Alternative car?

[phazed]

A bit of advice required from you guys.

I run a sorted TVR for play and TDs which Ii really enjoy,..............when it's dry.

I've recently attended a couple of really wet TDs and you might as well stay at home.

Now please don't say that wet days teach you all sorts of things, I don't want to know.

My Tiv is brilliant in the dry and lethal in the wet. Yes, you can drive it in the wet but Miss daisy will be passing you!

Here's the thing, about 4 years ago I did a Combe TD in winter, sleeting wet, the worst conditions.
I left the tiv at home and took my remapped VRS Octavia which I had only used on the road. What a day, I loved it.
Yes traction, yes ABS etc, etc.

I wasn't cheating, it was real world fun and I loved it. That was the only time I used it on track because I have been so lucky with the weather on TDs.

Sooo, after years of family 4x4s I believe it's time to put the daily ML out to pasture.

Logic states, buy at least a front wheel drive replacement, better still something with 4x4 underpinnings.
Something fast, capable, safe in the wet, (and on the road) and won't break the bank mpg wise.

I do about 15K miles a year, meet clients and need to keep a respectable image, (not the old cliche "boy racer").

Budget, about 6-8K.

This is an honest question as I don't keep up to date with the last 10 years of cars.

?


Edited to say, yes this will be used on track. So capable but not hardcore!

Edited by phazed on Saturday 25th July 23:32

[motorhole]

Subaru Legacy Spec B? Mazda 6 MPS? Audi A4 Quattro? Perhaps even an S4.

Trying to avoid the obvious Golf R32/Subaru Impreza candidates if trying to avoid a 'boy racer' image.

[Itsallicanafford]

A 330d is a cracking car, a manual E90 saloon or even a E91 touring.

There was one doing the rounds at snetterton at a track day earlier in the year, quick car.

Or better still, how much is an early D3 Alpina??

[phazed]

Yes but in the wet all over the place.

That's the question, daytime car with wet track potential.

[Itsallicanafford]

It doesn't need 4wd to be good in the wet?

I did over 100k miles in a couple of E92's, cannot remember them handling badly in the wet...

In the snow, now that was abit different...

[phazed]

Push it on a track and it's completely different, really!