[Ramos]

Everyone keeps talking about this being a great era for enthusiasts and lots of great cars being available or coming soon.

I just don't see it at all, I want a small/medium sized 4 door sedan with good power, RWD, LSD, and fuel consumption that won't break the bank for under $50k..
And I can't name or find a single car on the market that fits the bill..

M235 Gran Coupe can't come soon enough, in the meantime I will settle for the coupe.

Can anyone name a car currently on the market that fits the bill?
Audi S3, Golf R, and CLA 45 are all ruined by front biased AWD and are not cars I would consider..

[JustChris]

M135i....? Not sure if it's available in the states and no LSD.

[kadify]

An audi s4 fits that bill except for the LSD/rwd portion but seeing as it is a rear-biased awd system with a sport differential it can act similarly. Or a dodge challenger I believe has a limited slip dif and is rwd? Chevy SS also has the option of a factory limited slip dif. I believe. The Infiniti G37, and q50 now, both have LSD as well.

[Ramos]

Originally Posted by kadify

An audi s4 fits that bill except for the LSD/rwd portion but seeing as it is a rear-biased awd system with a sport differential it can act similarly. Or a dodge challenger I believe has a limited slip dif and is rwd? Chevy SS also has the option of a factory limited slip dif. I believe.

All pigs weighing over 4000 Lbs
No thanks

[Ramos]

Originally Posted by ChesterX5

M135i....? Not sure if it's available in the states and no LSD.

Unfortunately not available in the US.. BMW USA seems to think no American wants a practical hot hatch

[kadify]

Well such is the way of the world now. Light cars just are not feasible with the increasing safety requirements. Unless a car is made of complete aluminium or carbon fibre it is very likely going to be a heavy car. That being said are each of those vehicles at the top of their respective weight classes? Yeah probably.

[unintelligible]

Originally Posted by kadify

The Infiniti G37, and q50 now, both have LSD as well.

Is that true? I thought I remember reading that the Q50S did not have an LSD. If not, Ramos, that's probably the closest you're going to get to what you are looking for.

[unintelligible]

Originally Posted by Ramos

Unfortunately not available in the US.. BMW USA seems to think no American wants a practical hot hatch

Because they don't, if it costs over $40k. Americans are conditioned to believe hatch = cheap car. BMWUSA is wise in not bringing the F20 over here, it simply would not sell.

[Ramos]

Originally Posted by unintelligible

Is that true? I thought I remember reading that the Q50S did not have an LSD. If not, Ramos, that's probably the closest you're going to get to what you are looking for.

I used to like infiniti but I refuse to get anywhere close to a Q50
That car is the definition of everything wrong that I loathe in modern cars with its steer by wire bull shit .. This car is the beginning of the end .. Very sad car

[Ramos]

All I want is a M235 Gran Coupe or a Cayman S for less than $50k

[unintelligible]

Originally Posted by Ramos

All I want is a M235 Gran Coupe or a Cayman S for less than $50k

Then just wait for the M235i GC. Do you need to buy a car right now? It sounds like you would be disappointed with pretty much anything that's on the market today.

[kadify]

Originally Posted by Ramos

All I want is a M235 Gran Coupe or a Cayman S for less than $50k

Cayman S is not a four door rwd car. If you're looking for sub 50k rwd 2 door vehicles that opens a completely different door for you.

[Ramos]

Originally Posted by kadify

Cayman S is not a four door rwd car. If you're looking for sub 50k rwd 2 door vehicles that opens a completely different door for you.

I would prefer 4 doors but can compromise and do coupes since I don't have kids.. Even 2 door coupes, what is really out there? I challenge you to name 1 car other than the M235 (which is what I'm getting)

[jcardenasmzl]

+1 waiting on the m235i GC as well...the m235i is good don't get me wrong, and every time i see it i like it better...my lease is up July 2015 so i hope the GC would be out by then (hopefully with better color options)

[unintelligible]

Originally Posted by Ramos

I would prefer 4 doors but can compromise and do coupes since I don't have kids.. Even 2 door coupes, what is really out there? I challenge you to name 1 car other than the M235 (which is what I'm getting)

370Z? Mustang GT? FRS? BRZ? The ATS also has an available LSD which fits your (original) bill.

