Yahoo Autos The Coolest Cars We Saw at the 2024 Woodward Dream Cruise
Despite the rain, crowds of car enthusiasts still turned out for the 2024 Woodward Dream Cruise. As more machines arrived on Saturday, August 17, so did more clouds. Still, that didn’t stop folks from driving their convertibles with the top down or parking their prized show cars in the mud. Instead, it was business as usual on Woodward Avenue. We were there with a camera to capture everything from classic American muscle cars to European icons to Japanese imports, all sharing the road at once. Here are the coolest cars we saw at this year's Dream Cruise.
Auburn Speedster
Sometimes when you need a Filet-O-Fish, you need a Filet-O-Fish. This Auburn Boattail Speedster 851 was caught taking a lunch break at McDonald’s, and it still looked as cool as ever. This one has external side-threaded exhaust pipes and it's supercharged too. The Speedster’s iconic “boattail” design was later replicated by other cars such as the C2 Chevy Corvette Stingray and the Buick Riviera.
Audi A4 Avant
Shoutout to @joeyjacobss on Instagram for not only building an awesome Audi A4 Avant—which hilariously tows another two-thirds of an A4—but for putting both of them on air bags that lower together. The decal on the windshield says "Financial Mistake," and another on the trailer reads "Worse Financial Mistake," which makes us hope Joey still has some money left in the bank.
Buick Roadmaster
This beauty was the last generation to carry the Buick Roadmaster name. The woodgrain sides are fake, unfortunately, but they still bring that classic look. This Roadmaster Estate Wagon is equipped with the optional rear-facing third-row seats, bringing the seating capacity to eight.
Chevrolet Camaro "Donk"
The vibes of this third-generation Chevy Camaro and its driver are immaculate. Rolling on huge "donk" wheels with the obligatory lift kit and the roof down, the driver has hand with a cigarette resting on top of the windshield. Normally you would see a Chevy Impala or Buick Regal with these types of mods, but a drop-top Camaro seems to do the trick just as well.
Citroën 2CV6
To this day, the Citroën 2CV is one of the cutest cars ever made. Production lasted from 1948 all the way to 1990. In 1980, the 2CV6 Charleston was introduced to the French market, and with it came special upholstery. By that time, the 2CV’s round headlights had also returned. It’s always a pleasure seeing these cars on American roads.
Dodge Challenger
Whoever said “they don’t make them like they used to” does have a point. This mean-looking Dodge Challenger is as clean as it gets, with mirror-like glossy black paint. It has a fantastic stance too. We also dig the look of the amber-colored front lights, and like a proper Detroit muscle car, it has hood pins. Must we go on?
Dodge Viper GT2
Only 100 Dodge Viper GT2s were ever built. It was a special-edition model to celebrate the Viper’s racing success, sporting a massive rear wing and other aerodynamic additions inspired by the GTS-R race car. It also had an improved air-filter design that was good for an extra 10 horsepower, putting the total at 460 ponies.
Honda Kei Truck
Michigan recently revoked the registrations of all imported mini trucks, but this guy doesn’t seem to care. This Honda Acty drove right past a group of police officers parked in the center of Woodward Avenue. Granted, illegal vehicles usually get a little more leniency during the Dream Cruise. We also wouldn't mind if the state of Michigan was more lenient with its mini-truck laws.
Lamborghini Diablo SV
We spotted a Lamborghini Diablo SV early in the morning when very few supercars were looping Woodward Avenue. The Diablo SV was the first Lambo to carry the Superveloce moniker since the Miura SV. The Diablo SV received an adjustable rear wing, a 25-hp boost to 510 horses, and two large “SV” decals that ran across the sides. This one is painted black, which would have made the decals hard to see, so it doesn’t have them. Fortunately, that has no impact on how it drives.
Pontiac Catalina
This pristine 1966 Pontiac Catalina convertible was spotted cruising with three very nice ladies enjoying the drive while filling its front bench seat. We wish the light hadn’t turned green as this picture was taken, because it would have been fascinating to hear the stories about this car from its passengers.
Range Rover Evoque Convertible
It’s wild to think that the convertible-SUV trend was ever a thing, and this Range Rover Evoque convertible was the pinnacle of it all. It came much later than the ill-conceived Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet but was only on sale for one year. It was based on the Evoque coupe and replaced its hatchback with a drop-down tailgate.
Shelby GT500
Without looking really closely, modern kit cars and factory-new classic car companies like Revology have made it so hard to tell the difference between the originals and their modern copies. Duplicate or not, this Shelby GT500 is absolutely jaw-dropping. Based on the “50th Anniversary” sticker on the bottom right of the windshield, though, we think there's a legit chance that this car is the real deal.
Double Supra
We’ll save you the hackneyed “is that a Supra?” joke, but when was the last time you saw two Mark IV Supra Turbos next to each other in traffic? The black one seems to be built for drag racing, which is even cooler. We know you know how special the Toyota Supra is, so we won’t say too much, but hearing the sound of a 2JZ blow-off valve still makes us smile.
Triumph TR4
The Triumph TR4 was penned by Giovanni Michelotti, the legendary designer whose other works include many Ferraris, the BMW 2002, and the Alpine A110. Notice the bulge or “bubble” on the hood? That is to make room for the standard wet-liner inline-four’s carburetors. You’ll also notice this particular TR4 is equipped with an E-Z Pass transponder, making turnpike toll collection even easier.
Wireframe VW Beetle
This wireframe Volkswagen Beetle looks like it went through a serious diet regimen. While it surely wouldn't pass NHTSA's crash tests, it has a beautiful design that's certainly eye-catching. If there was a substitute for air conditioning, it’s probably this.
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