And for something completely different,,,what car

'07 or '08 Legacy GT Spec B. Basically the STI drivetrain with more space. The two biggest negatives will be price and fuel economy...

As much as I would love an S60R the rear seats are hard to get in and out of, other than that I would ove one.

The problem is that there are really no big 4 door cars with manual transmissions anymore. If you are flexible an the RWD thing you are more than welcome to come try my 9-5, but even that is not that big in the back.

What about a STS-V? It meets everything except for the trans, but a supercharged V8 can make up for a lot of things.

Used 2007 Cadillac STS V-Series

"The heart of this road burner is a fully reworked version of the standard STS sedan's 4.4-liter V8. With more than half the parts unique to this application, including a stronger block and new cylinder heads, it's obvious that Cadillac didn't just slap a supercharger on a standard Northstar and call it a day. The end result is that this hand-built, force-fed V8 cranks out an astounding 469 horsepower and enables the STS-V to hit 60 mph in just 5 seconds flat. A tweaked sport suspension, large (14-inch) Brembo brakes and big (255/45R18 front and 275/40R19 rear) tires complement the powerhouse engine nicely. "

Well you guys covered everything I had considered, except the Volvo, but egress is a serious consideration......now to find someone to put a Mustang engine/trans into a Town Car....helps it's for business use

Can you get enough function and fun out of a Lincoln LS?

All are rwd. There is a rare V6 and manual 5 speed combo but most are V6 or V8 automatics.

Saab 9-5 gives a good backseat, manual, economy, available power and some style though fwd.

The STS-V is an impressive car, with plenty of room in the back seat. Unfortunately, it's auto-only, but I'd still think it would be worth a look.

jrw1621 wrote: Can you get enough function and fun out of a Lincoln LS? All are rwd. There is a rare V6 and manual 5 speed combo but most are V6 or V8 automatics. Saab 9-5 gives a good backseat, manual, economy, available power and some style though fwd.

Even more rare is the somewhat legendary v-8 5-speed combo.

"but mndsm" you say "there was no such thing." I'd be inclined to agree with you, had I not seen one and it's corresponding build sheet. As it turns out, with ford, their lines are so automated, the builders often don't always know what you're putting together. So if you can get the right dealer, and the right codes for parts as they're on the assembly line, you can basically fabricate your own build sheet...... and a few enterprising souls had build sheets that specified the mustand 5 speed backed up to that engine. A rare beast, indeed.

I attempted not long after to order a fwd spec'd ecoboost Taurus with a stick, but IIRC, I couldn't find the corresponding manual, and there was nothing in the parts bin that would bolt to the AWD..... so no manual turbo taurus for me.

The TL type-S would be at the top of my personal list. Nice, but not ostentatious. Athletic handling, but still plenty comfortable. Honda reliability.

That said, I'd also take a real hard look at a V70R, but those just push the right buttons for me.