Recently we showcased a list of well loved and used cars you can have fun with for $2,500, all while keeping some hard earned money in the bank. This time around, here is a list of appropriate track rats, autocross carvers, and grudge night contenders that will still have life in them, and shiny paint on the hood. Any of these can be used as a reliable daily driver (well, maybe not the 944), and should offer their new owners plenty of service life.
E36 BMW M3
Best steering rack in the world? Check. Reliable drivetrain? Check. One of the best balanced cars BMW has ever made? Check. Reliably putting out 240HP, and sending the power rearward through a slick shifting transmission, the M3 offers the driver the best of everything. A spartan but well designed interior, a surprisingly comfortable ride, and enough grip to distort your passengers faces. This masterpiece is at home on the track, slicing between cones, or leaving your friends in the dust on your favorite back road. Just look out of electrical issues, coolant system leaks, and cracked rear subframes.
Bugeye Subaru WRX
Thanks to the Gran Turismo video game franchise, the WRX exploded into our country offering cheap performance that knew how to handle corners. Years later, they make cheap track toys, and can be easily modded for some very big power. Older 2.0L flat fours are known for having an on/off switch for a turbo (ie turbo lag), but on what track do you find yourself below 3,000 rpms anyway? So what if they look a little goofy, and scream like a pissed off Wookie at redline? They’ll notchy shift ahead of plenty of “better” cars at a track in the right hands. Do watch out for heavily abused multi owner cars that are run through.
C4 Chevrolet Corvette
With massive grip and plenty of torque on hand, the C4 is a very capable car. While they aren’t known for having the most accurate steering racks, or the tightest chassis in the world, they dance through corners at very alarming rates of speed. Large clutches, strong transmissions, and nearly bullet proof engines mean this is a car that can be abused, neglected, and still be expected to run. Search hard, and it’s possible to find some low miles, gently driven examples that will put a huge smile on your face every time you drive. Try to stick to the coupes though, as the convertibles flex like a limp noodle.
B5 Audi S4
The Audi that dethroned the E36 M3 back in the 1990′s, the S4 offers an intoxicating blend of straight line speed, secure AWD handling, and a very well appointed interior. The Quattro drive train does lend itself to resolute understeer, but its forgiving nature makes it an easy car to jump in and explore the limits without getting bitten. Watch out for worn turbos (you were going to do the K04 upgrade anyway weren’t you), abused transmissions from AWD launches, and the gremlins we swear the Germans design into their electronics. Out of the bunch, the S4 is the jack of all trades, and makes a wonderful daily driver.
Z32 Nissan 300ZX Turbo
After creating the sales-chart dominating 240Z, Nissan (Datsun) went through most of the late 70′s and the 80′s with sub-par sports cars. Then in 1989, they unleashed the beast with the Z32 300ZX Turbo. Not only you had one of the best designed cars in the world, but the Z could back up the looks with excellent performance. The Z was comfortable on the highway and was a force on the race tracks. Due to the cult following of these cars, finding one in good condition shouldn’t be too difficult. Watch out for examples with front end collision history, the tight engine bay makes for a nightmarish vehicle to repair properly.
SN-95 Ford Mustang GT
Still riding on the archaic Fox body platform, the SN-95 still appeals to our inner hooligans. Laying down rubber through the first few gears off a stop light is easy, as are forest fire amounts of smoke when doing donuts. The robust drivetrain just screams abuse me, and who knew doing the worst things to a car could be oh so rewarding. Cheap to mod, these are common sights at local legal and illegal drag races, and are tame enough to be driven to and from the track. Handling numbers won’t always impress, but powersliding out of the corner trailing twin lines of rubber is more fun anyway.
EM1 Honda Civic Si
Devouring corners with tenacity, this double wishbone front driver has a playful nature that is not found in modern FWD cars, new Si included. Light accurate steering combined with a brilliant gearbox make this little car a joy to hustle around. With the perfect amount of rotation on corner entry, and an easy ability to meter out power on the exit, the Si rewards the skilled, and helps the hamfisted. Returning great fuel economy, and touting Honda’s reliability, you can scream ‘VTEC just kicked in, yo!’ for hundreds of thousands of miles. Watch out for ricer mods, Pep Boy Intakes, and poorly fitting wire mesh grills and fart can exhausts.
