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Actually, all the cars I'd genuinely want to own are pretty mundane; the Scimitar, a Brooklands 280 Capri, a Jag XJS, another Fiat Coupé. I reckon I could fill my dream garage for under £100k, if anybody happens to want to make a donation.

My '89 XJS. 5.3 V12. The lovely VFR800 parked behind it is also mine. Still got the Honda, the Jag was sold in '06.

A gorgeous car, that's only got better looking as its aged, but just looking at that photo has cost me £15 in petrol.

Would the "few jobs" Scimitar be that much of a 'buy someone else's nightmare' as others? Ford running gear, fibreglass panels, not exactly an early Lambo or electroniced up Lagonda, is it?

my dad had a slightly-but-not-entirely mad plan to buy me one of these (one of the latter type you mention) as a first car 25+ years ago. I was so excited. Never happened tho.

Nothing says "Ideal first car" more than a lightweight, rear-drive car with a 3-litre engine and a tiny habit of catching fire.

he also had a lancia flavia engine sitting in the shed, he thought we could buy a clapped out mini and shoehorn it in. (I ended up driving a 1969 LWB landrover that didn't reach 60)

the late 90s was a weird time for 'classics in terrible condition'; he also found a Triumph GT6 that was affordable (eg less than the 7th-hand Ford Fiestas all my friends had) but again it would have taken over a year to make it roadworthy so that didn't happen

Three times in the 90s I nearly bought myself a Fiat X1/9, the last one didn't happen because I took the car I was meant to be trading in for it sideways through a traffic island. I do still regret never owning one.