Yeah, those are fast cars. High 13 second quarter mile.

The only thing I don't like about them is the torquesteer. Its not crazy, but its there.

My wife has a 07 Infiniti G-35s. Pretty sure the coupe has a manual. Kickass car and bulletproof so far.

GH85Carrera brought his wifes g35x out to autocross... For a 4door it got around the track quite nicely... No clue if a stick shift is available though....

Are you against a new VW or TDI?

I drove a 2010 Golf TDI and was very impressed. I was really surprised on the 0-60 figure of 8 seconds- felt like my 6.2 second E36 in traffic. It has the drivability and smoothness of a gas engine. My only concern would be -10 starting, which isn't an issue in AZ.

I haven't driven any late model VWs, though, so I can't comment as to their improvements. Some with experience say the latest TDI is an improvement.

+1. Those are really nice cars, IMO. And not too much $$$.

I was. Now I'm not.

Reason was the VW dealership network in the Phoenix metro area. It SUCKS. The good news is I just found a highly-rated, reasonably-priced independent shop. They won't do VW warranty work but they'll do everything else.

I did drive a new Jetta TDI though it was the (barf) DSG transmission. The new motor is pretty peppy, and shockingly gets the same MPG as my current car.

My neighbor had a newer TDI Jetta with a 5 speed. God forbid you have to do any clutch work on them, ouch. He had an independent shop as well, and it was still very expensive.

I think you should drive one of the Volvo's with the 6 speeds. The V50 T5 AWD is a sweet little car.

Yeah, they're really nice. i forgot totally about those.

I had one of those on my ass in my 928S on a highway one night all the way up to 140mph. After that i walked him, but until 140 he stayed within 3 lengths of me.

The Evo's are nice, but similar to the STI, every 17 yo is going to want to race you. Not to mention the mitsu dealer network isn't the best, and as a company they are not doing very well right now.

Its too bad the Infiniti M45 doesn't have a manual.

Oh yeah, Car and Driver has an article on the new CTS-V coupe, and both it and the 4 door have 6 speeds. I agree with Matt, I would be looking at them VERY HARD if I wanted a 4 door with some zip.

Have you ever test driven a Mazda 3? My wife was opposed to "an econobox" but as soon as she drove hers she was hooked. After 100K miles she's still very happy with it and says she'll drive it 'til the wheels fall off then buy another 3. Automotive press has repeatedly praised the Mazda 3 saying it's like buying a BMW for $20K or less.

Here's C&D's take on it:
2010 Mazda 3 - First Drive Review - Auto Reviews - Car and Driver

Mini Cooper, made by BMW so maybe it can't be on the list.

Edit: I missed the 4 door requirement. The Mini Cooper Clubman, is roomy for 4 and fairly easy to get in and out of (back seat) on passenger side. If cost and gas mileage not major factors then I have to go with the Caddy CTS-V.

400 HP for $20k:

http://www.automedia.com/NewCarBuyer..._CTS_ext_1.jpg

Or 550 HP for $60k (new):

http://www.autospectator.com/cars/fi...ac-CTS-V-6.jpg

If my criteria was manual, 4 door, and not a BMW, I'd probably be looking here.

'07 and newer Altimas have almost zero torque steer. You must be thinking of the older ones as they'd rip your hands from the wheel

Acura TSX, drive one before you buy anything.

G35 infinity is an awesome car, big, fast and comfy

Be tough to find a standard transmission in most of the cars mentioned. I remember when my mother bought her 735 BMW in 1988. She definitely did NOT want a slush box. It would have been a special order with a LONG wait. WTF is it with the GD automatics in everything?

It easier to program the GPS, text message and eat a big mac all at the same time while driving. In a manual you would have to put down the big mac.:rolleyes:

Gearboxes aren't practical for the average driver -- or some survey says...

Who knows, really.

--Cheaper to produce one transmission instead of two, for one make of car

--Worse and worse traffic means an auto is more desireable

--Autos usually do shift faster

--Adoration for how F1 cars shift with paddles

--Better technology

--Engines with more torque means manuals must be needlessly re-engineered

It's like sloped top tube bicycle frames vs. the traditional horizontal top tube frames: everyone thinks they have the answer, and every answer seems to be correct.

Go figure...

I have a big problem with brain fade when driving an automatic. Even worse is the CVT I'm driving (loaner) right now. Engine revs at whatever RPM it feels like, regardless of the load, speed, etc. I can usually tell how fast I'm going by what gear I'm in and the engine RPM. Not with the CVT. Very disconcerting.