CosmosMpower

Haven't driven a MS3 although the powerplant even in the automatic CX-7 SUV loaner I had was pretty fun. The 3.8 Genesis is really a pretty good car. The handling is neutral, good torque, factory LSD. Transmission is iffy and it feels a bit heavy somewhat like an E36 M3.

ace123

I do canyon runs quite a bit, and I do take advantage of RWD in shifting the weight transfer balance around corners. I've only taken it to the track once so far as it's my DD and we're saving for a house.

My buddy has a Cobalt SS. It's the faster car without question (we're at 4500ft altitude). It's also more practical, actually has torque, and cost him quite a bit less money than mine. We went to the track together. We both had a lot of fun, but he hated that his car had front-biased weight distribution and tended towards understeer. (Yeah, that can be tuned out, but it's a fundamental vehicle dynamics issue that has to be worked around.) And his Cobalt SS is really a great car, and we both like it.

My last car was a Dodge Stealth. FWD, 60/40. The dynamics reduced the fun factor--especially the nose-heavy weight distribution on corners. And it was still a fun car and I really liked it.

But my buddy and I both liked the S2000 MUCH better on the track than the Cobalt SS. It's just more fun. My brother's C3 vette was the slowest car out there, but he had an absolute BLAST fighting to keep the tail under control.

Enjoying yourself is 100x more important than posting great lap times. And RWD is fun. So are convertibles.