Recommend me a Ring / Alps car

[e46m3c]

What car would people recommend?

Must be able to:
cope with prolonged autobahn in comfort. 500+bhp is a bonus
take a beating on the ring and be involving to drive
Continue on for a beating in the alsp (so preferably convertible)
prolonged autobahn back to uk.

preferably 20k, 25k is doable 30k if its brill

Bonus points if it looks like a supercar.

XKR 5.0 vert (bit heavy)
SL55 amg (bit uninvolving)
C6 Vette Z51 Targa (bit st inside)
TVR Tuscan (not very waterproof)
997 911 C2S Vert (bit slow?)
E93 M3 Vert (possibly supercharged)
Aston Vantage (Beautify and vocal)
E63 M6 - On paper the perfect car. Perhaps too fugly.
RS4 Vert - Sounds good - Poor driving experiance id imagine, and its an audi. yuk

Let me also add. Ive done the whole 550bhp family wagon and jap awd thing. So they are pretty much out unless really special or cost effective.

Also it would be nice for it to be depreciation free.

Edited by e46m3c on Thursday 8th September 01:07

Edited by e46m3c on Thursday 8th September 01:19

[dlockhart]

The only car I can think of which would forfil all of your criteria is the Audi R8 conv.

but you cant buy them at that price.

So what are you willing to compromise on? for me I would give up on it being a convertible.

[JakeT]

Tall ask, that. SL55/SL63? Bit of a pudding, but would do all of that pretty well.

[snotrag]

I presume the 996 turbo boat has sailed out of this budget now?

[g7jhp]

Get a Caterham 7 R500....and some ear plugs!

[so called]

Tamora or T350T

But you already have a Tuscan don't you?

[Krikkit]

Don't think there's really anything that fits the bill to be honest - anything 500hp+ with enough comfort not to be a pain on the motorway, but still be exciting/involving on the ring needs some pretty trick adaptive dampers etc.

Chances are you'd struggle with something new, never mind <30k.

[thegreenhell]

Boxster S.

If that's not fast enough for you do an LS engine swap for the required 500 bhp

http://www.renegadehybrids.com

[e46m3c]

I like that idea green hell

Charged Z4M Roadster could be fun. That compromises on the looks department tho. And the vocals and they are very important.

Noble M12?

Edited by e46m3c on Wednesday 7th September 14:25

[TIGA84]

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/a...

[Ultrafunkula]

BMW M6 perhaps, not very supercar like though.

[edc]

I've taken my Boxsters 4 years in a row round the Alps/Pyrenees. Brilliant car for this sort of trip. Good brakes, Comfortable enough. Enough space, but most importantly good driving dynamics to exploit the roads. You can drive the car hard. On some uphill sections and at particularly high altitude it can feel a bit underpowered but where it really counts it excels. And yes, the roof down adds a different dimension. I can't pass comment n the SL55 but I have had a C55 AMG. That type of car is just nowhere near as fun in the Alps. It will be too soft, too heavy and overheat your brakes. If you are more about the crusing then yes a more GT style car could suit. You can barely use 500bhp when going remotely downhill in the Alps anyway.

[Byker28i]

TVR Tuscan (not very waterproof) - really? One of the better roof designs plus the removable rear window.
Only downside is the reduction in boot space.

[Byker28i]

RS 6 V8 bi valve?

http://kilverstonecars.co.uk/listing/rs6-500-bhp/

[soad]

snotrag said:

I presume the 996 turbo boat has sailed out of this budget now?

It has.

[Byker28i]

Alternative suggestions, should be fun hustling these around

Jag XKR Supercharged?

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/j...


Bentley Continental GT
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...

[VX0075]

Lotus Exige, or Elise dependent on budget.

I've taken my VX220 supercharged out to Alps/Ring but that's not in your budget (too cheap! :P)

[Byker28i]

Allegedly a 668bhp Focus for £13k
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/f...

A mustang?
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/f...

[Byker28i]

Zenos? You'd have to have the E10S
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/z...

[walm]

VX0075 said:

Lotus Exige, or Elise dependent on budget.

I've taken my VX220 supercharged out to Alps/Ring but that's not in your budget (too cheap! :P)

Motorways get pretty tiring in anything Elise-based, IME.
Let alone the autobahn!