Airbag997

The GTI is even better IMO. The only car I fell in love with was my E46 M3 competition package.....what a great car.

Akunob

neurotic

I haven't driven a single car on your list. but I'd pick the CGT time and time again--everything I know about that car came from youtube

Archimedes

GTI is a great value but the AWD and additional power are what drew me to the R. I liked my E46 M3 a lot, but the rear subframe issue was always hanging over that car.

CAlexio

There is a man on instagram who has owned many many cars, including TWO mclaren f1's... he says that the CGT is his favorite car EVER to drive. Enough said I think.

ipse dixit

I think there is a major difference between favorite care to drive, versus favorite car to own.

And I don't mean own as in "investment type of ownership" but own as in living with it day to day, maintenance, up keep, insurance, etc.

Love to drive a CGT. Wouldn't want to own one.

gago1101

gtr

OldGuy

If you are going to spend $40k on a VW then why not stretch out for $20K more for the 650HP 650 lb-ft of torque ZL1 Camaro? I have a buddy
who is a cardiologist and he likes it more than his Z06. If you get one a couple years old with less than 30,000 miles for around for $30,000
Thats got to be a fun car for that price and a lot less than that ugly Civic R. Geesh that whole Honda line is EXACTLY what happens when you have design by committee. I'm surprised it wasn't designed by GM actually.

gago1101

I would theoretically take a lightly used Z28 camaro for 40K, but ended up with an Alfa Giulia sport as my commuter car. Wow.. just wow! Much more fun for daily than my late 15' M3 or the Focus ST. If you haven't driven one, I promise that you will smile the first turn you take in this car. And few should complain about its looks.

OldGuy

disden

Jrtaylor9

This has gone way OT. So, why not one more:

CJ, you list 997 RS.1. Seems like it's always slighted as a cosmetic-only update to the 997.1 gt3. And, performance-wise, the red-headed middle step child between 996gt3 and 997.2rs darlings. Looks-wise, maybe you could argue it's the best of them all (but that's totally subjective)?

I have a soft-spot for my 997.1rs because a 997.1gt3 was my first ever 911. Even the first click of the 3.6 Mezger turning over is a nostalgic event for me. However, I'm curious why you listed the 997 rs.1 as perfectly executed car over its older and younger siblings? I realize 7-4.0 is listed. So maybe the 3.8 falls short JUST for that reason?

Mvez

The 3.6 motor spun free-er, sounded better, and felt a bit more special and smoother, despite it's lower power ratings to the 3.8. Not to mention it was more reliable.

7.1RS was my first 911 also, so I'm probably a bit biased as well. But that launch orange and black livery is iconic, and IMO really started the modern era GT car craze. 996 lacked the looks, 997.2RS was certainly a faster, more aggressive car, but I don't think it created quite the emotional response that the .1RS did.

Pretty sure my Rennlist join date of late 2007 corroborates that emotional response. I bet I watched that track launch video 100 times when it first came out. I would guess the uptick in Rennlist subscribers in that timeframe is also quite high.

C.J. Ichiban

Why the RS.1? With all due respect to 996 RS (a 997 is a 997)

1) a shocking bold launch color
2) hyped to the moon- delivered.
3) EXTREMELY RELIABLE (45+ track days in mine)
4) no centerlocks so Track nuts like me could trailer their car, slap Hoosier tires on and do 3 day mancations across the region and then come home, change oil, pads, etc and go do it again. All solo with no pit crew.
5) it made rennlist better. NO BS about PTS etc. just camber, alignment, trail braking, etc. posting track lap videos! It elevated ownership in a golden age of semi tech.
6) it really only had two issues: putting in bucket seats and a rear main seal leak from people letting their cars sit. But RMS was covered under warranty.
7) looked exactly like the cup car.
8) amazing gearbox - unkillable.

While I love the 3.8RS, it was simply an incremental improvement - they literally took what we were doing to modify our .1's for the track (lower control arms, bucket seats, cup car final drive, exhaust mod, trying to get to 450hp) and simply made the car like that out of the box.

The 4.0 was a HUGE league above the 3.6 but the 3.8 was basically as good as my 40 track day modded 3.6. And the 3.8 ushered in all these fruitcake options that turned rennlist from the colosseum into fashion week.