If my 2015 Mustang GT (base 6MT, non performance-pack) got t-boned by a dump truck tomorrow, I'd buy another 2015-2017 Mustang GT base. I might try to find a Premium. The 2018-2023 looks a bit better, can have active exhaust, and has marginally more power, but they screwed up the manual gear ratios; it's viable in automatic.
It's fast, loud, comfortable, surprisingly economical, and has a big trunk. It's not really a sports car (hence omitting the performance pack), but it's a damn fine grand tourer and a very livable daily driver.
I've tried a lot of the other options, for durations ranging from a test drive to a few years.
- Hot hatches are fun if you drive like an asshole but don't feel special if you drive them normally. Some people love that aspect, but personally I think it makes them boring too often.
- The GR86 is an absolute riot if you live near twisty roads and punishing if you don't.
- Corvettes feel huge and unwieldy in traffic even though they're not that big. The lack of even token back seats makes them a lot harder to live with, too.
- Camaros have lousy visibility.
- The Challenger drives like a moderately-quick truck.
- Kia dealers treat the Stinger like it's a Ferrari, so good luck buying a new one.
- The WRX is still decent, but I think it also suffers from the hot hatch syndrome where it only feels special when you drive it hard.
- I haven't driven a Z. My instinct is that it'll be years before the price gets reasonable on a new one, but the old models might be fun if you don't need back seats.
- I haven't driven a GR Corolla. No idea if it'll have the hot hatch problem or not, but I can't find one to try anyway.
Topaz does a really nice job on the noise, and it's very noticeable in the fur.
I'd like to see the whole image be quite a bit brighter, personally. It's really hard to see the detail in this.