'Ring Weapon of Choice?

[MikeLenoch5]

Realist? My car has an m50 whoopty do. It's barely any faster than an m20 car. I'm just being real. Feeling fast and being fast are sometimes two different things but sometimes overlap.

To each his own. An M20 is brisk for me, never having driven anything with 300hp or more before.

[10Toes]

That I do want -- but I just wonder how hampered the M20 (or smaller yet) engine would be by the added weight.

Also -- have you driven an E30 touring yourself? How are they different in terms of handling from the coupes?

That's me driving one on the ring in the pic. You don't really notice any extra weight and handle the same but I have never driven a coupe and the touring that are set up the same back to back. An E30 will not be the fastest car out there but it will be fun and will be easy to modify to make it quicker. The only place where you really feel like you are lacking power with the M20 is climbing the hill out of Adenau.

[Eric]

That I do want -- but I just wonder how hampered the M20 (or smaller yet) engine would be by the added weight.

Also -- have you driven an E30 touring yourself? How are they different in terms of handling from the coupes?

My slow M20 was running consistent 8:30 BTG times, with my fastest being 8:22.

I took my M40 powered 318 touring once and ran around a 10 minute BTG time and the car felt great. I personally thought the added weight in the back balanced out the car nicely since E30's are usually front heavy. The shocks were toast before I took it, and beyond gone afterwards, so I never took it again as the sedan was much more fun.

[E30_Pare]

I kill with this car in GT5

[mcr_driver]

Toh mai gawd, isa vtac kar. es dat duh s2ghey? is sooo fasss....me wan dat so bahd buh es mo den tree fiddy.

[GillesBigCowboy]

I'd choose a 25yo touring with m20 to bond with at the ring.... Truly great car to bring home, especially after all the experiences you'll have. I'm sure a frenchyhatch would be fun, but I know I'd miss rwd.

[MikeLenoch5]

I'd choose a 25yo touring with m20 to bond with at the ring.... Truly great car to bring home, especially after all the experiences you'll have. I'm sure a frenchyhatch would be fun, but I know I'd miss rwd.

I sorta wholeheartedly agree...

[MikeLenoch5]

I kill with this car in GT5

I'm a worse driver in GT than in real life... that game, with it's pendular swing...

[E30_Pare]

The amuse s2k corners so fast waffleswaffleswaffles. Literally point it into the corner hit the gas & hold on. Hooks like a damn catapult out of the corner.

[agent]

I sorta wholeheartedly agree...

Uhhh... what?

[Roysneon]

My slow M20 was running consistent 8:30 BTG times, with my fastest being 8:22.

I took my M40 powered 318 touring once and ran around a 10 minute BTG time and the car felt great. I personally thought the added weight in the back balanced out the car nicely since E30's are usually front heavy. The shocks were toast before I took it, and beyond gone afterwards, so I never took it again as the sedan was much more fun.

Not saying that they can't be driven fast, they're just not a fast car in and of itself. You'd need a good driver to get the most of it.

Anyone who claims their car is 'fast' because of having a stock m20 is going to be laughed out of the room.

Basically all I'm saying is that the few extra pounds out back isn't going to slow you down too much and as Eric said, will only help to bring the weight balance closer to 50/50.

[MikeLenoch5]

Uhhh... what?

It's just that I agree, but don't want another E30.

[Berkut]

I feel the 318is's are the best value for money on the ring, you'll be able to get a relatively cheap prepared one, for V2 class, VLN/RCN racing one.
You can drive it on TF and race it on RCN/GLP. In the weekend you'll have one of the slower cars around, and going up the hill you better catch up on some reading but for most of the circuit it's brilliant fun when set up right.
Possible to get it down to 8:30 or less if driven right, it's all about momentum.

From your budget you'd manage to get a daily as well :p

The 1 series diesel is actually not bad, there was one that was constantly lapping, and lapping fast, harassing M3's. You NEED suspension and a proper diff on it though to be fun and in the end it'll still be a diesel.

[MikeLenoch5]

In case anyone's interested...

At the moment these are my current top choices:

- E36 M3
- Peugot 306 GTI
- Volkswagen Corrado VR6
- Renault Clio
- Ford Mondeo ST220

Bill Caswell said to me about E30 Tourings, "they are cool. But not that cool. Better is the story of the engineer who designed and built it!" I wonder what he's on about...?

[word is bond]

This is what Caswell is talking about:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF0CUaS0czk

Very cool story. I wish more companies would turn their engineer's side projects into legitimate products.

Lots of good stuff on your list. I think I'd go for the Clio. Please keep us updated when you go drive these.