What car shortlist help please - will 2 into 1 go ?

[DeadMeat_UK]

So I have had a much-loved 993 for 4+ years. Still love it to bits. Our only car for first 2 years of our ownership.
Missus has a Tiguan Diesel Auto company car, which has had the nuts specced out of it and is a very nice place to be and a good general use vehicle.

Missus dislikes driving the 993 and we'll probably struggle for that to be the only vehicle when she leaves her current job.
She is taking redundancy so will have cash to input into whatever we get from the pork when we sell it (SOB!!)

So looking at the positive side, I think we'll have around 40k for a new general purpose toy. I've started wildly short/long/wish listing, but need help from the PH collective brain. What haven't I thought of, what have I misrepresented ?
It was easy with the Porsche, I knew I always wanted one. I think the Aston fits the same bill but I'm worried about the practicality of owning one.

Requirements - ME
- Not a "standard" production car e.g. Mondeo, Focus, 3 series etc etc. Must have a "presence".
- GT Driving. I've done sports cars, I want slightly more comfort and toys, but a-b quickly and engagingly is good.
- 4 or rear wheel drive
- Not garage jewelry, must be able to hack weekly few runs to gym and supermarket. It will however be parked in a garage when not in use.
- Not heavy on consumables, no brake pad replacement every 4000 miles.
- Preferably not too thirsty (but willing to make exceptions!)
- Tin top.

Requirements - HER
- Auto preferably (I want to test drive a PDK type contraption but think I might be ok with that).
- More load capacity than the pork (negotiable !!)
- Easier to drive than the 993 (read nearer to GT than Sports car)
- Gurl taste

Shortlist:
Aston V8V (I would love one, but will it be ok for short runs, reliable, managable to run, not be too scary to leave in a car park at the supermarket)
997 PDK (I need to persuade her it's a different kettle of fish to the 993 with a test drive, and that she can carry less luggage :-).
GT-R Running costs/consumables ?
Z4M She likes them, but she liked our old Z3M more than the 993, so what does she know :-)
350/370Z. She likes them, I like the look of them, but not sure if it's different/classic enough and it's back nearer sports than GT.

The outsiders
New shape Scoobydoo (luxury enough ?)
Audi RS something-or-other (bit mainstream ?)
Infiniti Coupe, Infinity Crossover - A bit different !
Jaguar XKR or XF - seem like damn good cars, but we both need to get over the old-man thing.
6M - Will it feel mahoooosive to drive around in ?
Cayenne (I think we'd even spit at ourselves, but it'd be a damn good car).

Already discounted (won't go into reasons don't want to start flame wars !)
1,3,5 series M
Boxster, Cayman
Any Mercedes (unless there's one that's compact, fast and doesn't look like I'm driving my missus car).
Focus ST and equivalents from other manufacturers.
Lotus (BTDT)

[alfa pint]

I'd be looking at either of the jags tbh. Neither of them are old man's cars like the older ones used to be and the interior of the XF is a lovely place to be stuck in.

[Bill]

I'd struggle to get past the V8V but reading your requirements the XKR is what came to mind.

[aeropilot]

DeadMeat_UK said:

Jaguar XKR - seem like damn good cars, but we both need to get over the old-man thing.

XK-R

This 'old man' image of 'R' type Jags keeps coming up on PH and I just don't get it - and it seems no one can actually say why it is and just keeps spouting the same old same old...??

Perhaps it's because I am now 'old' and can remember when I was a kid and the then, coolest young guys on the planet (e.g. Steve McQueen and George Best) had fast Jags..... so I've never thought of them as 'old mans' cars - ever.

[cheadle hulme]

Jag XKR is very un Jag like to me (thats a good thing).
Maserati GranSport, possibly a GranTurismo for a few dollars more than your budget.

[DeadMeat_UK]

aeropilot said:

XK-R

This 'old man' image of 'R' type Jags keeps coming up on PH and I just don't get it - and it seems no one can actually say why it is and just keeps spouting the same old same old...??

Perhaps it's because I am now 'old' and can remember when I was a kid and the then, coolest young guys on the planet (e.g. Steve McQueen and George Best) had fast Jags..... so I've never thought of them as 'old mans' cars - ever.

I think it's just how we grew up - the car in front was always an old XJ, driven (well, wafted) by a wannabe company director in a trilby at speed limit - 10. Walnut and pipe tobacco interior :-)

Agree the generation before, and the generation after are a different breed, but it's soaked into our psyche, just like when you see a Saxo you know in your bones it's a spotty 19 year old, and a Micra is someone on their way home from bingo, or church.

[DeadMeat_UK]

cheadle hulme said:

Jag XKR is very un Jag like to me (thats a good thing).
Maserati GranSport, possibly a GranTurismo for a few dollars more than your budget.

Mazers have never set me alight for some reason. Can't work out why, I should like them, but I don't.

[smartie]

Why not keep the 993 and just spend £20K on a Rangie or Tourag or similar? Seems like that's the arrangement you have at the mo and it works?

[kambites]

Sounds like you want exactly what the XK does best, to me.

[RobM77]

M6 would be good. I've only been in a 645i, which I must admit left me a bit cold. The M6 might be a different beast though.

997 C2S is a good call for that money.

I would have said the Aston V8V until yesterday, when I was reading on another thread how a guy who owned one really hated it, and for genuine reasons. I'm sorry, but I can't remember the thread now.

I guess a Maser would be too expensive to service and run? Or would it? Worth a look.

Edited to comment on the Jag: I'm sure the Jag's great, but personally I can't get over it's err... 'challenging' looks. I also can't forget when it first appeared on Fifth Gear, the presenter sat in it and blipped the throttle and there was a huge delay before the engine responded. Yuk. Worth a test drive though! I'd buy an ugly car if it drove really well.

Edited by RobM77 on Thursday 3rd February 17:31

[frosted]

Cayenne or Toureg would be something I would be looking at . Not sure on the Porsche but the vw has decent running costs , I ran one for 9 months 2.7 tdi iirc , smallest engine but loaded with kit

[obscene]

First thing which came to mind was a Jag. Get one.

[DeadMeat_UK]

Hmmmm interesting about the jag. Thing is, I googles around a bit last night and it really doesn't set me alight on the looks front. Far too pretty. The v8v just makes me want to have it's babies.

I'll be sure to test dive an XK-r and look at a few more closely in the flesh though. I also need more convincing on the why not v8v argument.

Surprised at the lack of votes for the Nissan gtr as well.

[aeropilot]

DeadMeat_UK said:

I'll be sure to test dive an XK-r and look at a few more closely in the flesh though. I also need more convincing on the why not v8v argument.

It depends on how much the missus is going to drive it I guess..?
The Jag has a superb auto gearbox (with good manual shift paddles if you need them)
The Aston Sportshift is an AMT, and from what I've read, perhaps requires a bit more 'technique' to driving it. Probably great for you, might not be so great for the other half..... but thats maybe not an issue?

DeadMeat_UK said:

Surprised at the lack of votes for the Nissan gtr as well.

Because it takes Jap techno wizardry too far, has obscene running costs for a 'fast Datsun' and has that horrid 'playstation' interior...... perhaps

[Bill]

aeropilot said:

Because it takes Jap techno wizardry too far, has obscene running costs for a 'fast Datsun' and has that horrid 'playstation' interior...... perhaps

From my perspective (as in I haven't driven or even been in any of them ) it lacks that lust factor. I'm sure it's a technical tour de force but it just leave me cold.

[RobM77]

aeropilot said:

DeadMeat_UK said:

Surprised at the lack of votes for the Nissan gtr as well.

Because it takes Jap techno wizardry too far, has obscene running costs for a 'fast Datsun' and has that horrid 'playstation' interior...... perhaps

I expect many of us won't have a huge amount of experience with these sorts of cars and are purely going from what's written on paper. On paper, the GTR is a big heavy four wheel drive car, which is the exact opposite of what I expect most of us want out of a car, even a GT.

If, in actual fact, it's a hoot to drive, we will only discover by driving one, and few of us have done that I expect.

[wezo]

It might not be quite "exclusive" enough, but have you thought about an S5, personally I would go for one of those over a 6 series, but getting past the Aston first of all would be very difficult I must say.

[schmalex]

My money would go on either an XKR or a C63AMG with Performance Pack (I know you said no Merc's, but surely that's an exception?).

How about really leftfield with a VXR8 Bathurst S? Although, it may be a struggle to love the badge

and the depreciation!

and possibly the fuel consumption

But that noise has got to be worth it, no?

Edited by schmalex on Friday 4th February 10:58

[aeropilot]

DeadMeat_UK said:

I also need more convincing on the why not v8v argument.

Only other thing is budget though with the Vantage, as you said you'd want auto/AMT, and you might be struggling to get a Sportshift Vantage for 40k though...... can only find about 3 for sale at the moment under 50k and they are only just under that figure....????

[DeadMeat_UK]

RobM77 said:

aeropilot said:

DeadMeat_UK said:

Surprised at the lack of votes for the Nissan gtr as well.

Because it takes Jap techno wizardry too far, has obscene running costs for a 'fast Datsun' and has that horrid 'playstation' interior...... perhaps

I expect many of us won't have a huge amount of experience with these sorts of cars and are purely going from what's written on paper. On paper, the GTR is a big heavy four wheel drive car, which is the exact opposite of what I expect most of us want out of a car, even a GT.

If, in actual fact, it's a hoot to drive, we will only discover by driving one, and few of us have done that I expect.

PHers come in all shapes and forms, so I did expect some people who'd thrown them around and had a good opinion.

Agree on the playstation and the numbers although it seems to be sold as a get you from a to b as quickly as possible in all conditions car. But driver involvement will suffer a lot I expect.