The Guide to Stratford-Upon-Avon

One of the upsides of the credit crunch is that the prices of cars have dropped through the floor. Assuming your still working you could be able to take advantage of some real bargains. The prices of exotic cars have also dropped like a stone so there is no better time to take advantage of your dreams of super car ownership. Ok so the cars listed below probably aren't that obtainable for the majority of us but what the hell we can dream right? This is a celebration of what we consider are the top 10 most desirable cars ever built. There is absolutely no allowance for practicality in this list and the idea of an environmentally friendly car does not get a look in. Get ready for the 10 most desirable cars ever built.

10. Lamborghini Countach (1974 - 1990)
These must have been on millions of kid’s walls when they were growing up as the ultimate Italian super car of the 70's. It looks so exotic compared to what was on the road at the time; remember this car was sold in 1974. Even the name, probably one of the most often mispronounced names of all time is cool. "Countach" is an exclamation of surprise usually used by Italian men when seeing an exceptionally beautiful woman. It is rumoured that this was the first word uttered by Nuccio Bertone when he saw the first designs of the project in his studio.

The Countach started life as the LP400 with a 4 Litre engine giving out around 375 BHP which made it good for 175 MPH (315 KPH). It went through five evolutions culminating in the 5000QV and Anniversary Editions which ended up with a much modern sounding 450+BHP.

The Countach isn't the most practical super car ever made with virtually zero rear visibility meaning you have to lean out of the car to reverse which can lead to embarrassment if you need to reverse park in public and lets face it you will have an audience. It’s also not supposed to be the most rewarding drive in the world but for visual car porn this is one of the all time greats and those scissor doors are just so cool.

Top Speed -              175 MPH
Power -                     375 BHP
Price Now -       circa £50k (www.autotrader.co.uk)

9. Ferrari F40 (1987 - 1992)
Ferrari is a name that is going to feature in anyones list of top 10 cars from any era. The name is synominous with performance and style and Ferrari have been responsible for building some of the most desirable cars of all time. I could fill this list with Ferrari's alone and still have a credible list of the automotive elite. How to choose your dream garage then. Well how about the first production car that officially exceeded 200 MPH? Proof that the Ferrari could actually achieve this new benchmark was first proved by the owner of a dealership in Japan who filmed himself hitting the magic 200 MPH who then produced a video showing his stunt. The video ended up selling a few thousands copies before it landed him in rather hot water! This was the last Ferrari comissioned by Enzo Ferrari who was 90 when he sanctioned the F40 and the intention was to build 400 F40's all to be painted Red.

Admitedly a moggy minor is more luxurious inside as the Ferrari is a pure racer at heart and delivers its kick through a Twin Turbocharged 3.0L engine which is said to deliver a savage kick. This isn't a car that suffers fools gladly so if you get the chance to press the loud pedal make sure you know what your doing.

Price when new -       £250,000 - $400,000
Top Speed -              201 MPH
Power -                     478 BHP
Price Now -       circa £225,000k (www.autotrader.co.uk)

8. Pagani Zonda (1999 - Present)
The Zonda was originally going to be called the Fangio F1 after the legendary F1 driver but the name was changed following Fangio's death in 1995.

The first model was the C12 which debuted at the 1999 Geneva Motor show was powered by a 6.0L Mercedes Benz sourced engine producing over 400 BHP. This power coupled with a 1230 KG kerb weight made the C12 capable of 210 MPH and a 0-60 time of 4.2 seconds so it was in the upper echelons of super car performance.

In 2000 the C12 was replaced by the C12 S which had an even more outlandish engine. 6.0L not enough? The C12 S came with a 7.0L Mercedes Benz engine this time AMG tuned to produce a staggering 542 BHP knocking the 0-60 sprint down to 3.7 secs and eventually running out of steam at a claimed 220 MPH. There have been other versions of the Zonda ranging from the stunning Roadster F which opens the Zonda up to the elements and gets you closer to the amazing noise of the V12 Engine and the track day specials culminating in the Zonda Cinque which could be yours for a cool £1 Million.

The looks of the Zonda are also incredible making sure that you’re never going to be incognito. This thing has the presence that makes people stop and stare although most won't have a clue what they are looking at.

Price when new -       $320,000 - $1 Million
Top Speed -              220 MPH
Power -                     542 BHP
Price Now -       circa £375,000k (2005 Model Roadster seen below)

7. Porsche 911 (1963 - Present)
Why go to all the expense of building a new car. Millions of pounds of investment, market research, designers, press launches and the risk that no one will take to your new car. Porsche take the slightly less risky approach with their core model namely continuing to build the same albeit slightly revised car for 46 years. That said I have to say I am a fan and the old adage rings true, if it isn’t broke don't fix it.

The Porsche 911 is an absolute classic and helps make Porsche the most profitable car company in the world. Based on the VW Beetle the 911 has its engine in the back or in Jeremy Clarkson's world, the wrong place. This has led to Porsche continually working out ways to improve the handling to counteract the fact that the engine is right at the back of the car making earlier Porsche 911's renowned for their rather colourful handling.

In its earliest and least powerful iterations the 911 had to make do with around 90 HP which shows how far this cars been developed with the latest Porsche 911 GT2 scraping by with a mere 523 BHP.

1998 was significant in that it saw the end of the air cooled engine in the 911 which for some enthusiasts meant that the 993 series was the last "true 911". That said I have had the pleasure of a few laps in a water cooled 996 Turbo and I can ensure anyone who is any doubt that this is an absolutely awesome car and won't leave you feeling cheated if you ever get the chance to own one. The latest models of the 911 start around £63k and even in the most humble format offer over 340 BHP. The 911 is a true great and well deserves its place in our top 10.

If you would like more info than the space we have here allows an excellent guide to the history can be found here.

Price when new -       £63k
Top Speed -              180+ MPH (997 Carrera)
Power -                     341 BHP