The iconic shot of Tony driving the R8 through the Malibu tunnels, the LED headlights cutting the dark, is the visual representation of his ego reclaiming its throne. He flicks the paddle shifters. He accelerates to 100 mph for no reason other than he can.
It is only when he is walking away from the wrecked drive that he meets Rhodey in the rescue helicopter. The "Iron Man 1 drive" ends in failure of the machine, but success of the man. This sets a precedent for the entire MCU: the man is always more important than the hardware. Iron Man 1 Drive
The first suit-up is not heroic. It’s ugly , clunky, and desperate. Tony is dying (shrapnel near his heart), trapped by terrorists, and forced to build a weapon. Instead, he builds a life-support system with a flamethrower . The iconic shot of Tony driving the R8