Cars as fun to drive as the air cooled?

[nickelplated5s]

Off the plate curve ball. Super Duty F350. Handling not so much but fast with big brakes.

[Otter74]

The most fun, direct and engaging road car I’ve driven was a Lotus Elan S3 that belonged to a coworker when I was at Chrysler. Not exactly a daily, but a phenomenal car to drive. As everyone else says, if you want most of that plus reliability and usability, Miata. One of my best friends has a ‘99 that he bought new and I’ve driven it on the same Colorado mountain roads I’ve driven my 911 on. They’re wildly different experiences, but other than being kind of gutless the Miata is also amazing.

[930cabman]

I am really surprised nobody has chimed in with 914?

A couple years ago I got bitten by the 914 bug. Nothing short of a blast, add a 6 cyl and triple the blast factor.

All the above examples are ok and I have tried them all

914 is my final answer

[Ralph3.]

[canamfan]

Mini Cooper S (coupe or Countryman), well sorted Ferrari 308 or 328, Miata, almost any Lotus (other than the SUV), 4.7 Aston Martin manual, Audi Quattro (early Coupe) manual, 928s4/GT or GTS manual (bit of a brute tho' but fun), Golf GTi/R32 manual (pick your year, I like early gens.) & maaaaaybe a 944 Turbo

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by famoroso

Good discussion.

Loved my '05:Elise for 17 years. It was primarily a track car. The adjustability of things like the suspension and the pedal box, from the factory was impressive. It's so small tho, apart from dawn patrol canyon carving runs, driving it on public roads legitimately felt like dancing with Elephants. It's pretty purposeful / unique tho. Light truly makes right tho, so, apart from the aforementioned Caterham, the chassis dynamics / feedback / feel are difficult to find elsewhere,

Honda S2000. Kind of an Elise for grownups. A friend, who raced Spec Miata, autocrossed her S2000. That covered the motorsports waterfront for her, which is hard to argue against. That's the best factory shifter that I've experienced.

E86 Z4M Coupe (or Roadster). When I first drove one in-period, I thought "If I ever grow-up and sell the Elise, I could see getting one of these." The S54 motor is special. I love it's high-strung character for a track / sports purpose car. In fact, writing this makes me want to acquire a Z4M Coupe, slap a KWV3 suspension on it and just drive.


Meanwhile, after hanging up my track shoes and selling my Elise, all I did was acquire another air cooled 911. I guess I'm swimming in that end of the pool for the foreseeable future

When I was working, I bought a 3.0 liter Z4 for my daily commuter (about 20-30 minutes each way) as driving my 911 in a hilly area in stop and go traffic is no fun.

It was great fun to drive and lots more comfy for my wife with modern features.

I took the Z4 to Autocross and HPDE and decided the 911 was just lots more fun to drive in anger. After I retired, I found I was not driving the Z4 very much and let it go. If I had not owned the 911 already, I would still have it.

I likened driving a Z4 like being a Harlem Globetrotter vs the 911 being in the NBA. Both have great players but the Globetrotters are missing that NBA magic.

FWIW, I also considered a Miata (also a great choice) but in the end the extra room, the fact I did not need an anfter market roll bar for the track, and more power made me choose the Z4.

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by Otter74

The most fun, direct and engaging road car I’ve driven was a Lotus Elan S3 that belonged to a coworker when I was at Chrysler. Not exactly a daily, but a phenomenal car to drive. As everyone else says, if you want most of that plus reliability and usability, Miata. One of my best friends has a ‘99 that he bought new and I’ve driven it on the same Colorado mountain roads I’ve driven my 911 on. They’re wildly different experiences, but other than being kind of gutless the Miata is also amazing.

You do know that in the final analysis, the Miata is basically the Elan perfected!

[Funracer]

Originally Posted by 2.7RS

Track or street driving?

I had fun driving a Mini Cooper JCW and a GR86 right off the lot.

Agreed about the MC JCW. Super fun to drive plenty of zip. Until the transmission died one day. The entire front of the car has to be removed to pull the trans. At the time new transmission or rebuilt could only be bought from BMW. With parts and labor it was $4200. In 2008 dollars. Ouch. Took a lot of the fun out of the experience.

[kyngfish]

Originally Posted by lindbhr

+1 for the 240Z. I bought an Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT to drive while my 911 is being restored. Fun to drive, unique styling, easy to work on, and not expensive to maintain.

Where is a good marketplace to see these for sale? I only ever see them on BAT and I don’t feel like paying the tax.

[Evan Fullerton]

For the money, a restomod MGB GT isn’t a bad option. For less than my g50 transmission swap I built this with all aftermarket performance suspension and brakes, built Chevy 3.4L V6 making ~200hp, close ratio T5 gearbox etc. It’s fun but it’s no 911. Porsche, there really is no substitute.

[icarp]

Nothing can match up to a well done streetable Lotus Elan,
160 hp real twin cam engine , axels , shocks ,and still soft springs .
That will challenge a 2300lb 300 hp 911 all day long .

But , like the 911 it has to be done RIGHT !

[Matt at Pelican Parts]

That thing is a beaut! The MGB is just begging for a better powerplant. I imagine the 3.4L V6 makes it boogie!

Originally Posted by Evan Fullerton

For the money, a restomod MGB GT isn’t a bad option. For less than my g50 transmission swap I built this with all aftermarket performance suspension and brakes, built Chevy 3.4L V6 making ~200hp, close ratio T5 gearbox etc. It’s fun but it’s no 911. Porsche, there really is no substitute.

[Jjm4life]

lotus Elise/exige. had one of each and wouldn't hesitate to recommend either. The only thing it lacks is a engine note befitting of the driving experience. supercharger whine helps though

[targa72e]

Alfa 4c. Best handling car I have ever driven, I thought it was way better than Lotus Elise.
I would also second a 914. Best option is -4 converted to a -6. Lots of similar parts to 911 so some parts are expensive.
Boxster/Cayman. some great options available at reasonable prices.

john

[gtc]

+1 for the Elise. Lots of fun and somehow the prices haven't shot up as much as other some other cars.

[porsche930dude]

Originally Posted by fallingat120mph

+1, also.

Grew up in the back seat of our 280z 2+2 and then later helped my father restore old Datsun Z's.

Initially after college was debating hard on 260,240, 280z vs. 911.

911 won but....



Erik

My first car in high school was a 89 240sx coupe . I beat that car with in an inch of its life and it always came out smiling. More fun to drive than the 911. It wasnt special but it was a great drivers car. Still had the original engine too only 120hp or something. Any more would have got me in more trouble and probably killed me lol

[TeeJayHoward]

The 911 is really just a Miata with more torque. The current-generation MX-5 is the best they've ever made. I always, ALWAYS, recommend a Miata when people ask about fun cars.

[Locker537]

Miatas are awesome. Can't really beat them for the money. They aren't as exciting as a 911, but the driving experience is a good time.

For the track, a spec Miata is pretty hard to beat.

[ian c2]

This makes me smile

It’s a WAAAAAAHH TISH BAND BANG BANG , WAAAAAAAAH TISH BANG BANG BANG
“how fast are we going ?”
“52mph”

[Hi_Fi_Guy]

First generation Mazda Rx-7
Cayman
914
Fiat 124 Sport Spider
Boxster