What semi-luxury rallycross-able car?

I've been very introspective about my past and current cars lately. Why do I like the cars I like? What do I like more as I age?
The pattern that's emerging is that the more comfortable a car is, or was when new, the more I like it. The R63 is currently changing my life. The V Wagon is sublime. The 911 was really a semi luxury GT in the early 90's more than a proper sports car. I loved my Range Rover even though it was objectively terrible, and my old Volvo 240, though not quite luxury leand much more that way than other cars from the early 80's and was fantastic for it.
A bunch of other cars, hatches, minivans, trucks, have been OK, but they were just tools and even when I liked them, I never really fell in love with them.
Maybe I'm a luxury car guy?
Anyway, I'll be searching for a new rallycross/teaching my kids to drive car come fall. It doesn't have to be competitive, just not self destructing in the dirt. I have a very very strong leaning toward a manual because I want my kids to learn that, and probably the newer the better. Something south of $5k would keep Mrs. Deuce from smothering me in my sleep. Probably.
Ready.....
Set.......
Go!

You already said it, rwd Volvo. That or an e46, maybe.

E34 maybe?

A nicely equipped DC Integra? Would an Infiniti G20 hold up to rallycross? Why not everyone's favorite, the E30? Not luxury enough?

if you would consider the E46.. I would also consider the E36. Lighter, but not much lighter on the luxury

I wonder if the X3s are rallicross legal?

I would also consider the saab 9-3. Luxury, sport, and FWD to pull you through the muck of a rallicross course

LS400

Edit: Didn't see the manual preference part.

I just did a search of CL looking at under 6K and manual shift. The only interesting thing that came up was a 2004 Mini Cooper S. Might be a good teaching tool.

mad_machine wrote: I wonder if the X3s are rallicross legal?

Rules don't explicitly exclude SUVs, so it's up to your local region whether they feel it's safe to run or not. My home region won't allow SUVs as the land owner for the site they use for most of their events says no, while the next region over is fine with them provided they're not lifted and the driver isn't a moron (they've been fine with me running the Jeep).

Assuming you can find a decent example within your budget, how about a C5?

Cheap luxury Supra:

For FWD, luxury Sentra SE-R:

Friend of mine is trying to sell me a 2004 Audi A4 v6 quattro/auto for $300, needs a wheel bearing as I thought it would make a luxurious disposable rally xr. The automatic kills it for me.

E30, 36, and 46 cars are all on the list. E30's are getting thin on the ground. They're either really nice and $$$$ or getting rough. E36's are better, but by now the interiors are starting to seem disposable. I'm a little (though not too much) worried about the large maintenance items on the E46 cars. Things like regular replacement of the whole cooling system. That seems OK in a halo car like the M3, less so in a $3k 325.
I think 240 Volvo are past their prime. Not that they can't be found, but in the places where you can find them, they seem to be getting old and rusty. I live in the south, rust is unacceptable. 740 is an option though I don't know much about them.
Infinity G20 is just a Sentra, right? Those work in RX. Can you find them with a manual?
I'm also seeing G35 Sedans in the 5k range. Yes, big and heavy, but they seem like a possibility as well.

For your next challenge are you going to ask about a fuel efficient monster truck? Luxury + Dirt doesn't seem like a good fit. That said, I'm not one to shirk from a challenge:

• Early base model Mini Coopers run sub-5k. That would leave enough for some minor upgrades. http://bham.craigslist.org/cto/5536115641.html
• Ford Focus ZX3's Less luxury, means less guilt when you break it. http://bham.craigslist.org/search/cto?query=zx3
• Mid to late 90s BMW 3-Series (e36) or Z3s. More expensive when you break them.

My preference would be the Mini.

mazdeuce wrote: 740 is an option though I don't know much about them. Infinity G20 is just a Sentra, right? Those work in RX. Can you find them with a manual?

The 740 is a good option. They are cheaper than the 240s and generally in better condition.

Infiniti G20 is a Sentra with the SR20. They are available in manual but I haven't shopped them lately to see if they can still be found. 10 years ago they were common.

I still see manual G20s every now and then, even up north.

If you could accept an automatic, I'd suggest an old Lexus ES250 or ES300. There's a chance some early ones had a manual, but I'm not sure.

Until you got to the sub-$5k part, I was ready to suggest a used BMW X1.

IS300 is the answer here

Semi-luxury rallycross-able?

Porsche 944/924s comes to mind but it sounds like you're looking for something newer and with less potential for finicky issues.

captdownshift wrote: IS300 is the answer here

I agree, but they are so damn hard to find with a stick.

http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/5470925249.html

In reply to EvanB:

Done stamp, and it there was a decree that it shall be done

Yes, manual G20's are around. I have no idea how common they are in texas though. People down there probably bought a lot fewer expensive foreign cars in the 90's than new englanders did.

Surprised no one has said Q45 yet.

In reply to NickD:

Q45 never came with a manual did it?