Hard work pays off. With luck, you’ll get out of a job what you put into it. If you’re a hardworking person, you’ll likely receive an opportunity to move up in the world. So maybe you’re moving on to something new, or you’re replacing someone who has left a position above you. Either way, moving up can be pretty awesome. So with your newly accepted promotion, you’ll want to spend your more generous new wages appropriately. So why not buy a new car, something that will really show the world your hard work has paid off (literally). People often say “you should dress for the job you want.” So why not drive a car for the job you want?
With these cars, you’ll ensure that the best part of your day will be your commute to and from your new gig. Not to say that your new job won’t be amazing fun and completely fulfilling, but these are some of the most fun, attractive, and impressive cars you can find at their various price points. And as you climb the corporate ladder, some of these vehicles become a lot of fun. But what else are you going to spend all that new money on? Practical things? No, of course not. These cars will certainly help you look the role for your new job. But some of these cars will take a few years to earn.
10. So you’ve entered the workforce and now have the funds to invest in a ride that will reflect your newly found status as an independent, wage-earning individual. The Mazda 3 is absolutely the perfect car to get you started in your climb to the top. Available as a sedan or 5-door hatchback, the Mazda 3 offers some of the most fun you’ll have for that entry-level price tag. It will add some juice to your commute, which you’ll need now that you’re a working drone. The Mazda 3 can certainly dish out some power, with its optional 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 185 hp. And it’s a very stylish and attractive vehicle. It has no problem at all fitting in with the ever-present BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes in the corporate world.
9. Starting to climb the corporate ladder and love the outdoors? The Jeep Wrangler is your ride. Sure, the Wrangler may not seem like the most logical choice of car for someone who just got promoted, but depending on your personality, it could be the only choice. Yes, the ride can be punishing, and it’s not the safest car on the road, but after you’ve climbed a mountain in your car, you won’t care about how it handles on the highway. The Wrangler has evolved quite a bit from its humble beginnings as the Willys MB in World War II. While the base Sport is still plenty popular, step up to Unlimited Rubicon Hard Rock and you’ll be treated to such niceties as heated leather seats, a 9-speaker Alpine stereo, and automatic headlights. Just don’t expect it to be cheap—the Unlimited Rubicon Hard Rock will cost you over $40k. See why you need a promotion?
8. Now that you’ve moved beyond your entry-level pay, maybe it’s time to upgrade to something a little more luxurious. The Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class is the perfect introduction to the world of expensive cars, because, well, it still has a relatively low price tag and maintains the practicality in a crossover you may want while being a Benz. The GLA-Class is a great car for someone who wants to move on from that old Forester and invest in something with a bit of a steeper price tag. Even so, the GLA is a bit on the cheaper side for Mercedes, but still comes with the prestige and style you expect. If you want to splurge and dish out some serious money, you can get the track-ready GLA45 AMG. But you might have to save up a bit to afford it. The GLA250 produces a modest 208 hp with its inline 4-cylinder engine and 7-speed auto-manual transmission, while the GLA AMG’s 2.0-liter turbo i4 pumps out 355 hp. Not bad for someone who wants to look executive-level without executive-level pay.
7. Are you a young urban professional who enjoys lavish parties and needs an ironic way to get from Williamsburg to Long Island City? Audi has just your car: the Audi S3. The high-performance version of Audi’s stylish A3, the S3 is the perfect car for the young and well-off. Seriously, starting at $41,100, the S3 is expensive, yet not outlandishly so. For that money you’ll get a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine pumping 292 hp to the pavement. The best part? Thanks to Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system, that power will go to all 4 wheels, meaning you’ll be the only one who makes it to the office when it snows. Hello, mid-level management!
6. The Chevrolet Corvette throughout its 62 years has always been a great car to show the world you have a good amount of expendable money, but still don’t have a ton of responsibility. The Corvette doesn’t make the most practical choice for a daily commuter, but you can’t pick a better Sunday driver than this American classic. You probably don’t need any more justification to buy a Corvette. It’s sporty, functional, super-attractive, and can produce 625 hp. Really, the only thing that deters people from purchasing a Corvette is the cost. But, assuming your new promotion is significant enough to counteract the initial and maintenance costs, what excuse could you possibly have for not owning a Corvette?
