Porsche 718 Cayman S
First off, naming a sports car after a predatory amphibian is a bold move. Fortunately, Porsche has made both generations of this vehicle quite potent, backing up all that bravado without problems.
If you’re concerned with performance, the 718 Cayman S is the current model you should consider. Regardless of what you choose, the car features a mid-mounted engine, which provides superior handling compared to the wildly popular 911. The 718 Cayman S packs a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that’s turbocharged. Max output is 350 horsepower, which isn’t monstrous, but, you can push the car to a top speed of 177 mph, if you go to a track.
While Porsche does offer a PDK transmission, you can still get a manual. This is a sports car that caters to modern purists, if you don’t consider that to be a contradiction.
Just remember that Porsche didn’t design the 718 Cayman to be a monster. Instead, it’s a super-balanced car you’ll fully appreciate when pushing it to the limit on a track. The car features MacPherson struts at both ends, plus sizable anti-roll bars. Driving it, you’ll get a sense for the countless hours Porsche engineers spent tuning even the smallest details of how this sports car behaves.
Nissan 370Z NISMO
The sports car market is a little thin these days, thanks to people not really buying them. That explains why Nissan’s current Z is getting long in the tooth and is well overdue for a redesign. Rumors keep swirling around that Nissan is going to either completely redo or annihilate the Z, but for now neither is happening.
People get down on the 370Z for being old, but it’s one of the purest cars on the market today. Instead of ripping on it, they should try driving one with an open mind. Try it out; you’ll have some fun, if not a lot.
While the regular versions of the 370Z are fun, if you can swing the NISMO model it’s worth every penny. The V-6 gets turned up to 350 horsepower, which for an “old” car is pretty impressive. Engineers designed a dual-exhaust system with an H-pipe for reduced back pressure. To balance that out, the car comes with four-piston front calipers and 14-inch brake discs. High-rigidity brake hoses and performance brake fluid provide higher levels of force, too. Cutting down on unsprung weight are 19-inch RAYS forged alloy wheels. Add to that revised aerodynamics, thanks to lots of wind tunnel and track testing, and you have a well-balanced machine.
Adding to the fun of the 370Z NISMO is the interior. It has the requisite black leather upholstery, plus red Alcantara wrapped around the Recaro seats. That black and red design theme carries into the gauges. What’s more, the controls are simple, ditching the ridiculous designs like touchscreens or touchpads you get in too many modern vehicles. If you’re having a blast flogging a car around, you don’t want to mess with finnicky electronic controls for the air.
