There are buyers at every point on the price curve.

That's another 30%. If you have a $20k budget for a car, another $6k is kind of a big deal. That's just how I look at it but like you said, at the $200k level this kind of thinking may not apply.

[1989: General view of tyres being hand cut before the Belgian Grand Prix at the Spa circuit in Belgium. Photo and caption credit: Pascal Rondeau/Allsport/Getty Images]

C'mon Torch - do the Jeremy Clarkson! "Seat heaters on, A/C on full, pedal to the floor. POWAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" Then you'd get to drive that sweet Aspire.

Without a doubt, BMW M3 CSL. Hands down.

Looks nice

God, I had a blue 1980 hatchback as my first car. Loved that thing!

Yes.

Volvo 480

Could not agree more, specifically the R32 in my opinion, but all of them look very clean.

The original VW Rabbit. Boxy perfection. My 1975 Rabbit was a trooper when I lived in the city. Never let me down. Yes it was a slushbox, but it was cute as a button, easy to park and simple to work on.

I've got three.

I'm going with the non-M Z3 Coupe, as trim and complete as any BMW body should be. Plus it checks off all of the Jalop boxes for the ideal vehicle.

Peugeot 205

I think the Mk4 Golf has a very clean and simple. It really defined what all hatchbacks would look like for the 2000's. That said, it still looks old, but not 15 years old.

Perhaps - but otherwise, for the $20k 'challenge', I'd still pick some form of E39. I had a 528it manual, and sold it at around 130k miles. It was extremely reliable and fun too.