Track rats can continue to buy the hard top version. I don’t see why a convertible with that engine would be a bad thing. Seems pretty fun to me. Besides, who says it has to go to a track? I bet 90% of those “track specials” never see a track either.

Had a WRX w/ 2 kids and it was just fine the entire time as long as you didn’t carry things you honestly didn’t need anyway. Plenty of room in the back for a stroller and some other stuff. Had to sell the idea a bit to my now ex, though.

My advice is when parking next to an island, park on the downhill side. Otherwise you’re a target for runaway shopping carts, which can do a lot of damage if the hill is long. Ask me how I know.

They say that the LSD takes away from the steering feel. It was an option on the Fed-Spec Elise, but Lotus recommended against it for most uses.

These have a lot going for them. They were popular with the media when new, produced in low numbers for the US, and were basically legislated out of existence. The odds we’ll see another federalized sub 2,000 lb car again are slim.

I would definitely do it if I could get un-grayed. I’ve posted here on and off for years now, and can’t figure out how that’s supposed to happen.

Palmyra? I can probably give you a ride home from Kerbeck, haha. I could even do it in a moderately interesting car.

How does one cut $2,825 of cost (more than 20%) out of a $12,825 Versa? I bet Nissan doesn’t even spend that much on the engine and transmission for those things.

How about a Kei-car pickup truck or van?

Lotus Elise. Because you don’t even have to drive like a hooligan to ruin it. Pulling on the A-pillar while climbing over the tall side sills to get in or out risks cracking the windshield. The car body is essentially made from two large clamshells that together cost almost the current market value of the car to…

Leave it to VW to come up with automatic *post*-collision braking.

Dodge Caravan. It was a VAN built on a CAR platform to be more car-like than a regular van was, and it could carry a group of people in a caravan. It's a Car. It's a Van. It's a Caravan.

Lotus Elise Series 2

Can't say that I really understand the hate for Lotus on this site. Nobody actually bought any of the lightweight cars. They've been selling around ~200 cars a year or so in the US for the last several years. It's hard to sustain a car company and dealer network on ~200 cars a year, when you aren't selling $400,000…