10 Memorable Cars From the 2021 Woodward Dream Cruise

With seemingly no body panel untouched, this Fiesta ST (rather, what's left of it) looks like it feasts on its hot-hatch rivals. From its widebody fenders to its dive planes to its wheel and tire setup that gives it an almost perfect stance, this has to be one of the most tastefully modified Fiesta STs we’ve seen. The interior says "race car" with Recaro seats, carbon-fiber trim, an aftermarket racing wheel, and a complete deletion of the infotainment in favor of a phone mount. The only change we might make is getting rid of that tacked-on roof scoop.

This old chop-top rat rod, slammed to the ground, is so low that the bottom of the spare was either cut off or has been shaved down by the merciless pavement. Judging by the suspension and its lack of travel, however, we’d bet it’s the former. Up front, where the bodywork seemingly drops off, sits a great big V-8, cradled by the frame that juts out from beneath. Atop the engine sits a massive carburetor that makes the C7 ZR1’s outward visibility seem like that of a fishbowl. Such character and charm.

This subtly spec’d 991.2 911 Touring caught our eye as it came rolling out of a tunnel beneath our feet. The 911 Touring, the wingless brother to the GT3, features a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six that revs to 9000 rpm and a six-speed manual as its only transmission option.

This gorgeous 1969 Camaro Z28 belongs on any Woodward Dream Cruise wish list. This Z28 got you a unique 302 V-8 that was rated at 290 horsepower, but many claimed it made a good bit more. Looking at the muscle cars of today—the Camaro ZL1, Shelby GT500, and so on—it’s hard to believe the progress and improvement since 1969. But this car is a beautifully preserved example of just how far we’ve come.

The mid-engine Corvette C8 in itself may not be a showstopper at a place like the Dream Cruise, but this one's a 3LT model with the Z51 package, the exterior is finished in Sebring Orange, and it’s optioned with the carbon flash five-open-spoke wheels. Inside, this car is optioned with the Morello Red interior. A velvet red interior on an orange car? The owner told C/D that this was his third C8, he bought the car sight unseen, and he wouldn't have chosen that color combination.

A McLaren 765LT looks even more like a spaceship amid a crowd of old muscle cars. This one, in Nardo Orange, is the same color as the one that set a record at our 2021 Lightning Lap. The coolest feature of this specific car, however, is its McLaren Special Operations (MSO) hood scoop mounted just behind the passenger compartment.

Ford's Dream Cruise booth had a slew of GTs: "normal" GTs, heritage editions, and even one of the Le Mans–winning race cars. But none of those were as eye-catching as this raggedy GT test mule. The whole body is composed of ill-fitting raw carbon fiber panels, there's a tow hitch jutting out of the bumper, and if the Ford GT’s factory taillights are doughnuts, then these flimsy things would be the doughnut holes. It's a look into what the Ford Performance team was cooking up long before the final production vehicle came to life.

I Imagine this is what the King from the movie Cars would look like after his big crash if they decided to repair him with scrapyard parts and not bother giving him a fresh coat of that Dinoco blue paint. The lightning bolt on the wing is clearly to pay homage to Lightning McQueen for his bravery on that fateful day. This car, dubbed "Scraptona," has won a leg of the 2021 Hot Wheels Legends Tour competition, meaning there's a chance it could become a die-cast toy later this year.

The Cadillac CTS-V wagon—the car about which we once wrote, "Cadillac fulfills our every fantasy with one car"—has a 556-hp supercharged V-8, rear-wheel drive, and the option of a six-speed manual transmission, all wrapped up in the sleek and practical package of a wagon. This example is finished in a rare deep blue color, with red brake calipers and satin chrome-finished wheels. Now if only they would make a wagon version of the new CT5 Blackwing.