5. By the time you’re able to afford the Toyota Land Cruiser, you’ll probably need it. We’re talking mid-senior-level executive here, so there’s probably a good chance you’ve got some kids that need hauling around. Don’t worry—with available seating for 8, the Land Cruiser’s got you covered. So right now you’re probably wondering what makes the Land Cruiser so special that Toyota can charge over $80,000 for it. Well, simply put, it’s amazing. Much like the smaller (and less expensive) 4Runner, the Land Cruiser can go almost anywhere and will get you there comfortably. Thanks to its body-on-frame construction and excellent 4-wheel-drive system, the Land Cruiser is practically bulletproof and treats the toughest of obstacles like mere speed bumps. It’s a good thing you’re moving up now, because you’ll be getting 13 mpg city/18 highway, so you’ll almost need another promotion to drive it anywhere.
4. Welcome to upper management. Now that you’re making an executive-level salary, what car should you drive to really fit the lifestyle? Why not buy a Porsche 911? It’s the classic car to drive to show off your newly acquired wealth. The 911 is among the top choices for Chief-Whatever-Officers and other corporate bigshots around the world to make a statement about their lifestyle. Why do people love it? Well, it’s essentially a go-cart with a big engine. A really big engine. The 911 Turbo’s 3.8-liter flat-6 engine can produce up to 560 hp. It will be a sad day when the Porsche fully transitions away from the naturally aspirated engines that car enthusiasts revere Porsche for so much. But that future will not take away from the 911’s status as an upper-management necessity.
3. If you’re a newly-minted senior executive with as much taste as money, there’s a good chance you’ll like the Jaguar E-TYPE. Dubbed “the most beautiful car ever made” (by the famous Enzo Ferrari, nonetheless), the E-TYPE certainly is easy on the eyes. Depending on condition, E-TYPEs vary wildly on price, but that doesn’t matter—you’re buying it knowing you’ll need to sink serious dough into it anyway. While the E-TYPE is certainly a looker and exceedingly fun to drive, keep in mind it doesn’t have the reputation of being the most reliable car out there, so if you want to get that next promotion (by making it to work on time every day), you’ll probably need something else as a daily driver. And you know what? That’s just fine—driving a sensible, reliable car during the week will only make you cherish your weekends with the E-TYPE even more.
2. So you were just elected to office of some kind or your investments have been paying some serious dividends (or you just received your trust fund), and you need a car to accommodate your presumably very busy, very luxurious lifestyle. The Bentley Flying Spur is the very pinnacle of super luxury, and it is the perfect vehicle if you’re looking to invest several hundreds of thousands of dollars into a car you likely won’t drive very often. The Flying Spur isn’t a car that you buy for fun. More likely than not, you aren’t going to be the one driving it most of the time. You’ll have a professional for that, because you don’t have time and energy to waste on actually driving. With an astronomically high price tag, you’d better believe the Flying Spur comes with the performance, comfort, and flash to justify dropping a couple hundred grand on a car. But if you have the cash for it, and have enough time to spend actually driving this appropriately opulent beauty, you will certainly enjoy every second of the drive.
1. So what can top a Bentley, arguably the pinnacle of luxury and performance? Easy question. There’s only one car those who have really, truly made it ever desire to own: the Ferrari LaFerrari. Starting at a casual $1.4 million, you pretty much have to have founded a tech startup that IPOed or be named Rockefeller to walk into a Ferrari dealership and buy one. That’s assuming you’re allowed to buy one. Ferrari made just 499 LaFerraris for 2015 and allowed only the most loyal of its customers the privilege of purchasing one (rumor has it you needed to own at least 5 Ferraris and have a recommendation from your local Ferrari dealership to be considered). If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on one, you’ll be treated to an astounding 950 ponies that will whisk you to the most sublime 221 mph you’ll ever experience. If buying a LaFerrari isn’t your idea of making it to the very top, you’re simply the kind of person who will never be satisfied with anything.
What car will you buy the next time you’re promoted?
-jharrington and zwaller
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All of these are solid cars … I’d be happy to drive most of them!