I let my son drive my Cobra since he was 15 with his leaners permit and obviously with me sitting next to him. He is a very good kid (now 22) and has a lot of maturity. He actually is more sensible than I am
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He has always been a "car guy" and loves cars. He knows about and understands cars. He appreciates what it takes to build a fast car. When he was 17, we bought him a 68 AMX 390. It was a pretty fast car, but we only kept if for about a year or two. Now that he is older, he takes the Cobra out for a ride when he is home. His own car is a modified 03 SVT Cobra Mustang that he has had for about four years now. That car is a handful too!
So, If you give a fast car to a smart and mature kid who is a car guy who understands and respects powerful cars, I think it is OK. If you just buy a fast car for a kid who is clueless with no awareness or understanding of powerful cars, then I think it just becomes a dangerous "toy" that would not even be appreciated.
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