I tend to believe what a person drives is a reflection of their personality. The theory may not seem to hold up in every case but the ones arguing against are usually the ones driving boring four door sedans like a Camry or whatever their soulless appliance of choice may be. I will readily admit it’s going to mean more to me since I tend to give the subject more thought than it’s worth but it should give sufficient background as to why my next car might be a difficult choice.

In the past, the basis for buying a new car was much simpler. I was either extremely passionate about one particular car and didn’t bother to test drive anything else (Miata, RX-7) or just wanted more of the same but better in every way (S2000). Finding a replacement for the S2000 was an unfamiliar situation, however. There was absolutely no pressing need as my car was in excellent mechanical shape and I wasn’t overly drawn to another car, I simply felt I was done with the Honda and ready to conquer new territory.

It’s rather unfortunate that Mazda has not continued development of a rotary-engine sports car. And sticking the same engine in the Rx-8 for seven years with only a very minor facelift does not constitute continued development. It is one of the most unique driving experiences and they’re content to let themselves be outclassed year after year by the competition. I’m still very passionate about the rotary but the only one worth owning these days is going on fifteen years old and as I proved quite handily, I am not the able-bodied mechanic required to keep it on the road. I believe Mazda has the ability, resources and even most of the development there to make it but I imagine the market for a $40k+ Mazda sports car is not.

Back to the matter at hand. While I place a high value on the performance a car offers, style is certainly a consideration as well. I want to look at my car and every time think, “Wow.” My requirements were relatively simple. Keep the weight down, two seats (as more than that and it was certainly an engineered compromise) and fantastic handling with a defining characteristic that sets it apart. Over the last year I spent a time fawning over a few cars that fit this criteria, and in no particular order:

Porsche Cayman S

BMW Z4 M Coupe

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (C6)

Porsche 997 C2S

Lotus Elise

Porsche 996 Turbo

Only now do I realize Porsche showed up three times on that list which is odd because two years ago I couldn’t stand anything they made. It started with the Cayman S. A downright gorgeous car and one of the few mid-engine coupes on the market under 100K. This engine configuration tends to be of the exotic nature but in the Porsche it actually manages to be quite practical. With the standard Porsche frunk up front and a decent boot thanks to the hatchback, it somehow managed to be the most practical car on the list. Unfortunately it never felt any faster than my RX-7, which was a terrible sensation when I was looking at a brand new example for about $65,000. Inside it just felt a bit “blah” with its Boxster interior and since the car’s performance was limited by the marketing department as to not compete with the base 911, you couldn’t help but wonder what might have been if they’d given it a fighting chance. It’s one thing to design a car so a limited slip differential is not needed (Elise) but it’s an entirely different matter to omit one because you don’t want it to be faster around a track than your brand’s bread and butter Carrera C2. Only now are they letting the platform breathe a bit with the new DFI 3.4L, PDK and a LSD but I’m not quite sure it’s worth $70K+ when the 2006s are going for high 30s and give you 90% of the experience.

I must admit I had an unexpected amount of fun in the BMW M Coupe. It is certainly a love it or hate it design and obviously I’m in the camp that enjoys the clownshoe look to it. Despite having more power than the Cayman it ends up being a wash with the extra weight. Being that the E46 M3 was ~3400lbs I was expecting the M Coupe with fewer seats and identical engine to weigh much less than its 3200lbs. Regardless, the engine was its most distinctive feature and that is never a bad thing. 8000RPMs from the steel-block S54 inline 6 is an unholy sound and it was almost enough on its own to get my checkbook out. The interior was much nicer with wonderful seats and a trick RPM color gauge that changed the redline as the engine warmed up. Even the flip-up navigation LCD was endearing despite owing much of its style to cars made earlier in the decade, if nothing else because the aftermarket had an integrated iPod solution. Fortunately the dealership did not accept my low-but-reasonable offer on the car as its value on the used market tanked when the economy went south. Still though, I doubt I would have complained much about owning a brand new M Coupe as it is the most exclusive car on the list with just under 2000 models imported to the US in three short years.

The 996 Turbo was certainly an odd consideration for me as it’s nearly everything I didn’t want originally: heavy, all wheel drive and a twin-turbo engine (I’ve been burned before). The car just looks stunning. I am no fan of the 996 with its fried-egg headlights and outdated interior when it was introduced but the Turbo added just the right amount of flair to make it drop-dead gorgeous. It was with this car that I realized the 996 and by extension, the 997, is one of the few body styles that looks better the more crap you tack on or holes you cut in the body. The massive intakes on each side are the missing visual link for that body style; without them the car just looks like it’s missing something and is simply bland without them. It seems the more expensive the Porsche; the more likely it is you’ll be sitting in a silver one. During my exhaustive search for one it was difficult to find one that wasn’t white, silver or black. Not bad colors mind you but I tend to like my cars to stand out a bit in everyday traffic.

The test drive was quite the experience. I was driving a 2003 with all black interior, surprisingly a difficult option to find but I found it much more pleasing in person than the numerous pictures I saw online. The power was immense and only aided by the superb all wheel drive that rocketed the car off the line. It was certainly a pig in the corners however, which limited the fun for me a bit. The GT1 engine can certainly be considered legendary by now with its race-proven pedigree and its usefulness as both naturally aspirated and turbocharged applications. I will admit the main reason I began entertaining the idea of a 911 was due to my social situation at the time. I found myself going out six nights a week instead of one or two towards the end of my stay in southern California and I always had to leave my car behind due to the lack of seating capacity. It would certainly be novel to be able to take a few people along for the ride. Ultimately the reason why I don’t drive four-seaters became clear after begrudgingly agreeing to be the designated driver and watching friends vomit violently both inside and outside the car. I am certain a four-seater of some sort is in my future but I am in no hurry to start that unfortunate mess.

