate other features on a vehicle. Comfort at practicality become important, and you find yourself excited about such stats as rear leg room and storage space.
Most people would say that's when you stop being a driver and you begin your life as a chauffeur for your kids and family. You start to buy cars for them, and not because you like them. You could try to compromise, but you won't be able to fool anyone into believing an Audi RS6 or a Mercedes-AMG E63 S wagon are family cars.
A Honda Odyssey, on the other hand, would stand far greatear chances. The new generation of the people-mover from the Japanese carmaker has just been launched, and it's quite a looker. For a minivan, that is. But with a little help, it could actually be turned into a rather sexy car.
It would be a cold day in hell before Honda released a Type-R version of the Odyssey, but if it did, let's hope it would look like this. The red paint job coupled with the large wheels and more aggressive front bumper can't hide the fact the car is shaped like a brick, but they can make it a more appealing brick.
The looks, however, won't help with the driving too much, and even if we imagine the car had a stiffer suspension setting and a tuned version of the 3.5-liter V6 engine, it would still struggle to pass as a racer. But for a father who's been stuck with your regular minivan until now, this must look and feel like a Ferrari. I bet the kids would love it too.
Like a Type-R, for example. The sporty version of Honda's Civic has lost some of its legendary status over the past years, with some of this lost glow due to the fact it was forced to let go of its wonderful i-VTEC high-revving, naturally aspirated engines and settle for a turbocharged one.
This move did briefly give it the Nurburgring lap record for a front-wheel-drive car, but it also took some of its character away. However, that probably wouldn't stop any young driver from enjoying its acceleration and, most of all, its looks.
As we grow older and we start a family, out priorities start to change. A fast car that handles well is of no use when the kids are throwing up in the back and the wife is screaming at you, so you start to appreciate other features on a vehicle. Comfort at practicality become important, and you find yourself excited about such stats as rear leg room and storage space.
Most people would say that's when you stop being a driver and you begin your life as a chauffeur for your kids and family. You start to buy cars for them, and not because you like them. You could try to compromise, but you won't be able to fool anyone into believing an Audi RS6 or a Mercedes-AMG E63 S wagon are family cars.
A Honda Odyssey, on the other hand, would stand far greatear chances. The new generation of the people-mover from the Japanese carmaker has just been launched, and it's quite a looker. For a minivan, that is. But with a little help, it could actually be turned into a rather sexy car.
It would be a cold day in hell before Honda released a Type-R version of the Odyssey, but if it did, let's hope it would look like this. The red paint job coupled with the large wheels and more aggressive front bumper can't hide the fact the car is shaped like a brick, but they can make it a more appealing brick.
The looks, however, won't help with the driving too much, and even if we imagine the car had a stiffer suspension setting and a tuned version of the 3.5-liter V6 engine, it would still struggle to pass as a racer. But for a father who's been stuck with your regular minivan until now, this must look and feel like a Ferrari. I bet the kids would love it too.
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