Would Valentine’s Day be the same without Window Shop? The team wasn’t willing to take that chance. After a short break, they returned for another round of car shopping—this time with a festive twist. The challenge? Find used cars under $14,000 in any color or stretch the budget to $15,000 if the car came in a striking shade of red.
As always, the team delivered a mix of unexpected, quirky, and downright fascinating choices. From classic luxury to bold sports cars, the selections reflected both personality and playfulness. Let’s dive into what each member picked and see who walked away with the ultimate Valentine’s Day victory.
Elana Scherr’s Thoughtful Gift: A Rolls-Royce for Tony Quiroga
Senior editor Elana Scherr believes the best gifts are the ones people wouldn’t buy for themselves. Sticking to that philosophy, she surprised editor-in-chief Tony Quiroga with a 1990s Rolls-Royce she found in Nebraska.
Her justification? Luxury, high status, and the idea of moving in powerful circles. While Quiroga wasn’t entirely convinced by the grandeur, the retracting hood ornament caught his attention.
Joey Capparella’s Bold Choice: A Red Mercury Cougar for Jonathon Ramsey
Joey Capparella, Hearst Autos’ rankings expert, embraced the Valentine’s Day theme by choosing a bright red Mercury Cougar XR7 for Jonathon Ramsey. While Ramsey is known to appreciate cougars (the car, of course!), convincing him this was the right one may have required some extra persuasion.
Jonathon Ramsey’s Risky Pick: A Bronze Porsche 928 for K.C. Colwell
When it was Ramsey’s turn to choose for executive editor K.C. Colwell, he felt the weight of the challenge. With only $14,000 to impress one of the most particular panelists, he took a bold leap. His choice? A deep bronze Porsche 928 with a manual transmission and color-matched wheels. Would this gamble pay off? That remained to be seen.
K.C. Colwell’s Flashy Surprise: A Lime Green Alfa Romeo GTV Spider for Scherr
Colwell had the fun task of picking for Scherr, and he went all-in on style and color. He returned with a lime green Alfa Romeo GTV Spider, a car with distant ties to the Mopar family that Scherr typically favors. Given her appreciation for convertibles—and the eye-catching green paint—this one seemed like a solid hit.
Tony Quiroga’s Perfect Match: A Red Lexus SC for Joey Capparella
Quiroga has a signature way of introducing his picks: “You guys wanna see the winner?” This time, he might have actually found it. For Capparella, he selected a scarlet Lexus SC with a manual transmission, a car so perfectly suited to the occasion that the group nearly wrapped up the show on the spot.
Who Won the Box of Chocolates?
As always, Window Shop delivers not just cars but entertainment, debates, and a whole lot of fun. Tune in to find out who won the ultimate Valentine’s Day prize and let us know—what would you buy for $14,000 ($15,000 if it’s red)?
And as Scherr wisely reminds us: “Guys, if she has not told you she doesn’t like flowers, buy your girlfriend flowers.”