Pure Enthusiast Cars: What's your list?
 

I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts. There aren't a lot of options out there for fun/fast manual cars that aren't enhanced with electronics. Of course, all cars have an ECU and are computerized to a certain extent. I know a lot of people love teslas, hyrbid super cars, and these German beasts like the M3 which are practically rolling computers. I know there are people out there like me who enjoy the appeal of raw sports cars. Little to no features, no drive settings; just get in and go. I'm not wondering how they compare with the Z, rather what other options are there? New/used doesn't matter. As long as it's manual. For example, the new corvettes are definitely out, but the c6 and older fit the criteria. Dodge vipers are an excellent choice as well. What's your list?

A 1972 240Z is as raw it could be. Good luck in finding one decent no rust and below 20K maybe.

:tup:

?? What is this lol

Anything Lotus.

Mighty Mouse

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_RS200

TVR Sagaris

any Prius

What the Hella is that?

When I first got into sports cars I bought a 1960 Bug Eyed, (Frog Eyed), Sprite. It didn't even have door handles, just leather pulls. It wasn't fast, but the most fun I ever had with a car. Like driving a road legal go kart. Of course, being a British car most of the time was spent keeping it running and dealing with the rust. I can't believe I used to drive that thing on Chicago expressway, surrounded by Semi's. I could have driven it under the trailers.

Triumph gt6

Alright now your talkin’

.

:yum::yum:

That’s right, this sweet “Thug Life” Prius is worthy of two licks...

Here’s a couple more shots of it...

Lol you missed it

Yeah, I think this thread was a fail...

Porsche 914 all the way! Screw that water cooling jazz.

Porsche 916, air cooled, more power, rare, a friend of mine at work has one.
Edit: sorry, meant to say 914-6. Apparently the 916 never made production but was very similar.

Alfa 4C, hands down. Not really an automatic, but a robotized twin-clutch manual. That's a bit of a stretch for your qualification, I know. But the way that car makes you feel every time you are behind the wheel, or even just looking at it, means that it should qualify. To me, anyway. Your mileage may vary.

Other than that, you won't find a more raw, non-assisted drive out there unless you go Ariel or Caterham. Lotus would be a close second to the Alfa, if you are into driving Tuperware.

If you must have the 3rd pedal in a basic driver's car, then the MX-5 Miata (oldest generation seems to be the favourite amongst pure enthusiasts, but you have to live with a pretty low output engine). Since we're on the subject of older models, a Honda S2000 is a good bet, if you don't mind continually flogging the engine to redline to get it to move at all. Honda, who are normally Jedi Masters of the torque band in small engines, really left all the grunt until the top end of the revs there from what I understand.

Almost anything modern is really a set of computers between you and the car. The new Mustang and Camaro are case in point. Doesn't mean you cannot have a ball with them though.

I hear that the Fiat 500 Abarth is a blast for the money. I just don't cotton to the looks.

Thank you. This is what I'm looking for. I LOLd at your Tupperware comment. You bring up great points about the miata and s2000. Again...the 370z always comes up for being well-rounded within an affordable range. I'm just trying to pick people's brains for other viable options and the 370z always keeps coming up. A dodge viper would be nice too, but not sure how economical/ practical that is.

A pure driver's car should in no way be practical! If it is, then it's a GT car.

Economical, perhaps. That would be the difference between a Miata and an old Alfa Spider. Both will generate a huge smile, but the latter might cost you a lot in maintenance.

It should, on occasion, scare the bejesus out of you, and make you want to stretch every 2-mile drive a 2-hour adventure.
It should drive you wild with rage in traffic or on straight, flat roads.

And it should probably have this on the window:
https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1..._960/image.jpg

And let's not forget the Datsun 2000 sports car; the Triumph TR8 w/ GM 215ci. alum. V8; the Jaguar XK120, XK140 and XK150 sports cars; also the Jag XKE of course; the MGC w/ Healey 6cyl.; the Morgan Plus 8 with the GM 215ci. alum. V8; the Sunbeam Tiger w/ Ford 260ci. or 289ci. V8........ to name a few more.

I did have a 73 Datsun 240Z, after my 71 TR6, but one of my coworkers at the same base had a sweet blue Volvo P1800E. Very rare these days. There's a guy in New York state I believe who has turned over 2,000, 000 miles on his P1800. Volvo wants to buy it from him , but he won't sell. He's had it written up in several newspaper s & various car magazines. To think I got rid of my 2015 Mazda Miata GT with 7400 miles on it .....................
I'm happy with my Z:tiphat:

93-94 Nissan Sentra SE-R
Nissan pulsar GTi-R

Any model Lotus - I had 3 different Lotus Esprit Turbo's - Mid engine + enthusiast with minimal tech - easy to live with fab looks and performance. I miss all of them.
Fiat X19 with fuel injection / Fiat Spider 2000
Early Z's
Brit roadsters - TR6 etc
308/328 Ferrari - yes expensive but very much a drivers car
Alfa Spider/Alfa Romeo GTV-6/Alfetta GT

Modern: Alfa 4C/BMW M2/M235i manual but mine is auto(since 'enthusiast' implies manual) BRZ/FRS/ BMW Z3 coupe - great track rocket.

The 500 Abarth is indeed as close as you can get to street legal go-kart, and is really just a machine designed to destroy cheap tires... And yes, it's as ugly as sin.

I love mine though; it's this little harmless econobox looking thing that weighs just shy of 2000 pounds, generates 225+ horses, and sounds amazing for a 4-pot motor smaller than a 2-liter of soda. :)

My Abarth was simply superb machine! I bought this one new in 2009. I took this picture with a very basic Samsung non smart phone camera. It was so good the pic was chosen for the 2010 Abarthforum.de calendar here in Germany. I was so proud LOL :) :tup:

C5/C6 z06. straight raw v8 power.

1973 - Datsun - 240Z

Beautiful!

The project car I was asking about in my other thread is a 73 240z. :tup:

Jensen Interceptor

93 mazda RX7 was my favorite drivers car to date.

A hypotheticaltical list of current cars would be ..

Ferrari 488

Corvette ZR1

Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio

Porsche 911 GT3

Chevy Colorado ZR2

:iagree: My FD3S was such a magical car where you actually feel connected as one with the car, kinda like a sportbike and it produces many years of smiles per gallon and my grin was ear to ear, man I miss that car.

NA or NB Miata. Nothing that you don’t need and everything you want. Plus putting the roof down makes you feel even more connected to the driving experience.

'17~'18 Viper ACR. A car that will scare the chit out of you, or kill you. :tup: :driving:
Gumpert Apollo. Just to be different. Plus the prices on them is starting to go up.
Ferrari 488 GT3. :driving: