Carrera GT

Would it have a sunroof? : )

JM993

Here's my pick for greatest "tank" of the 80's. I've owned 2 E30 325is' and without question think they are absolutely the finest cars BMW ever built. Like the 528e mentioned earlier, the 325is uses the same M20 inline 6 with a more agressive head. Weighing in a 2700lbs it's not slow with 168hp. And they handle wonderfully with tons of feel that newer BMW drivers can only dream of.

Best of all these cars are bulletproof. My last one had 225K miles on it when I sold it to my brother-in-law. Still going strong on it's original!! auto transmission.

My current 5sp car (below) has 140K miles on it and is as strong as ever. It is largely stock with just a JC Chip, Koni shocks, M3 springs, M3 steering rack and 16" wheels. Like my 993, I will never sell this car. It will be fun to see how many miles I can put on it.

And yes I'd buy a new one if they re-released it. Unlike Porsches, BMWs have not improved.

rnln

I would, brand new, with original 20-30 years price, not the 996 or 997 price.

DARISC

If the Lotus 7 had remained extant and evolved along the same path that the Porsche 911 has, it would be more powerful, faster, quicker, more comfortable, have more creature comforts, weigh perhaps 800 to 1000 lbs more, cost beaucoup bucks more and have an entirely different customer customer base, a large percentage of whom would not be any more interested in owning an early 7 than the large percentage of Porsche's current customer base are interested in owning an early 911.

The remaining, much smaller, percentage of Porsche owners who would, do (or are planning or striving to) own an air cooled ancestor of the current car and put forth much effort, money and comradery to keep them alive and on the road rather than let them pass into extinction. A probably significant number of that small percentage comprise the membership of forums such as this wherein they share their enamorment with a vehicle which is based on a number of innate qualities and characteristics which no longer exist or have evolved into something a quite bit removed from the feel and appeal that our "Real" Porsches attract us with.

I'm not surprised by the number of posts wherein the poster laments having gotten rid of their T, SC or Carrera when they bought a newer, more evolved model. Nor am I surprised by the lack of posts wherein the poster expresses glee and delight, having done so. I can't but suspect that, in lthe latter cases, the reason is that they may never have been as enamored as those of us who are not interested at all in giving up enjoying our daily seduction by our old cars.

Those who have may very likely now be as enthusiastically participating in a forum dealing with their newer breed of Porsche and not looking back at all.

Hey, whatever floats your boat.

DARISC

I just read Markandkimmies post - YES! Had I not already gone on so, I was going to opine on that as well (Exige/Elise) and the rest said says it all!

GothingNC

Nissan purchased a few old 240Z's from the US and refurbished them in Japan and sold them as a "new" car" for a while.

http://www.geocities.com/~z-car/rebuild.html

Goal was 200 cars but they only completed 40.

ked

for you Lotus / nextgen / alternative sports cars enthusiasts...
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=116204

marcandkimmie

It's hard to describe without actually getting in one to experience it for yourself, but I'll take a stab at trying to explain it.

My 89 C4 ... or a 2006 Carrera for that matter are "cars". Get into one and immediately you know you're in something special. Start the engine, listen to the bark (especially in the air cooled 89 C4)...what a sound. Now put it in gear and drive away...smoothly, effortlessly, pretty quietly...well pretty much like any well built sporty automobile. Keep driving slowly, go over a bump and you feel a firm but supple reaction from the suspension. Turn on the stereo, the AC, and have a nice conversation on your cell phone. Truly a great car...truly a very well built German car. Now you're on the highway. Such a surprisingly smooth ride for a sports car. You go up to speed and there is no drama at all. Just relatively quiet cruising.

Is there anything wrong with this? No...but honestly it is a bit boring. Now take these same cars on seriously winding roads like there are in parts of North Carolina or north Georgia. Drive them fast and hard and the newer 911's (from 89 up) suddenly transform into "hell on wheels" incredibly capable road rockets. Trouble is: until you find a great winding road or an on-ramp and gun the throttle, the cars are sedate.

Enter the 3.2. Start the engine. Thrill to the initial bark then the swirling whine it makes. Put it in 1st and drive off slowly. Immediately you will notice the difference. Every tiny bump is transfered to your hands through the wheel...to your but on the seat. Even at 25 MPH you ARE the car. Speed up a little and the noise behind you is pure music. The exhaust literally purrs, the engine whines like it has a supercharger...the car communicates with you. You are not isolated from anything. You experience everything. "Horse and Rider In Perfect Harmony".

Now take it on the highway. It's effortless steering and light weight allow you to toss it around wherever you want. It does not fight back or delay in its response. You think...it moves. You look down and realize you are only goin 60 but you are having the time of your life. A stupid grin is painted on your face...and it won't go away. The sounds, the feedback, the tossability all collaborate to make the 3.2 as much fun on a 45 MPH straightaway as the later cars are on twisty roads. ... until you take the 3.2 on a twisty road. Then you are in for the best time of your life!

I hope this helps.

- Marc

Porscheby40

Thanks for the summary of what a 3.2 Carrera is like. I've never even been in one, but I plan to get one sometime in the next couple of years. I'd like to get a '84-88 model, preferably a coupe in one of those gunmetal gray or blue metallic colors, the more original the better.

DARISC

If you like raw and visceral with less weight and don't need any of the additional creature comforts, better mpg and electronic FI that a Carrera offers, check out the SC as well. Look for an RoW car in either model if you want more stock hp and don't let the 915 trans scare you off - it's an arguable topic amongst Porsche people. FWIW I happen to prefer the 915 myself.

Good luck in your search.

Svaha

I've still got an '88 300E, approaching 200k, best beater I've ever owned. As far as air-cooled 911's go, in the current climate, they're simply outclassed in terms of horsepower. People that grew up loving these cars still love them and trade the used ones, but the next generation of 911 lovers want to be able to smoke whatever japanese/domestic 0-60 machine is produced. For me, there is something lacking in terms of playability in the new (water-cooled) derivatives of the 911. Much like video games today, where the emphasis seems to be on incredible graphics with little or no attention to actual fun/playability, the current 911's while extremely fast just seem to me to be at a disconnect from the driver compared with the older cars. I guess for me the ultimate 911 may remain the 993, while those a generation older than myself still hearken back even further, yearning for something raw and visceral that may never again be produced.

FotoVeloce

Very cool. Glad to see I'm not the only one straddly the divide. Actualy.. my W124 is more of a unifier.. having been partially hand assembed by Porsche...

Here is my cruise missle:


That red 3.2 in your first post was really stunning. Hm.. I damn near bought an 87 that looked just like that but the amount of smoke on startup and the fact it felt like it was low on compression, gave me much heartburn..

der Mond

Yes.

MarkSchu

Exactly!

svb

wow 500e.....i'm speechless