[baege]

I currently drive a 2014 Cayman S. I love the car, in fact it is my fave of the 17 cars I've had. It has an electricity and fluidity to it that make it a joy to drive, and the flat six sounds and feels pretty awesome.

But what it lacks is low end torque. It makes about 270 ft/lbs at 4500 rpm. My first real performance car was an 87 notchback foxbody mustang 5.0 and I can still distinctly remember the first time I ever sunk my foot into the pedal and felt the pull of 300 ft lbs at about 3000 rpm in a 3000 lb car. It was exhilarating. I then moved on to a modded 89 that probably made about 400 ft/lbs and had 3:73 gears. That thing was so much fun.

I eventually graduated to more refined sports cars, the first of which was a 1990 300Zx NA, but my love of the sound of V8 and the associated low end torque never went away.

In search of a return to that in 2003, I test drove a 2000 Corvette C5, but I found that it lacked the refinement and poise that I had to come appreciate in a car and so I picked up a 2003 350Z instead.

But I've always still longed for the low end pull of a torquey V8. When the C7 came out, I was quite interested since it seemed to offer refinement and the V8 pull. I was able to test drive one (which is tough feat to accomplish up here in the great white north), but I was surprised to be disappointed in the partial throttle response. I expected the car to pull like a train and remind me of my old 89 fox body. But it didn't, even in track mode. At wide open throttle it definitely pulled crazy but I didn't find the throttle response as electric as I hoped at partial throttle inputs. I've heard the same from other C7 drivers who say the throttle is kind of like an on/0ff switch that anything less than 85% throttle there isn't a whole lot of throttle response, it seems it might be a function of GM's torque management throttle mapping.

Right now, I am highly anticipating the GT350. I am hoping that it offers more electric throttle response than the C7. I do wonder if the voodoo engine will lack the low end grunt I am seeking as it is more of a revver, but I figure it will offer more of that at least than my cayman S.

Any other suggestions?
my parameters:
Non-turbo (I am very sensitive to and don't like turbo lag), supercharged is ok
manual transmission
100kish max price
2013 and up model year
smallish car like 3500lbsish max with decent handling and refinement