Author: Andrew Connor
I once read that when a car enthusiast explains their love of cars to a "normal" person, it sounds the same as someone who really loved washing machines explaining their passion. If you envision someone going on about the perfect vintage Maytag, it does seem a touch tedious.
But that's not really fair, is it? A washing machine doesn't harness the power of explosions to take you to triple digit speeds. It doesn't take you around corners at mind-bending G-forces. A washing machine's design hasn't been painstakingly molded from clay by a group of talented designers and put through a wind tunnel to make it as aerodynamic as possible. Most importantly, a washing machine doesn't give you the freedom to go wherever the hell you want to go.
But don't just take it from me, a writer in his twenties who spends 10 hours a day behind a desk, and is forced to get home at night via a series of tubes in the ground. I spoke with five professionals — a photographer, a journalist, a designer of watches inspired by cars, a proprietor of fast cars and the Stig (yes, that Stig) — who have made a living rooted in a passion for cars and driving. And, when I asked them what exactly it is that makes them love the damn things so much, this is what they had to say.