[Mosef81]

There was something about the late 90s early 00s Japanese performance cars that was 'just right'. I think it was the balance between weight/creature comforts, power/grip, price/reliability. They were just a lot of 'fun'. The Evo IX, the 2L 'blob eye' STI, the Silvia, the S2000, the Integra Type R, the NSX.. I mean what the f* happened to Japan and it's performance car industry since hey? And BMW weren't doing too bad with the E46 M3 either.

The 'feel' you get from them is different to what you get from cars now and collectors are starting to appreciate this so good examples are getting pricey.

For current cars, with the peace of mind of warranty, the M2C is fantastic, and beats that new gen STI any day. For 'fun' I think. If you don't mind the looks and can give up the front wheel drive preconceptions, then the Civic Type R is the nearest you will get to those 'old' cars. Or to put the cat amongst the pigeons.. a competitor could be the 2L turbo Cayman T. That turbo isn't as bad as every keyboard warrior points out. It is quite an impressive piece of engineering, and the chassis is sublime.

Drive them and see what floats your boat! Good luck!