I own a ZL1 1LE and it's a great track car but not for driving around on the streets. The suspension is super tight and uncomfortable with the bumpy roads in Omaha, NE. The 350 is a great all around car. On the track my ZL1 1LE does not pull on an R in the straights, but in the turns it is faster. The R did not look as planted in the turns, the rear end would get squirly and maybe it was the driver I was behind.I didn't buy the R because I bought just as the crazy price increases were starting and I couldn't wait any longer.
However, I'm sure you're right that in some cases R owners don't allow themselves the full enjoyment because of how special the car is. I'm lucky in that way. I deny myself nothing with my lowly non-R GT350
How do you all think the Camaro ZL1 1LE fits into this conversation? They go like stink.
Hope so! I've street driven a '21 evora gt and ridden in it on track enough to be sold on the platform. My ONLY issue is that at that price point I feel like another 50-100 hp would really put it in the category it should be in, BUT it's plenty of fun as it is too... as long as the emira is similar I'll be stoked!
Yeah the pricing is pretty strong but it is a whole new world when it comes to car pricing these days. I got my Evora brand new for over 20% off MSRP and then added a Komo Tec reflash and Komo Tec shorter final drive. The car is pretty wicked at this point. I have considered the Emira but am going to wait a few years,
Jeff - You hit this one square between the eyes from my perspective. When I owned JR265 (base R), I loved what it represented and how it looked/sounded/drove, but there was this undercurrent of being a caretaker, which sorta sucked the fun out of ownership for me.I just said 350R because that's what I own. IMO, the 350, with higher production numbers really gives you that extra freedom to really drive it anywhere with less heartache. Sometimes I wonder if the extra anxiety of the R actually hurts the fun factor a hair?I know, I know, many people DD them.
Thing to remember, different strokes... Some people buy a toyota camry and wash and wax it constantly and hardly drive it. I realized something about myself (Tomster and my wife know this about me, lol). I'm non-committed to a car. So I'll put this out there.. Perhaps more people who buy Rs or many specialty cars are more like this? Meaning - they know there will be another car they want in the future so for that reason, put low miles or are a little more anxious about devaluing the car they have...not so much because they are too worried about driving it for some unknown reason. For me, I think it's that - I cant own 10 of these things - so I want to make sure the car retains a reasonable amount of its original value for that time when I get the itch ;)
The M3 is the ultimate driving machine if you can get over the ugly.In my opinion, any porsche versus GT350R is an apples to oranges comparison, in terms of seating position, driving style on track, induction noise, etc. If we are comparing front engine, rear drive alternatives with a back seat, the current BMW M3 is a good one. Same physical dimensions and surprisingly curb weight as well. And you can get manual or automatic, and carbon bucket seats. In stock form, the Nurburgring times are close.
It's real hard to get over the ugly.
