What Ryan Gosling Drives
Ryan Gosling, from the movie “Drive,” owns a black Prius.
How disappointing.
He does, however, have a 1973 Chevelle Malibu, the exact car featured in “Drive” which he helped build for the film.
The third-generation Chevelle, at the time, was praised by auto journalists for its modern styling. Unfortunately, it lost its sporty appeal in the pursuit of faux luxury, taking on an awkward, squared-off appearance that says “malaise” more than “muscle.” Expectedly, among 1973 muscle cars, the Chevelle has the lowest resale value and desirability.
Chevelle “Malibu” began as a top trim level, replaced by Chevelle “Laguna” in 1973, relegating Malibu to the middle of the lineup. Then, in 1978, Malibu became its own model while Chevelle, along with the muscle car era, was relegated to the history books.
This review sums up the Chevelle Laguna perfectly:
“…the Laguna Type S-3 454 wasn’t so much a muscle car as it was the decaying, bloated corpse of a muscle car–the dug-up remains of the glorious Chevelle SS454, reanimated Weekend at Bernie’s-style, with nothing more substantial than a freshly pressed leisure suit.”
The Laguna was sufficient as a personal coupe but at 7 miles per gallon and $6000 ($30,000 in today’s money), in the middle of a recession and an OPEC oil embargo, it was doomed to obsolescence. Small, light Japanese cars promising 30 mpg crept into the US market with ease and the third-generation Chevelle’s lack of style, performance, and quality were certainly no help.
That said, if you have a small budget and feel compelled own a vehicle with a muscle car badge, this is the cheapest way to do it. Just don’t expect to duplicate the panty-dropping heroics of “Drive” unless you happen to have Ryan Gosling’s looks (and a stunt driver).
Fast Tube by Casper
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