Porsche 911 GT3 – NERA

Few high-end automobiles do nostalgia as well as the Porsche 911. When you’re charging down your favorite back road, hands at 9 and 3 on the upright steering wheel, with those five round gauges in front of you and the rear-mounted engine at full song, the 911 is pure mechanical harmony. You just don’t get the same car-and-driver connection in other premium sports cars, and that’s why the 911 continues to justify its lofty price of admission.

The current model, however, boasts an exquisitely trimmed cabin, roll cage, and harness ready, with all the accoutrements of a luxury car. The ride, too, is pretty civilized these days, ranging from tolerable on gritty surfaces to downright compliant (for a sports car, at least) on well-maintained roads. This is still one of the most capable sports cars in the world, Predictably, there’s plenty of firepower to make that happen: The 911 GT3 boasts a 500hp naturally aspirated rear-engine. In sum, you’re just not going to find a sports car that better combines civility, performance and variety.

The 911 GT3 coupe, which is defined by its high-revving naturally aspirated engine. The GT3’s standard features are broadly similar to those of the Turbo model, but there are some notable differences, including having rear-drive only, a fixed rear wing, dynamic engine mounts (which are separate from the GT3’s optional Sport Chrono package), shorter PDK gear ratios with track-optimized shift programming and shorter-travel shift paddles for a more responsive feel.

Be prepared to genuinely “feel” the road… the way Porsche intended.