How We'd Spec It: Dream Cars the Way Car and Driver Editors Would Get Them (2024)

Like most car enthusiasts, we're constantly dreaming of the cars we would get if we won the lottery. Some of those include highly sought after cars such as the Porsche Carrera GT, the 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS, and the 1969 Chevrolet Camaro. But we drive lots of cars here at Car and Driver, and we remember the ones that we enjoyed the most. So we headed over to our favorite online configurators and built the cars that are currently in production that we would buy if we had stacks on stacks lying around. Here are the new cars C/D editors would park in their driveways if money wasn't an issue:

Jared Gall's $74,115 2020 Ford F-150 Raptor

A Raptor in its element is more fun than a sports car on a racetrack. You can live moment to moment at the limit while hammering through the desert in a way that just isn’t possible on a track. (Note: In this fantasy scenario, I spent a significant chunk of my unlimited budget on a sprawling compound in the Anza-Borrego Desert.) So I used Ford's configurator to spec my dream Raptor.

I'd get the $1075 bedside graphics because I'm a man-child, but not the hood stripes, because even a man-child can have taste. I'm not fooling myself that I'm putting beadlocks on it, but the $1895 bead-lock capable wheels' dark finish looks great with the Lead Foot paint, a gunmetal with a touch of tan. A spray-in bedliner for $595 is a no-brainer because they're the best thing to happen to pickup trucks since ventilated seats. Those are part of the Luxury package, which costs $10,920 but includes everything you could want: power-adjustable heated and ventilated seats, a power sliding rear window, the Torsen front differential for a better balance of traction and maneuverability, the trailer-brake controller, a bunch of yada yada techie stuff, but not the panoramic sunroof? We're going to be in the desert at night, I'm staring at the stars, dammit. That's another $1495, for a total of $74,115. And just wait until you see what I've got on the trailer. — Jared Gall

Joey Capparella’s $125,000 (est.) 2021 Audi RS6 Avant

If I had all the money in the world, my first instinct would to spend all that cash on seven very different cars—one for each day of the week. But I still like the idea of owning one car that can do it all. The Audi RS6 Avant is the perfect example: its 591-hp V-8 offers supercar-level performance, while its wagon body style brings a measure of practicality. The fact that this famed hot-rod wagon is coming to America for the first time makes it too good to pass up. Unfortunately Audi has yet to launch the U.S. configurator, so I had to use my imagination and the company's German website to dream up my ideal RS6.

The gorgeous Goodwood Green paint won't officially be offered for the U.S.-market RS6, but with enough cash I'm sure I could persuade my dealer to order up that hue through the Audi Exclusive customization program. I'd pair that with the delectable Cognac leather interior and the optional 22-inch wheels. The Executive package adds a few extra creature comforts, and the Driver Assistance package means I can relax a bit on long road trips. The RS6 starts at $109,995 in the U.S., and I'd estimate that my options and custom paint job would add another $15,000 to that total, making this a $125,000 dream car indeed. — Joey Capparella

Connor Hoffman's $125,260 2020 Porsche 718 Spyder

I'm young, single, and don't want to think about having kids just yet. Forget all that roomy, luxurious, family nonsense; I want the best driver's car I can get. Sadly, that car isn't in production anymore. A Chalk Porsche 991.2 GT3 with silver wheels would be my number-one choice here, but it's not on the Porsche configurator anymore. So I'm going to go for the next best thing, which isn't really that bad after all. The 718 Spyder has it all: a 414-hp 4.0-liter flat-six, a six-speed manual gearbox, and a drop top. Only thing it's missing is the GT3's ear-melting 9000-rpm redline.

My Spyder is going to be Gentian Blue Metallic, a $650 option, and I'll keep the 20-inch wheels in the regular silver (black wheels are overrated). I'll go for the silver stitching for the interior and the carbon-fiber bucket seats, a $5900 option. Out back, the Porsche logo is going all black, and the 718 Spyder emblem is saying "See ya." I'm choosing the Porsche ceramic composite brakes, a no-brainer, and keeping them in yellow because they look mighty fine. Other ticks on the options list include LED headlights ($2140), Racing Yellow seatbelts to match the brakes ($360), the storage compartment lid in Alcantara with the Porsche crest ($340), illuminated doorsill guards in carbon fiber ($1210), aluminum pedals ($540), Burmester sound system ($4690), and of course the Porsche Experience Center delivery in Atlanta ($650). All in, my new dream car would cost me $125,260. Time to go win the lottery. — Connor Hoffman

Becca Hackett's $125,000 (est.) 2020 Audi RS Q8

Five years ago, I would've given a long-winded answer about how it's too hard to choose a dream car. Now, taking into account my family and dogs and more experience driving, my answer changes. Everyone in my family loves cars, so choosing the Audi RS Q8 with its 591-hp twin-turbo V-8 just felt right. We love road trips, we need space, and we want to have fun. My chosen car also has to elicit the ear-to-ear grin I've come to expect that reaffirms my driving experience is everything I dreamed of. I'll take the mere base price of $113,995, about $95,000 less than its pretentious Lamborghini counterpart, the Urus, because, well, I don't live in L.A. anymore. The RS Q8 is not on the U.S. configurator yet, so I used the New Zealand configurator site to spec my dream hot-rod SUV.

First, gimme those power soft-closing doors so there's no door slamming happening with this ride. I'll take it in Galaxy Blue Metallic, and I'll get the 23-inch wheels. The Cognac Brown interior was an easy choice, which will probably hide messes best. The luxury package is a must because a massage function? Yes, please. I'll feel better adding in the rear side airbags for the kiddos along with night-vision assist for late-night road trips and the Michigan deer that come with them. Those road trips will be up to the lakes up north, so I'll be opting for the tow package for all the summer boating trips. What's another $5000 for the Bang & Olufsen sound system? The RS Q8 starts at $113,995 in the States, so all in, I'm estimating a total price close to $125,000. Yes, please! — Becca Hackett

Rich Ceppos’s $183,855 2020 Mercedes-AMG S63

A dream car should be a toy, and to me "toy" means "sports car." Quick, athletic, lithe, sexy. But the car I've picked for this exercise is a huge, ridiculously high-powered luxury sedan. Uh, what? Actually, this Mercedes-AMG S63 is my third choice for a dream ride because the incredible Porsche 991.2 GT3 is now out of production, and the expected-to-be-incredible Chevy Corvette C8 Z06 won't be in production for a year. So here we are with a capacious, sybaritic, 603-hp luxoboat that starts at $152,595. As great as this car drives, things could be worse.

Heading over to the configurator, I'll have mine dipped in Designo Diamond White Metallic paint for $795, and highlighted with a set of 20-inch black AMG cross-spoke wheels costing $2200. I'd dress the cabin in Silk Beige/Espresso Brown Exclusive nappa leather, a $4450 option, and no-cost burl walnut trim. Three packages totaling $7800 add multi-adjustable rear thrones with massage. Cruising music is courtesy of a $6400 Burmester High End 3D Surround Sound system. And I'll prepay $2060 for three years/30,000 miles of scheduled maintenance. If I can't have a sports car, I'll take an imposing, practical $183,855 hot rod that makes me feel like the master of all I survey. — Rich Ceppos