Campus of Collectibles

Even though it might not seem like it right now, spring is on its way. And while students are wearing their earmuffs and silly lambskin boots, it’s easy to neglect the beauty that surrounds us here at IU.

From the trees glazed in frost to the sun peeking through their leaves, it seems there is an endless amount of splendor to be found on the IU campus. But as everything begins to thaw, I find myself not looking to the trees of our campus to feel like I’m surrounded by pure beauty.

Instead, I look to the streets of Bloomington. Now, cold, hard gravel might not be everyone’s idea of beauty. But for me, it’s the canvas where moving art lives.

If you haven’t noticed already, I’ll just tell you that IU is home to some of the most phenomenal cars of our day. When I’m driving in my RX-8, a car that I think is pretty stunning in more ways than one, around IU I feel like I’m driving a Vega.

Seeing an Audi A4 Quattro here is an everyday thing. People treat it like it’s just another car when it’s really not. But I feel like that’s the general thought about cars all around IU.

The infinitely exotic cars that turn KirkwoodAvenue and Third Street into their own Nurburgring make STis and EVOs, rare cars to most of the world, look like Hondas. Porsches prance around, ranging from the 500 horsepower Cayenne Turbo to the posh 165 mph Cayman.

But that doesn’t even touch the tip of the iceberg. Nissan has also supplied a couple lucky Hoosiers with two of their crown jewels.

One happens to be the 350Z. But the one I have in mind is a little special. The Nismo 350Z is track-ready with more aggressive styling and an engine that produces just over 300 horsepower.

The next car is a Nissan with a more luxurious name, the Infiniti G37S. Using a stroked V-6, the Infiniti has a lot of power without sacrificing amenities.

Among the endless number of AMG Mercedes and BMW’s, there is one car that stands out among the rest. It is definitely the cake’s icing. The only thing is that I’m not too sure many people would think it’s actually a car.

The Ariel Atom. Now, many of you have probably seen this car and said to yourselves, “Did a go-kart just drive by?” The answer to the question would be “no.” Instead, it was the car of my dreams. Going 0-60 in about three seconds, the Atom is an open-wheeled track killer, making you look, and feel, like you’re Lewis Hamilton at every light.

Now the point of this column wasn’t to educate you on the specifications of different cars. I just want everyone at IU to understand how lucky we are to be surrounded by these timeless pieces of automobile history.

So, enjoy IU’s lush, gorgeous campus. But while you’re looking at a poplar, take a minute to turn and appreciate the history driving down the road right behind you.