From the performance standpoint alone. Late model STi = moar faster than mk6 Golf R, no? Personally I wouldn't have bought that instead (worse interior and worse fuel mileage and it's uglier), it was just the comparison car I heard about online when the R came out. Actually I think the phrase I heard most among…

Got two M3s and a FoST in the driveway, so I clearly I do like the tarted-up versions of stuff occasionally. ;-) Guess I'm just too poor for the Golf R.

Good point, but not everybody wants or needs all the bells and whistles. That's why I paid like $23k for a no-options, three-pedal, 5-door mk6 GTI instead, and I didn't think the Golf R was $12k better than that car. I see your point about its price relative to a loaded GTI, but 35k was also getting well into the…

Yep. The more room inside was a huge part of my FoST vs FiST dilemma about three months ago because of all the time I spend on the road. It's also got quite a lot more power (mine has since dyno'd 242whp/280wtq SAE bone stock on a Dynojet.) Once I realized I could get $3k off a FoST but only maybe $300 off a FiST, the…

Give it time I guess, and the FiST will be commonly available for 3+ grand under sticker like the FoST is/was (not sure if some of those cash rebate deals expired at the end of 2013, but anyone with a bit of internet savvy can get x-plan pricing anytime.) That was part of what made the decision a no-brainer for me.…

Perhaps they also sat around on dealer lots for so long because they were 35+ grand (and/or not 10+ grand better/faster than the GTI...)

Yep. My no-options '14 Focus ST was like 21.8k (pre-taxes) two months ago. At the time nobody was dealing on the Fiesta equivalent.

Or you could get a no-options '14 Focus ST for under 22k two months ago. Bonus, it's not screwed together in Mexico. It's also closer to E46 sized in terms of cabin space... and acceleration for that matter.

I believe that's a late model Ford Focus "chase car"

Thanks for the story. Reminds me of all the things I love about the basically stock white '04 coupe I picked up this summer. After years of E36 M3 enjoyment I finally stepped up once prices came down to a reasonable level, and it really is "more of everything" in the best way possible. I may have this car forever.

On the dyno at PAS.

Hey that looks like Alex's car.

300SL steering wheel tilted:

My E46 has a "SOS" button on the bottom right of the rearview mirror. I've almost pressed it a couple of times but have no idea what it actually does. Maybe I should read that book thing in the glovebox sometime.

The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) already announced something similar called "Spec CopCar" earlier this year. ;-) https://www.facebook.com/nasaproracing/…

Typo. Mike Skeen (no "e" on the end) www.mikeskeen.com

Update: they moved the corner stations/barriers and added some curbing also. Here's what it looks like now,

You mean "fuel mileage"... gas mileage on a TDI is -zero- mpg ;-)

Is this the hit? About 2:55 in,