951 Porsche 944 Turbo
The poor mans Porsche might just be one of the most well behaved of that era. While the non turbos are quite a bit more reliable, reliability and 944 aren’t exactly friends. What the 944 is dear friends with though is a challenging road or track. With enough power to pull itself around quickly, and tight body motions that make changing direction effortless, the 944 is a monster in skilled hands. With none of the quirky pendulum characteristics of the older 911, this is a great Porsche for beginners. Just make sure you have a stone cold reliable daily driver, as this car tends to suffer from plenty of little issues.
JZZ30 Lexus SC 300
A leap forward in Toyota’s design interpretation, the Lexus SC coupes were so daring that the Japanese customers complained that the car was too futuristic. The ‘bathtub’ second generation SC 430 is the proof of these said complaints. To compliment the boring LS and the ES sedans, Lexus introduced this luxury cruiser in 1992. The Lexus SC 300 can be had with the manual transmission, but finding one can be very hard. This chassis is flexible enough to accept any drivetrain from the JDM Soarer/Aristo’s 2.5 liter twin turbo engine, Supra’s 3.0 liter twin turbo engine, to the newer Toyota/Lexus V8 engines.
C170 Ford SVT Focus
Someone call down to Hell and see what the temperature is. It’s still hot? That’s odd, because here is a Ford that not only handles well, but trounces most of the competition. Coming out when Ford really turned around their product lineup, this little hatch drove worlds better than any front driver Ford had ever made, and better than almost all of the rivals. Matching a strong engine to a close ratio 6 speed making straight line runs fun, but flying into turns way too hot, sliding to slow down, and powering out is where the real entertainment is at. Plus, it’s cost effective and well designed rear suspension make bumpy sections of track a non issue.
Honorable Mentions:
E38 BMW 740i
What? Tuner car? Come again! With the extremely low purchase price, the VIP tuning scene has been growing steadily. Picking up a clean E38 should be easy to accomplish well under this price cap, and leave you some money in the bank for mods. What’s common? On top of a full detail, lowering it to an almost undriveable height, exhaust, a full host of in car entertainment, and a nice upgrade from the stock wheels. While you wont see many of these barges carving along back roads, they’re becoming a lot more common sight at car shows. Just remember, it was a very expensive car when it was new, and it still costs your first born to maintain.
Y33 Inifinti Q45
Keeping in theme with VIP (‘bippu’ in Japanese) tuning, no VIP tuning talk can be complete without having this Q-ship in the discussion. Even though the Infiniti Q45 always played ‘the other Japanese luxury car’ role, when it comes to VIP, the Lexus LS takes the back seat. Because Q45′s ‘statesman’ styling and the low resale value, the Q45 is the VIP tuning crowd’s favorite.
Z16A Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4
Two turbos, AWD, and more gadgets and gizmos than the Apollo Program. These porkers might not love corners as much as a Z32, but are surprisingly fun to drive hard. With more than 300 horsepower on tap, it’s easy to get into trouble quickly if you’re used to driving a commuter car. As a rolling testament to technological excess, these can be a nightmare to maintain, but can be ever so rewarding when working correctly.
-KF
Coupe, Sport, Light. With even the slightest mention of these words near any BMW fan in the US, they’ll start drooling and panting uncontrollably. Shortly after they will pull every last hair on their head, fall to their knees and in a mad fit of rage and confusion, scream to the car gods, “WHY?! WHY NOT HERE?” OK, not exactly, but that is the equivalent emotion felt by avid BMW fans who long for this car. It was more powerful, louder, lighter, lower, stiffer, grippier, and above all, more fun than the already popular M3. Visually the car had subtle additions like the carbon fiber roof, a bumper mounted intake, a more aerodynamically sculpted trunk, and bigger, lighter wheels. Underneath the hood was a different story. What BMW did to the 3 Series to make the M3 is the same thing they did to make the M3 CSL from the M3 (So would this be the M-M3?). It’s performance increase over the M3 is significant and quantifiable but utterly irrelevant. Tiff Needell of Brittan’s 5th Gear TV show once screamed, “I don’t care if it is faster! I just sounds faster!” as he plowed up through the gears. This car brought back the true spirit of “M.” Initially the M3 CSL had no radio, no AC, no leather, and was only available in SMG (which did perform better on the track). Comfort and convenience went out the window and performance was the sole focus, a feat last seen only in the first ever M3 (E30). Why the US never saw this masterpiece is beyond me. If BMW managed to get the M3 CSL here legally, it would have instantly sold out.
