A Dilemma! Some Ideas needed!

[Maranello55]

So, I have owned some amazing cars over the years, and now find myself with a little dilemma. Having just sold a two seater sports car because it was impractical for my life, I am looking at my next driveway adornment or adornments !

Now, performance is key, but I want to balance that with decent MPG, but then we come to value and spend. I have £30k ish to play with (I could stretch this to £40k), and I am not adverse to splitting that and say spending half on a decent 4x4 and maybe half on something fun !

So, top of the list so far 4x4 wise, is an Audi SQ5 (Biturbo diesel engine) as for something for fun I have far too many thoughts going through my head, so would love to see any suggestions that others may have !

The floor is open.....

[MikeM6]

I would ditch the SUV idea and look at a decent estate, maybe something like an AMG. You could then have a fun car that is more practical. If that is too spicy and you need more MPG, then something like an M340i would be a good option, or even an Alpina B3 or D3.

If you are going down the 2 car route then you have more options, but less budget so may have more compromises on each car. Unless you go really cheap on the practical stuff and have more left over for the fun car.

I think an SL63 AMG is meant to be epic for £25-30k, so combine that with a 5k estate and you can be onto a winner.

[loskie]

Cupra Ateca?

[Stuart70]

335d estate and Caterham.

[ninjag]

Fast estate would be my thoughts as well.

[Ash_]

VX220 for fun....or a Cayman if you want a little comfort, then any old barge for the daily.

[KTMsm]

Fun a 4WD rarely go together

Fun and SUV rarely go together

Fun and diesel never go together

A fun 4WD, SUV, diesel - has never and will never be made

[TorqueDirty]

KTMsm said:

Fun a 4WD rarely go together

Fun and SUV rarely go together

Fun and diesel never go together

A fun 4WD, SUV, diesel - has never and will never be made

Never driven one but the 4.2 Cayenne Diesel S sounds like a reasonable blend of fun, SUV, 4WD, diesel and mpg.

Sure it is a slight compromise on several fronts but as a package it fits the brief pretty well I'd suggest.

[paradigital]

TorqueDirty said:

Never driven one but the 4.2 Cayenne Diesel S sounds like a reasonable blend of fun, SUV, 4WD, diesel and mpg.

Sure it is a slight compromise on several fronts but as a package it fits the brief pretty well I'd suggest.

“Slight”.

The most “fun” road cars have low weight, low CoG, and playful handling, ANY SUV is more than a “slight” compromise there.

That’s not to say there aren’t fast and well composed on-road focussed SUVs, there are plenty. The only “fun” SUVs are actually used offroad, but a fun offroad car doesn’t need to be fast or offer particularly good fuel economy.

[Gary C]

KTMsm said:

Fun a 4WD rarely go together

Oh, I don't know. My EVO and my STi were both quite fun.

[Zero7]

KTMsm said:

Fun a 4WD rarely go together

Fun and SUV rarely go together

Fun and diesel never go together

A fun 4WD, SUV, diesel - has never and will never be made

My old Lancia Delta Integrale, EVO9GT and Subaru Spec C said otherwise

[Zero7]

KTMsm said:

Fun a 4WD rarely go together

Fun and SUV rarely go together

Fun and diesel never go together

A fun 4WD, SUV, diesel - has never and will never be made

My old Lancia Delta Integrale, EVO9GT and Subaru Spec C said otherwise

[KTMsm]

TorqueDirty said:

Never driven one but the 4.2 Cayenne Diesel S sounds like a reasonable blend of fun, SUV, 4WD, diesel and mpg.

Sure it is a slight compromise on several fronts but as a package it fits the brief pretty well I'd suggest.

I've recently sold one for a mate - what a complete POS !

It couldn't be less fun, jiggly ride, zero feedback and beeps all the time

[KTMsm]

Zero7 said:

My old Lancia Delta Integrale, EVO9GT and Subaru Spec C said otherwise

Fast point to point, maybe fun on a rally stage but they aren't fun in real terms and certainly not on the road

I sold my Integrale after a few weeks you had to drive it at 130+ before it got interesting same with the Evo and Impreza too capable, too much grip and when you threw it around you were never sure where the power was going to be transferred, making them unpredictable on the limit

I've currently got a V8 Westfield, sideways everywhere, even on the straights - that's fun, and the noise

[ZX10R NIN]

Maserati Ghibli S:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301163...

Diesel which should have a fair bit of it's 5-3-5 warranty/service package left:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301163...

[Gary C]

KTMsm said:

Zero7 said:

My old Lancia Delta Integrale, EVO9GT and Subaru Spec C said otherwise

Fast point to point, maybe fun on a rally stage but they aren't fun in real terms and certainly not on the road

I sold my Integrale after a few weeks you had to drive it at 130+ before it got interesting same with the Evo and Impreza too capable, too much grip and when you threw it around you were never sure where the power was going to be transferred, making them unpredictable on the limit

I've currently got a V8 Westfield, sideways everywhere, even on the straights - that's fun, and the noise

I disagree.

My EVO was fun in real terms. It was never unpredicatable on the limit, infact it was so predictable in that it NEVER understeered, you could slide tail out around a wet roundabout in as much control as you could joining a dual carriageway with a neutral 4 wheel drift.

Yes, the commitment meant in the real world it became too fast for the modern roads in many cases but "aren't fun" really is not true.

Now my old MR2 spyder was a completely different thing, delicate and its direction and attitude could be trimmed with the throttle, the steering fast, direct and so full of feedback and my 3.2 Carrera is like a go kart

But I think you missed out getting the best out of the EVO (though mine just had the AYC, not the active centre diff and the AYC had the motorsport chip, so that might have made a difference )