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If it were me with such a budget I'd buy a Subaru or mitsubishi evo and live my childhood fantasy. And likely an Evo VII at that.
skinny-
A long time ago, I had a bug eye wrx sti. It was my dream car, but tbh it really wasn't that much fun.
In day to day mode, it was just a fairly dull, crashy and not very comfortable plasticky japanese saloon that did 22mpg.
In weapon mode (keeping the tacho at 4k plus), it was amazingly quick and competent, so competent that you didn't really feel like you were going that fast. The number of a and b roads that are open enough and sufficiently free of traffic, even in Scotland or Wales, where it could be fun to drive a car like this are very few. And then there's always the chance that you get unlucky and get booked or run out of talent and end up in a hedge / field.
In the end, I couldn't really see the point of it.
ChasnotRobert
I’ve been awol for a bit due to a lack of cycling and mainly enjoying cars. Alas;
Wrote off my 6 month owned M140i - had somebody pull out in front of me on a derestricted road and didn’t have anywhere to go except the clear lane.. great success.. no, the rear then rotated on me as I went past them and I managed to gracefully crash around the offending party into a wall. They then drove off. Sigh.
Now on the lookout for another reasonably quick car which won’t be RWD owing to the above. I’ve convinced myself the above wouldn’t have happened with AWD.
Frustrating situ as I spent a few months last year finding a M140i which had not been crashed or modified, now I understand why that was such a task.
My list, with comments;
S3 - classic, but hard to find with desired options. Always something missing. Sucker for saloon version.
Golf R - not a s3
A35 - engine a bit naff and tends to shit itself?
M135i - missing 2 cylinders vs incumbent but gains 2 extra drive wheels.
335d - scratch the fake cop itch
V60 Polestar 2.0 - lots of nice kit - ohlins shocks, brembo brakes - but a step back into ‘old’ infotainment I.e no CarPlay.
S60 T8 - wildcard, ticks the boxes but isn’t a traditional choice. Non mechanical 4wd I.e. electric motor rear, engine front.
Probably up to £30k. What’s missing?
Boxes: AWD, sub 5 seconds 60, has at least 4 seats (2 for kids) & relatively compact due to parking constraints. B roads are where this car will in large be used.