Chumps wore the white hats, the cool guys dressed in black.

I drove three distinctly unique cars today, each in black. I love black cars. Bad guys drive black cars. Darth Vader wore only black. Burt Reynolds drove a black TransAm in Smokey and the Bandit, the only color befitting a movie whose plot honestly involved beer smuggling, peeling out, and making out with hot chicks.

But on to the cars I drove:

The Z4 M Roadster was triple black (roof, interior and exterior) with a 6 speed manual and one pissed off 3.2 liter DOHC in line 6 cylinder. To many of you, I just vomited numbers and words all over the front of your shirt in a nonsensical mess, so let me settle down a little. This tiny BMW is a 2 door convertible with a long hood and short rear deck. It is fundamentally a sports car, with all of the boxes checked; front engined, rear drive, simple, light, high revving and convertible.

Of all of the BMW's features, none stood out to me as clearly as that perfect, perfect shifter. I ripped through gears without conscious effort. I felt as though my hand was a part of the machine, as though I need merely acknowledge that a gear change was needed and *poof!* gear change performed. It was extraordinary on a level that not even the Honda S2000 (the former gear change king in my experience) could perform. I was smitten.

Moving down the list, I also drove a 2011 Challenger R/T with 6 speed manual. It was black on black (interior and exterior) with only 2000 miles on the clock. The reason I mention the mileage is that the gear change in this car, despite it's brutally over powering 5.7 liter V8 and melodious exhaust note, felt as though I were rowing a boat. Even in gear, the shifter moved side to side with enough motion that I often thought I was still in neutral. Absurd. I will not willfully drive another Challenger for this reason alone.

The final car of note today was a Black and Tan 2010 Imprezza. It was an automatic. Ugh. So, let's revisit: no turbo and no clutch. Sure, the car had all wheel drive, but so what? Terrible.

I love black cars. I love that the guys chasing Steve McQueen in Bullet drove a black Charger. I love that Blade drove a black Charger. I love that Vin Diesel drove a... hmmm... maybe I just love black Chargers. And Z4 Ms.