Top 6 Automobiles at Glenelg

By Sofia Weddle

Marty McFly had a time-traveling DeLorean (DMC-12), 50 Cent is the proud owner of not one, but two Lamborghini Murcielagos, and Paris Hilton seems to own an infinite amount of cars to correspond with her posh outfits. But do Glenelg High School students rival those luxurious rides? Here’s an inside look into the most impressive cars in the GHS parking lot.
​ ​

2006 Porsche Cayman: Porsche has long been recognized as a premier car brand for flawless sports cars. Most recently, the company has been in the news for its fastest 911 model yet, flying at 211 MPH and “powered by a turbocharged 700-horsepower 3.8-liter six-cylinder engine,” according to CNN reporter Peter Valdes-Dapena. Glenelg High School might seem an unlikely playground for such cars, but Morgan Adams, a Senior at Glenelg, is the proud owner of a renovated 2006 Porsche Cayman track car “made street legal two weeks ago”. This high speed car has a 0-60 mph acceleration time of 5.2 seconds, 20 city/28 highway MPG, a 3.4 L 6-cylinder engine, and a 295 hp. Adams believes the coolest features of the cherry red car are “the sound [of the engine] and just the look over all”. If this Porsche isn’t the epitome of a luxury sports car, then what is?
​

1990 Jeep Wrangler YJ: Jeep Wranglers were first imagined in the 1940s during World War II for the U.S. army. Since then, the Jeep brand has taken off with Cherokees, Renegades, and various other versions of the classic Wrangler. With the combination of their off-roading capabilities with the classic Jeep Wave (you’ll only know if you own one), Jeep Wranglers define adventure. Daniel Poltorak, a Junior at Glenelg, recently bought his 1990 Jeep Wrangler YJ in December of 2016. Probably the most noticeable aspect of Poltorak’s red Wrangler is its hood, which has a hand painted American flag plastered across. “It was an art project in school which I planned to just put on for Memorial Day, but I liked how it looked,” said Poltorak. The looks aren’t the only features that matter, as Poltorak loves “driving top down in the summer. It’s also manual so it’s more fun to drive”. Here’s to adventure.
​

2016 Mercedes-Benz CLS 400: The name “Mercedes-Benz” probably brings a lot of things to mind. Opulence, style, speed, and innovation. After almost 100 years in the car industry, the company seems to be more popular than ever with an array of sedans, coupes, SUVs, convertibles, hybrid, and electric vehicles-- even Glenelg’s parking lot has one. Glenelg Junior, Michael Sedrakyan, got his slick black 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLS 400 in the beginning of 2017. Although it wasn’t his own choice to get the car, Sedrakyan has unsurprisingly become hooked. With a 329 hp, 20 city/30 highway MPG, a 3.0 L V6 engine, leather seats, bluetooth capabilities, and a navigation system, it would be hard not to. Sedrakyan loves that the CLS 400 has “a lot of electronics, which makes it really fun to drive” and seat warmers, which are perfect for Maryland’s frigid winter temperatures.
​

Convertible Mustang: Ford Mustangs have a long history of appearing in both blockbuster movies, such as the James Bond films, and normal streets. The convertible top, the high speeds, the timeless look-- what’s not to love? For Jenna McGee, a Senior at Glenelg, absolutely nothing. McGee recently bought a convertible Mustang this past summer of 2017-- a purchase of which she is very proud of as she “paid for it all by myself and continue to pay for my own gas so it [the car] represents hard work and responsibility.” McGee loves the uniqueness of her Mustang, and her ability “to take half my car off whenever I want.” The snowy white car predictably brings a lot of attention, but the thrill of having a distinct, unique convertible is truly what has made McGee fall in love with her Mustang.
​

2014 Jeep Wrangler YJ: Since Jeep is the quintessential American car brand, it seems only fair to include two Wranglers in this ranking. Martayn Van de Wall, a Glenelg Junior, owns a 2014 YJ Jeep Wrangler of true American and Maryland spirit. Immediately, the American flag grill and Maryland stickers stand out on the shiny black surface of the car. Van de Wall loves “the lightbar I installed because in the night it makes it daytime,” and he believes the coolest features of a Jeep Wrangler are its “off-road capabilities. That’s the best part about Jeeps, is you can take them anywhere”. If the off-roading was not enough, there is always the Jeep Wave which, according to Van de Wall, “is probably the best car culture [there is]”. With both the all-terrain four wheel-drive and the friendly pride that comes with owning a Jeep, it is no wonder the brand continues to surge in popularity both in and outside of Glenelg.
​

2006 BMW 525i: This German car brand took the world by storm with the BMW 5 series introduced in the 1970s, which merged “uncompromising performance and dynamic driving,” according to the BMW USA website. The BMW 525i is affixed with a 215 hp, 18 city/28 highway MPG, tan leather seats, and a 3.0 L 6-cylinder engine. Avneet Sahi, a Senior at Glenelg and the driver of this BMW, says that her favorite aspects of the vehicle are that “it’s tiny and fits in most places, it’s easy to drive. It’s everything--the seats are really nice, they heat up.” Unsurprisingly, Sahi receives a complement almost every day on her car from Glenelg students and she wouldn’t trade her beloved BMW for any other ride.