Sports saloons vs sports cars

[Wills2]

I have an M5 but money no object I'd have a 991 turbo S or 991 GT3 as my only car.

[edc]

For pure driving fun and enjoyment I prefer a sports car.

I get the appeal of an all rounder car but ultimately it's a compromise. I've just committed to a C55 as well as the current Boxster so can have the best of both worlds

[RobM77]

plenty said:

RobM77 said:

If it were 10%, plenty's statement would make sense, but it's way, way more than that. I've owned two Caterhams, an Elise and a 2-Eleven and have owned several sports saloons (325i, 328i, 330i) and driven many others (M3, RS4, AMG etc) and you can barely compare them - the differences are huge. As for AWD sports saloons, as mentioned in plenty's post, they're even less fun and to be honest I'd enjoy a boggo 3 series far more than an RS4. That's all my personal opinion of course. I'm not sure I see the problem with bad weather to be honest, other than having to put the roof on. I know I'm not the only person on here who used his Elise all year round as an everyday car - the only thing that relegates them to second cars (as mine eventually was) is the noise cruising on the motorway and the lack of practicality (two seats, no roof bars, no tow bar etc).

The M5 and the Elise is a good combo!

otolith said:

I would not get 90% of the enjoyment of a lightweight sports car from a big fast barge, but if someone else does, they are probably better cut out for barge ownership than I am. I can understand why some people might, if (for example) acceleration is all they care about.

That's a big leap from my statement to concluding that "acceleration is all [I] care about." Like you, I love all aspects of what makes drivers' cars enjoyable. I'd be willing to bet that I spend a lot more time driving for pure pleasure than you do, in fact.

My 90% figure comes not from barges but from the best-handling and most usable sports saloons, such as Megane 265/275, M135i, Golf R. It's pretty evident my requirement for high performance in all weathers is greater than either of you and I am prepared to sacrifice the last word in finesse for it.

There are situations where I would also enjoy a boggo 3 series more than an RS4, but I'd enjoy the RS4 more of the time and I'd enjoy any of the aforementioned sports saloons much more of the time.

I must confess, performance per se is not a great requirement of mine, moreso enjoyment, which I get from feedback, poise, handling balance and the sensations of driving, which are all far far greater in a Lotus than a typical sorts saloon. As for the 'all weather performance', I can understand the 4WD cars, but surely an Exige has much more wet weather traction and grip than a 135i? That aside though, like Otoloth, I actually enjoy wet weather driving because there's less grip.