S4 for sure. Possibly S5. I think some of the A4, A5, and A6 models had a detuned version of it too.
The 1LE added a crazy amount of downforce with the dive planes & more aggressive spoiler…they also removed some weight / gave it wider / stickier feet & why it was so much faster around the Ring’. It’s top speed is in the 180’s due to downforce where the standard is a 200mph car. I know several chaps on camaro6 also had dedicated wheels for race day & the lighter / less rotational mass said to really help times.
If I was a track rat it would be my choice, but the dedicated track suspension would stink for poking around town & why I went with the standard…I never did get mine up to COTA like I had planned.
To be clear, by turbo lag you are talking about going from low or mid throttle to WOT in a good power band RPM? Not talking about low RPM power, because many turbo engines power band comes on a bit later.
Turbo technology, more than sizing, has made a huge leap from many of those cars you mention.
Fly by wire does all kinds of stuff for gaming MPG standards and adds power lag by reducing throttle body response vs the pedal. Make sure the sport mode is on if you test drive any. Even better is a tune designed for sporty driving. Even if it doesn’t add a lot of power it can be markedly better driving.
I drove a 2.3 Mustang performance pack and a mild tune a few years back. Never felt lacking for power or response unless you really let it bog in low RPM.
Anti lag is completely impractical for street use, but may be useful on a track. I know it’s available with a tune for some cars.
I agree completely that turbo designs have improved greatly since the 90s.
I’ve had an early E90 335i for a couple months, and it’s small dual turbos are lag free, as long as the revs are above 2,000 RPM.
The newer models twin-scroll single turbo is supposed to also deliver lag free power, and I see no reason to doubt it.
I drove a Jeep Wrangler with a single turbo, and I I didn’t experience any boost until after I’d been driving it for a couple days….the lag was so excessive.
Turbo engines are certainly not all created equally.
Yup. Rare & expensive. But it’s supercharged.
I just learned the new Lotus is, too.
I’ll probably end up with a used Caymen, even if it’s a 4T. It’s got everything else.
Don’t let a valet drive it.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/video-joyriding-valet-wrecks-cadillac-180000324.html
Would think a car this would have some type of Valet Model to prevent stupid stuff.
If you want manual transmission 2010-2016 S4 and 2013-2016 S5. Both came with the 3.0 V6 supercharged rated at 333hp. A6 came with the same engine, though slightly detuned, but only came in auto. These cars can be made very quick for little money as well. I’ve owned a 2014 S4 for ~7 years.
Minor nit-pick: The 6.4L was a truck engine. The car engine was badged as a 392.
That’s cool. I wasn’t paying attention to them. Didn’t know they had manuals.
What stinks about cars like this is they tend to quickly rack up miles and mods. Sometimes questionable mods and dangerous tunes.
Yea, it felt like it. Good mid rpm torque but although the redline was about 6400 rpm IIRC, it felt like the torque / HP curve flattened out past 5500.
Which means the fun power seemed like it was an a narrow 4000-5500 band.
The Mustang’s Coyote doesn’t have a particularity wide powerband either, but it’s a more characterfull engine for sure with a simple way to find the power; spin the hell out of it. 5250-7400 is the action!
The downside is in the 6sp 1st tops out at 60-somethng, 2nd at 80-something, and 3rd redlines at over 120! You don’t get much redline fun in today’s powerfull cars unless you’re on a big track.
Came here to say the new Emira is available with a supercharged V6. So was the Evora GT it replaced and there may still be a few collecting dust in dealer showrooms. A well cared for used Cayman S would definitely be a better daily driver than a Lotus, but I don’t know if I’d spend as much as they want for a 718 Cayman and be stuck with a 4T. 
Probably the best bang for the buck would be a Lebanon Ford Performance prepped Mustang GT with a Roush supercharger. They’re warrantied and start at $49,500
https://www.lebanonfordperformance.com/2023-lfp-supercharged-mustang-for-49500/
Thanks but I’m not a horsepower chaser. I already have a nearly 500 hp late model Mustang.
I’d give away 150 hp to lose 800 lbs.
New carvette
Well if you want a supercharger and 800 lbs less, you just reduced your factory options to zero. Not even the Emira will satisfy you.
Just get a GR86 and put an HKS supercharger on it.
I didn’t know the Emira was heavy. I thought it was about 3200 lbs like a 4T Cayman.
But, yea, nobody makes what I want, I’d have to put it together myself.
The last Corvette I liked was the C6 (styling-wise). Corvettes seem to be best at two things: Tracks and criusing. Daily driving not so much. (High limits, seating position, no manual in C8, little steering / chassis sensation in according to reviews)
The Emira weighs 3,097-3,175 lbs depending on the source. Just saw one of these for the first time in real life, very cool car.
Not recent but I would love a 2006 Exige-S: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a18199854/2007-lotus-exige-s-first-drive-review/
I’ve never owned a Lotus but I do like them. Smaller than most Ferraris and Aston Martins while still beautiful.
I listened to a bunch of sounds from the 4T Cayman. The sound is so weak it’s embarrassing. (To the driver & passenger)
I remember the glory days of wheeling around in a 2,700 lb class car with manual everything and a killer soundtrack. It’s an experience anyone with a healthy testosterone level should have to be complete.
Alas I’m too old and slow to enjoy another round of that. So my current dream is to plop my keister into a plush GT car and enjoy the benefits of power everything. Yeah it’ll weigh just North of two tons, but with 454hp it will probably get me in less trouble than something much lighter and faster, and it will shine just as bright 2/3rds to 3/4ths throttle, not full wail. Speaking of wail, it will do something an Emira or 718 could never do, make a Ferrari sourced V8 sound better than it actually does in a Ferrari. Probably the best soundtrack this side of an LFA or Zonda.
