The ultimate urban car in the West Village. C. Nelson, 2012.

Cars in New York.  They come close to running you over on the city streets every three blocks, they’re expensive, they pollute the air, they’re really hard to park, and most models produced today are just plain ugly. Just compare these old Jaguars to the new ones that look like Camrys. OK, I admit the occasional road trip is a blast, and using a ZipCar to get around town can be efficient and fun for a change of pace, but nothing still beats the MTA, biking, or old-fashioned walking to get you around the grid.

The MTA can be messy, late, and annoying, but I always argue for around $1,300 bucks per year, a MetroCard gives you an all-access pass to one of the greatest places on Earth. You even get unlimited rides on the Roosevelt Island tram! All of that said, if I did have enough cash to keep a car insured, parked, and gassed up in Manhattan (ok, probably never gonna happen), the one above would do just nicely — small, classy, and classic. Anyone have a few thousand bucks I can borrow?