All very insightful Howard. And I can now understand your thought process a bit better.
The new Lotus could be an option. Have you seen/driven one yet?
As for a Porsche, please remind me which model/derivative you have driven? I test drove and contemplated the current 911 and while it's a fantastic car on all levels, it felt more GT than sports car, to me at least. The Boxster ticked the boxes in regards to more sport than GT front. I've had a 'normal' Boxster which I miss to this day as well as the Spyder which is from their GT division. The Spider felt a bit more visceral and along with the unique to the Spyder top, it leant itself to feeling a bit like the Morgan in that I only drove it on a sunny day. Might be worth going to have a look.
As for depreciation, used prices are still at or at times above the cost of new unless you go for one that is 3-4 years old.
Lastly, if all out power can be put aside, a tidy air cooled generation of the 911 is oh so special. The noise, feeling etc is there in spades.
Alas, so are maintenance costs. On the opposite side of the spectrum is the Audi R8. I've had a significant amount of seat time in various versions. This far has a split personality but in a good way. It's no harder to drive than a Golf when driven normally but step on it and drive with a bit more vigorously and it's devilish side comes out. Both the V8 and V10 have a glorious soundtrack. Plus, for the cost of a new Boxster or CX, you are in a very tidy and early example. Only negative is just how wide the thing is!
Good luck!
