Other plaid interiors:

Ooh, excellent. I don’t know how I overlooked that one. I’m going to the Mazda web site to see what MSRP on 2017 models is. I should also check curb weight of bmw 128/135 because that might fit what I’m looking for. Not sure about the weight, though.

No, not quite that in other words. I can track a Miata or a BRZ. I want something I can track “out of the box” (so Miata is out). I want a little bit more power than a BRZ. I can afford a Cayman, used, as a reasonable cross-shop to those other cars new. And that’s my current shopping list: brz, used cayman, Miata +…

You’re the first to bring up what is the central issue for me: weight. I want a light-weight RWD car. Oh yeah, there’s a second central issue; hardtop. I want a lightweight, RWD hardtop, with a little bit more power than the BRZ. And that’s what keeps the Z and the Miata out of my driveway. I want something…

Great article. I really liked it.

My first thought on seeing that pic, “why is there a bmw 318ti with those toyotas?”

Don’t those numbers put the power-to-weight ratio near that of a bmw e90 328i?

Probably good for snow loads. Big yard of them sitting out in winter? Tin roofs don’t buckle.

Old article, I know. I’m just reading it again now. I’ve been thinking: it seems that BMW needs to bifurcate the 3 series line. Maybe that’s what they tried to do with the m235i. Or maybe that’s what they try to do with trim levels, but it really seems like a car trying to satisfy both sides of a split identity:…

I don’t understand what you mean. Is “terrible bird dog” an idiom that I’m not familiar, or are you saying something more direct? I’m just curious. What are you trying to say about the M3?

Timeless styling and high quality, yes, that is what they should do. For luxury, I’d rather ride in this ‘86 300SDL then anything by e.g., infiniti.

I don’t get it. They put a brz in a wind tunnel?

I could be staring right at one of those, and I would forget it exisred.

Anything with James Earl Jones, especially if the anything is a Chrysler Lazer

I definitely agree. I have an ‘08 m3 and have started doing track days. One of my first big insights has been that I’m near certain everything will be more fun and more rewarding with a slower car. I’m even considering seeking out a straight trade for a low mileage or new brz. I guess I”m just not that crazy about sub…

fuck the neighbors. I guarantee you that guy wouldn’t hesitate to lend a floor jack, breaker bar, and torque wrench if any neighbor ever had a flat. Have them back on the road in minutes.

Contenders:
Chevy Vega (actually not ugly, so just a contender—didn’t quite make the cut)

Shelby Daytona. That roof line is actually, objectively wrong, and it is a mistake, and it makes the car ugly. But the car turns around and smashes your face in with an awesomeness hammer dipped in nacho cheese.

I know that everyone in the Jalopnik community will agree unanimously that the ZDX is only beautiful. However, I will take the bold stand that it is also ugly.

I’ll just leave this here and run away before anyone can throw anything at me