As the late DMX said, “Here we go again, same old sht dog, just a different day.” I built a pretty cool car. Then I sold it.

For over a decade, I lived and breathed my old S2000. That car was everything I dreamed about for years after first seeing Evasive’s builds. But since selling it, I’ve churned through four or five different chassis in a short time. And here’s what I’ve learned: If I don’t have a real passion for a car, I don’t care enough to push through the pain that every project eventually throws at you.

When the E90 broke during testing in June, I knew it was time to let it go. My S2000 was a dream car that kept me going through every broken part and every stranded Sunday evening at the track. The cars that came after? Just building mouse traps to compete with that doesn’t resonate with me anymore.

So here I am, I’m back to competing with dream builds, and I have four options in mind.

I’m relying on you to help me make a decision. On July 28th and August 4th, I’ll be running polls on my Instagram, and let’s figure this out together. Today, I’m breaking down the tangible and intangible reasons behind each option.

 

Criteria

Let’s discuss what the new car should be. The non-negotiables. 

• My wife has to like it for me (sorry GR Corolla)
• Capable of sub 1:35 at Gingerman Raceway
• The powertrain must remain OEM, from the front cover of the engine to the rear cover of the differential, meaning no swaps.
• Factory LSD
• It needs to hit a six-to-one weight-to-power ratio with bolt-ons alone / light weight reduction.
• It must have HVAC, creature comforts, and pass what I call the Downtown test, my wife can’t hate her life driving it an hour into Chicago.

The Wife’s Favorite: F82 M4

425hp / 406tq 

3615lbs DCT Transmission

Weight Balance is 52F/48R

Car & Driver VIR lap time: 3:00.7

 

The Good

 The best car to live with for street duties. The interior of the BMW is superior to the rest, with top-tier quality of leather and ergonomics, as expected for an M-badged car. It may be 5-8 years old at the time of writing this, but it has aged well and can stand alongside many interiors today. The ability to turn boost down when not trying to set a lap time and be an everyday citizen is a big plus. As the headline suggests, this is my wife’s favorite among them all; the only car she has liked more is a GTR. As they say, ‘Happy wife, happy life.’ 

These things also make just under 600hp with bolt-ons before the turbos run out of steam. I also think it has the highest speed delta out of the four. They look great with Aero, and the aftermarket and knowledge base are average in size. Suspension-wise, they are the ultimate driving machine, right? 

The Bad

It’s a damn BMW. Yeah, I’m a little scared of the last BMW, they look sick, but man, what a pain in the ass sometimes. Still has typical BMW problems of the previous 20 years, including randomly failing coils, Crank hub issues, valve cover leaks, oil filter housing leaks, guibo problems, oil pan gasket issues, and PCV diaphragm failures. A plan of action is needed to address these issues. Actually, the crank hub needs to be addressed ASAP, as it can lead to a blown engine. It’s also an electrically complex car.

 

Sometimes Forgotten: ATS- V Coupe

464hp / 445tq 

3,803lbs Manual Transmission

Weight Balance is 51F/49R

Car & Driver VIR lap time: 2:59.2

 

The Good

ATS‑V feels like GM’s answer to the BMW M4. The interior is the second, and it’s adequate. The star of the show is that it shares the Alpha platform with the Camaro, so the aftermarket for the suspension is quite extensive. It has the best weight split of all the options on the list. The LF4 3.6 twin-turbo V6 can hold its own with FBOs. Around 500 seems to be the optimal spot. Aftermarket support is below average but still exists. The E diff logic is surprisingly good out of the box. 

The Bad

It’s a bit complicated for a GM product, and I have trust issues. Head gasket failures, turbo bearing wear, and intercooler condensation issues are common in hard-driven cars. The interior is good; however, screen failures and electrical gremlins are not unheard of. Subjectively, it looks a little weird with aero.

Ole’ Reliable: ISF

416hp / 371tq

3840lbs 8 speed auto 

Weight Balance is 54F/46R

Car & Driver VIR lap time: 3:05.4

 

The Good

It’s a got damn YOTA! I’m a big fan of Toyota; in fact, all three cars at my house are Yotas. The IS F is the ultimate “do everything” car in this group. The 2UR-GSE 5.0 V8 is essentially bulletproof, with almost no catastrophic failures when properly maintained. You can beat on this engine track day after track day, and it just shrugs. The interior features classic Lexus soft-touch materials, high-grade leather, and is free from squeaks or rattles, even 15 years later.

The Bad

 It is the least competitive of the three on a serious time attack level without significant investment, which is a no-no (think adding a blower or turboskis). The aftermarket is damn near non-existent, but as of writing this, I know of some big movers getting into the ISF world. It’s the oldest car on the list, so finding one that hasn’t been dogged, coupled with the fact that they didn’t make many of them, will be tough. 

The 8-speed is a commuter transmission, which is better with a tune, but downshifts on command are merely suggestions.

 

The Best Race Car: SS 1LE

455hp / 455tq

3680lbs 6 Speed Manual 

Weight Balance is 54F/46R

Car & Driver VIR lap time: 2:54.8

 

The Good

It’s the best track car on the list. It has a massive aftermarket and an equally massive 6.2 direct-injected engine in it. The E diff is also amazing, and it’s the go-to car for autocross for a reason.  It delivers 95 percent of what makes the ZL1 1LE legendary but without the fun noises. Damn near everything is DIY-friendly.

The Bad

The interior is clearly a Chevy, meaning the plastics feel cheap. Being a black guy in a Camaro is an annoying stereotype that flashes in my head of my HOA going crazy (lol). Visibility is bad. After driving my friends, I can confirm it’s not an over exaggeration. You really can’t see shit and often depend on feeling where the car is at. There is also the egress feature, which prevents you from exiting through the windows with your helmet on. It’s kinda boring all things considered. 

Let’s have some fun

With that being said, I like all of these a whole lot. Before you write your comment, “why don’t you just go drive them and make a decision, not let others spend your money.“ Shut up. Treat this as permission to give your unsolicited comment on why which one of these you would go with. This is simply a fun activity for the community, and let’s keep it that way. See you on the Gram!

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