Apples, oranges, and bananas comparison? Not so sure. All are 2 door, 4 seat sports coupes, albeit with different intentions and tactics. I am considering this trio as a near DD 4-season ‘fun’ car. This wouldn’t see everyday use, but would be my primary vehicle so needs to be livable on a daily basis, including winter. I’m not interested in lap times or time slips, other than pure reference points. More interested in which would be more fun and livable. Here’s what I am comparing and how I see it.
18 911 Carrera T - Lightly optioned, call it $100k after discounts. Manual, of course. Iconic German sports car with a well deserved reputation of being at/near the top of the sports car market. Relatively low HP, but stellar performance numbers, and outside of the numbers it has the real feel. Classic Porsche flat-6 sound (even with the turbos). Excellent interior and ergonomics. Faults include tiny interior storage, small frunk, expensive. It can be equipped with Porsche approved winter tires at the dealer, and easy to swap summers when ready. It is the most expensive in this group, but it seems to be a level above the others in quality and design.
19 Camaro ZL1 - $60k new, custom ordered to spec (after discounts). A linebacker that can sprint and turn. Weird blend of muscle car and sports car. 6-speed manual, good Recaro seats, good looks. More interior room than the 911 and a larger trunk storage area. Amazing chassis and more power than needed for the street. Good sound, but not as good as GT350. No good winter tire options without custom wheels, but a ZL1 on winter tires?
18 GT350 - ~$59k new. My local dealer has a red/white stripe in stock and would probably make a really good deal (different car shown in pic). Amazing engine, amazing sound. Good shifter, but not as good as the 911 or ZL1. As practical as Camaro with better visibility. A special car, looks good but I think the ZL1 looks better. I love the engineering of the flat-plane V8. It’s at the bottom of my list but in the running. Not sure how it would do in routine, regular use and would I dare fit winter tires?
So, which would you choose with your money? Is the 911 worth $40k more? What alternatives that have 2-doors, 4-seats, manual trans, relatively reliable and practical enough for routine regular 4-season use? Note, you’d have to really talk me into a BMW - just don’t like how they look.