The Porsche 997 C2S was basically the modern alternative to the 996 Turbo. I think we’re getting to the point where the 996 Turbos are going to start being a reliability nightmare in the next couple of years and 997 S was my second choice if I went that route. From the A-pillar forward the 997 is much more aesthetically pleasing and the interior manages to look pleasing without being the rounded plastic mess that was the 996 interior. The 355hp 3.8 C2S is over 250lbs lighter than the 996TT at 3130lbs which helps it feel much sportier while sharing a similar power:weight ratio. It was my hope that the new 997.2S would devalue the 997.1S but it simply didn’t get where I wanted when I was ready to buy. Much like the Cayman, it was a compromise but for a slightly different reason. I absolutely adore the 997 GT3 but I’m in no position to afford one while maintaining a reasonable standard of living. The 997.1S represents a “baby GT3″ to me but unfortunately I would be constantly reminded of what I did not have and would serve to dilute the experience of owning a GT3 years down the line.

The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is an absolute monster. I don’t usually enjoy writing in such a blunt fashion but this car absolutely demands it. On paper there’s a lot to love about it. The all-aluminum 7.0L LS7 V8 (427 cubic inches) is one of the most amazing engines ever placed in a car. The exclusive aluminum frame is used only in the road-going Z06 as race restrictions prevent them from using it in the C6.R. The hand-built engine has enough exotic materials and race-derived parts to make any car nerd drool. It even has a few nifty technology bits like RFID entry which allows you to simply walk up to the car, open it and start it without the keys ever leaving your pocket. The heads up display on the windshield is brilliant and if given more than a twenty-minute test drive I’m sure I’d almost never need to glance down at the gauges. It is amazing I’ve gotten this far without mentioning the power. From now on it will be referred to as POWER as words fail to describe how the LS7 motivates the car down the road. Disregarding my recent test drives, the RX-7 with its 230lb/ft had the most torque of any car I’d driven and with it’s respectable weight and 4.10 final drive ratio it certainly had sufficient motivation. That said, I was ill prepared for what 475lb/ft had in store. The RX-7 had enough power to be dangerous in the wet; this car was dangerous on bone-dry pavement. The car broke traction in second gear at 3000RPMs. With traction control on. It is an odd feeling to be truly frightened while having a huge grin on your face simultaneously. The sensation is just epic, there’s no better word for it.

As glowing as that might sound, there are a few drawbacks that ultimately soured my opinion of the car. To say the car was numb was a bit like saying workplace ethics presentations are dull. There was absolutely no steering feedback and while I’ve read the 2008+ Corvettes were improved in that regard, it really had nowhere to go but up. This new car was to be my daily driver so it had to be fun at 20mph and 120mph. The suspension was stiff but somehow felt more suited to a cruiser. I felt like I could take a long trip and not feel the least bit tired from it and that’s exactly what I didn’t want. I already felt the S2000 was too soft and there are plenty of people in the world that already think that car is too much for everyday driving. The dealership experience should not be discounted either. It took over 45 minutes to finally sit in the car and by that time I was thoroughly exhausted by the whole process. It should also be mentioned that since the car is in the top echelon of what GM has to offer your car will be serviced by the same technicians that are working on the $13,000 Cobalt in the next bay. Hardly confidence inspiring. It must be stated though if none of the above items are of bother, the Z06 is a fantastic bargain on the used market. When I test drove in December it was $47,000 at a dealership and private party sales are well below $45k with low-40s not too far off.

This finally brings me to the Elise. On the particular day I went to test drive these cars save the BMW I started the day at the lowest horsepower and worked my way up so the experience wouldn’t be dominated by straight-line acceleration. Turns out I was judging by the wrong metric as I started the day with the best handling of the bunch; the subsequent drives all failed to live up to this tiny little car. With its 1.8L Toyota inline 4 making 190hp, it’s not going to win any quarter mile tests (though it does manage a respectable 13.2 @ 101mph) but that’s not entirely the point of the car. I test drove a 2006 Krypton Green Elise with the touring and sport packages. The lack of power steering is the first indication one is given that this car is not of the ordinary. While manual steering racks are traditionally left for low-end economy cars its use in the Elise was deliberate as the 1960lb car has no need for assisted steering. Getting in the car required some elaborate acrobatics and immediately proved this was not a car to be driven daily. Nearly every creature comfort is an optional extra. There is almost zero sound insulation from the engine sitting inches behind your ears. And the first light I came to had me next to a mid-90s Camry (before sedans had 4×4 ride height) and I found myself looking up towards the driver next to me. I was hooked.

Traditionally it is prudent to keep a stern face in the presence of a salesman as obvious enthusiasm can later be used against you. I could not care less in this car, however. It was just the right combination of performance, style and insanity. It is impossibly small inside and the most luxurious item the car features are power windows. Normally a car manufacturer asks the customer what they want; with this project Lotus asked what the customer could do without. You don’t need cruise control just like you don’t need a remote trunk release or DVD navigation. Four wheels connected to a steering wheel, and engine behind you and a gear leaver somewhere in arms reach is all you really need to get from point A to point B. This car defines what driving is meant to convey. The raw sense of connection to the road and the belief you don’t need 400+hp to make the most of the driving experience. Lotus has always been a car manufacturer for people who love to drive and it took an actual test drive for me to finally realize this. Perhaps it is the slow progression from the relatively mundane but practical Eclipse I began with to the comically sized Miata and S2000 that enabled me to consider the Elise as a legitimate candidate for not only a daily driver but also my only car.