In reply to nderwater :
I haul two kids in my FRS daily. The 10 year old sits in the front seat, and that leaves enough foot room for the 6 year old with a booster in the back. It's not perfect, most would find it far too inconvenient, but I don't mind. If the wife rides along it's doable, but certainly not fun for more than an hour or two drive with the cramped leg space.
Maybe the 2 series has better foot room?
I'm sure it does but I haven't test driven one yet. My wife drives a minivan, so the back seat in my car only gets used occasionally, and for short trips.
Keep your DD and fun cars separate and that opens up lots of fun car possibilities. Those that argue it’s too expensive aren’t thinking clearly. Having a fun car you can thrash and not worry about it getting to work Monday is hugely liberating. Used FRS plus cheap truck or SUV as an example.
I can even use my DD to tow cars, go offroading a bit, haul 5 people, and move lots of car parts. It’s also a lot safer in traffic than most any fun car.
Nderwater you have good taste...
Perhaps the compromise lies in responsiveness (weight (lack thereof)/suspension (competency of design)/steering feel), and some relationship between torque and rear tires...
It occurs to me that one needn't give up the high speed capability of a fast car to achieve the compromise of being able to find fun at lower speeds - it's a function of grip of the driving wheels. Build a V8 Miata, but as Keith suggested - stick it on all-seasons...
Beardy said:
Nderwater you have good taste...
Perhaps the compromise lies in responsiveness (weight (lack thereof)/suspension (competency of design)/steering feel), and some relationship between torque and rear tires...
It occurs to me that one needn't give up the high speed capability of a fast car to achieve the compromise of being able to find fun at lower speeds - it's a function of grip of the driving wheels. Build a V8 Miata, but as Keith suggested - stick it on all-seasons...
I had no problem getting the BRZ to move around on 255/35/18 Star Specs. 
Different things are fun about cars. A car that's nimble, controllable, responsive and has a good sensation of speed is the most fun. IMO the car I've driven that most embodies this is the ND Miata. Power is obviously fun too, but it can be fleeting and your brain adjusts to it. Some very capable cars don't transmit speed well. A car with poor suspension, low-grip tires and low power isn't automatically fun. Putting low grip tires on an otherwise fun car, does not make it better.
Great thread, not sure how I missed it the first time around.
Of the fun cars I've owned here is what I remember:
73 Super Beetle, stock suspension, disc brake conversion, balanced and cammed 1641 w/ turbo: What a hoot. Slow, like high 15s slow but it would pull the front wheels up on a hard launch. handling was terrifying, brakes were worse, and the power felt a lot more than it really was. This is the one I miss the most.
77 Plymouth 1/2 ton van, 440ci. POWER! TORQUE! Put 8 bodys in there and give them all whiplash. Hook up a trailer and pass everyone. Burnouts! I miss the old bandwagon, but gas was $4 and I was commuting 45 minutes each way.
84 C4, all stock, automatic, no mufflers: Handling was great, ride height was entertaining. I do not miss that car at all.
90 S10, 3" drop, 4.3, 5 gears, LSD, cat-delete and single flowmaster 40. Torque was impressive, handling was great for a truck, would kick the back out at will. The thing I miss the most was the sound. Snap the throttle shut north of 4000 and bask in the sound.
95 MX6, all stock. Probably the best sound, easily the best handling. Terrible to work on because of neglect and hackery.
93 Accord, stock, auto. Slow, boring, comfortable. Aside from the beetle this is the only one I want back.
Expensive stuff has always been out of reach and so usually out of mind when I try to come up with an answer for this question. The most fun stuff usually seems to have the right balance of cheap, reliable and sounds good. Comfort is of little concern, though I am still pretty young, and power is rarely missed.
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