Yes, the engineers at GM if you polled them which one they would buy everything put into perspective? I would bet they would go for the 4 because of the "value" and the 4 has it in spades!
Yeah +1 here. I have seen this pretty often that the rear seats are as unusable as the Camaro and other 2 door cars and I just shake my head. My Camaro was an absolute nightmare to fit anyone in. In the 4 blackwing I have had adults fit comfortably in the back.
Aside from acceleration and space, they are amazingly close performance wise with the 4V winning in a couple of categories on some tests I’ve read (braking/skid pad grip). So no, it isn’t as clear cut as that IMO and some people prefer the smaller car and the intangibles that go with it.
If you only look at the numbers but in reality one will ask less of you to produce fast lap times, take both on the same track and the 5 equipped with its more powerful engine, bigger brakes and larger wheels/tires will be a more relaxed experience to achieve laps 1-2 seconds faster than the 4. In the 4 you will need to be closer to the 9-10/10 driving to even think of following the 5, while in the 5 you'll be driving 7-8/10 and stomping the 4 with ease.
Depends on the track, of course.
I meant on paper. The 5BW is the flagship.
In my experience, this is what makes the slower car more fun to drive. The performance limits of both the 4BW and 5BW are extremely high, especially for the street but you don't have to push the 4BW as hard as the 5BW to "wake it up" so to speak. That said, a Miata is ideal for being able to winding out the gears and whipping it around on the street without risking your license.
5BW is a great cruiser, it is a very well rounded performance sedan, which makes it very special. You just have to set proper expectations for those who have never owned a vehicle with such high performance limits. Some folks may expect a more visceral experience when looking at the spec sheet. On the street, cruising in the 5BW is like jogging for an Olympic sprinter. So simple and easy to do, which is great that you know you have this capability at your disposal but can be a bit boring or frustrating for enthusiast looking for more. I have heard the same from folks that purchased the new C8 Stingray. Almost too refined and leaves them wanting more. Z06 is the answer there but still needs a manual transmission.
That GR Corolla looks like a fun car. Does it live up to the hype? Tough to wrap my head around a $40k+ Corolla though.I've had a 5BW six-speed for over 2 years and absolutely love it. Just got back from a 1,300 mile rally and there was nothing else that could hang over bumpy back mountain roads through CO, AZ, and UT due to the incredible compliance and control of the mag suspension and big torque out of corners. Made me love the 5BW even more and it's a forever keeper (as long as it doesn't fall apart or become a big problem. Great so far in 11k hard miles!)
That said, for the right price, I'd take a 4BW for a track toy and around town weekend/daily beater to replace my recently bought '24 Corolla GR (really fun car too in it's own right!). Waiting for the sub $60k purchase price of a decent option new 4BW.
On that front, if you can swing the upfront cost of a 5BW, it will absolutely hold long-term value much better than 4BW, especially the six-speeds. It's just a fact due to last of breed and unique aspect of a supercharged V8 strapped to a six-speed. So, long-term ownership cost could arguably be cheaper with a 5BW.
Savagegeese did a shitbox shoot out (Corolla, type r, n, sti, vwr) and GR was seen as a econobox pushed to its max. Overheated on track multiple times. It’s great for shooting through snow and slippery roads but for track, they said to look elsewhere.