Edit: The ATS seems like exactly what you are looking for. Small 4 door sedan, good power, RWD, LSD, and available for under 40k.

[Ramos]

Even though I'm not a fan if the styling of the ATS, I will go test drive one. Good call. Would much rather wait for the M235 GC but can't wait forever .. I'm just afraid that it will be announced a week after I "settle" for the M235 coupe ..

[aspensilver]

Originally Posted by Ramos

Everyone keeps talking about this being a great era for enthusiasts and lots of great cars being available or coming soon.

I just don't see it at all, I want a small/medium sized 4 door sedan with good power, RWD, LSD, and fuel consumption that won't break the bank for under $50k..
And I can't name or find a single car on the market that fits the bill..

M235 Gran Coupe can't come soon enough, in the meantime I will settle for the coupe.

Can anyone name a car currently on the market that fits the bill?
Audi S3, Golf R, and CLA 45 are all ruined by front biased AWD and are not cars I would consider..

Man if you can consider the Golf, why not a Mustang GT? The new car comes out later this year with all the things we'd have peed ourselves over if the M235 had them -- Recaros, LSD, 420HP+ all start likely where the 228I begins. Truck axle is gone, styling is fresh -- I was looking at the M235I but it doesn't deliver anywhere near the same value or performance.

[bradleyland]

Originally Posted by unintelligible

370Z? Mustang GT? FRS? BRZ? The ATS also has an available LSD which fits your (original) bill.

Edit: The ATS seems like exactly what you are looking for. Small 4 door sedan, good power, RWD, LSD, and available for under 40k.

Geeze, quit whining. We have so many great options right now, and they're only getting better.

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by Ramos

Unfortunately not available in the US.. BMW USA seems to think no American wants a practical hot hatch

Whoops sorry man, not intentional

[Red Bread]

Yep, ATS 2.0T with a manual is very high on my list right now, just wishing they'd improve the transmission a little. One note though, you can't get one with an LSD for under $40k, but pricing is still pretty reasonable.

I've test driven the BRZ and would much rather have it than our old 135i, but man, it really does have a torque deficit which would really get annoying if you have a freeway commute.

Golf R is Haldex based, but 228i weight and price with 235i power and the benefit of a full set of doors and the utility of a hatch.

If the Mustang had really come in smaller and lighter than the old one, I'd be a lot more interested in it, but it's still a huge thing, even if it is a monster.

The 370Z and Hyundai Genesis are both a little heavy and both have coarse motors and a shed load of understeer, but that's likely not that different a description to the M235i, so you might look at them too.

[Lucky13]

Pricing on Caddies could get a lot lower soon, Wall Street Journal article 2 days ago said Caddy has a 105 day inventory of unsold cars which is twice all Germam brands. They sold 182,000 cars in 900-1000 dealers and BMW sold over 300,000 cars in 360 dealers. Big concern that Caddy resale and retained value is about to go in the shitter because as GM always does builds way too many cars and then dumps them. They were expecting a big year but were only up 22% and I swear I must have seen 100+ ATS ads on tv if not more

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by Lucky13

Pricing on Caddies could get a lot lower soon, Wall Street Journal article 2 days ago said Caddy has a 105 day inventory of unsold cars which is twice all Germam brands. They sold 182,000 cars in 900-1000 dealers and BMW sold over 300,000 cars in 360 dealers. Big concern that Caddy resale and retained value is about to go in the shitter because as GM always does builds way too many cars and then dumps them. They were expecting a big year but were only up 22% and I swear I must have seen 100+ ATS ads on tv if not more

Excellent point. There are two manual 2.0T ATS's on CarMax for $28k-32k right now, judging by options, they were both in the mid $40's new. Resale appears to be appallingly bad on them, especially with a manual. If I do buy one, I'll likely look for a used one. However, as with all things GM, dealers seem to offer constant, heavy discounts to MSRP.