Having read the entire thread I have to throw in my two cents worth.

The S would not be my first choice for the kind of driving you've described. I too like cars that allow me to kick the tail out easily, and the S does that, but as others have pointed out, it's not an easy car to drift. I do a little "drifting," but only on autocross courses (the instructors at the Evolution Driving School kept calling me "wild man" and "drifter" ), and I DO power slide my S, often well before the corner apex. It can be done, but it's impossible to do frequently without also spinning frequently. That's all well and good on an autocross course, but it gets nasty on the street. A 'stang is much easier to get straight again once you throw it sideways, and is a better choice if you want to get crazy on public roads. Please note that I strongly advise against such things as crazy driving on public roads , but if you're gonna do it, the S really is the wrong car.