An Atom would definitely not be ideal for cruising around town...
A classic muscle car could definitely fit the bill of being rare, drawing the looks, and totally suited for cruising around. Perhaps a kit Cobra? Nicely done ones pop up for sale on Ebay often enough, or you could build one / have one built exactly how you want it. For a pure driver/enjoyment car it might suit the bill nicely. And you won't have to worry about babying it or putting it in harms way were it an original.
Edit: here is a nice example of one done as a driver (power steering/brakes, hydraulic clutch, modern running gear)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Facto...ht_3144wt_1165