OK so we finally have the GT-R here, but we never saw this one. This was the first of the Skylines to really jump off the technological deep end. It was the first real-life video game. Like the Nissan GT-R we now have, this car could make even the most appalling drivers look like pros. Whatever mistake you made, the committee of on-board computers would make appropriate corrections by diverting power funds to the proper locations. This car could read your mind. Whatever you were trying to do, it somehow knew what you wanted and gave you more. Couple that to its estimated 350BHP turbocharged 2.6L in-line six and you had a car that was almost unstoppable. All of the advantages of front, rear and all-wheel drive were present with few of the disadvantages. As if this wasn’t enough, Nissan made the V-Spec Nur variant, which improved the already fantastic suspension and engine. In 2007, our prayer was finally answered. The successor to the R34 Skyline, the Nissan GT-R (R35) arrived in US showrooms and quickly sold out for more than MSRP. Just don’t try to import an R34, even through Florida; it just may end up crushed into tin cans when the Fed’s find out, and that my car enthusiast friends, is a crime against humanity.
The Type R badge is the rice rocket wet dream. Honda had great success with the Integra Type R in the US. Before the great crash of the auto industry, a used Integra Type R in good condition would cost you well over $20,000. However, no other Type R made it to the US. Hatchback-phobia again is the problem with the Civic Type R. Critics hailed this souped-up city runabout as the typical high revving torqueless go-cart we’ve all come to expect from Honda. Although the newer EP’s suspension was less advanced as its predecessors double wishbone, it handled as well as the best of its competition.
The US did get the hatchback Civic Si, an anemic version of the Civic Type R, but it was not nearly as successful as its sedan predecessor, which played a large roll in Honda’s decision not to introduce the Type R in the US. Like the BMW M3 CSL, the Type R does not simply represent higher performance numbers. It represents a huge worldwide following which some have dubbed a religion. Other cars that received the Type R treatment include the Accord and NSX. The removal of sound insulation and the addition of under-body aero lead the NSX Type R to nearly tie the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale’s lap time of the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Do not despair for there is good news for the Civic Type R in the US! A Type R sedan had been released in Japan with speculation that it might come Stateside. We’ll keep you posted.
Considered to be the world’s ultimate hot hatch, the Lancia Delta Integrale first hit Europe’s streets in1991. Many things we consider as ordinary features on most cars today were standard on this high performance model Delta. It had a 2.0L turbo four that churned 215HP and came with an advanced torsion AWD unit capable of sending power as need to wheels that had more traction with a distribution of almost 50:50 front to rear, perfect for lurid slides in the dirt. But the engine and drive train were relatively unchanged from it’s lesser Turbo HF leaving the only difference to the suspension. The Delta Integrale was wider and stiffer giving it better performance on and off road. (Yes I did say off road) It’s most distinguishing feature are the rally inspired light weight wheels and aggressive body kit resembling it’s rally counterpart. In 1993, computers were added to the cars brain which gave it variable ignition timing, less intrusive emission control, idle control (VW MkII fans will appreciate this), and boost control which reduced turbo lag. Emission laws again spoil our fun in the US and that inexplicable fear of hatches. However, look closely and you’ll find a few gray market imports lurking about. I spotted a black one in San Mateo, California just a few blocks from downtown.
The Imprezza 22B sold out just after it went on sale. It was in such high demand that it was rumored even the late Colin McRae had to pay for his. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this beast, Subaru decided to celebrate their 40th birthday and dominant 3rd title of World Rally Championship by making the 22B. Their driver, Colin McRae, was largely responsible for their success that year. Subaru claimed their car made 276BHP, the mandated limit for cars sold in Japan, but many have spun the dyno rollers at a higher number. Although it was based on the Imprezza chassis, the 22B was noticeably wider and was equipped with road clawing suspension, eye-popping brakes and a more aggressive AWD setup. The WRX Coupe R the common man’s 22B. It lacked the wide body and power but had equally aggressive suspension and had a detuned version of the 22B’s engine. Both cars had enough power to hurl themselves up against their top-gear rev limiter thanks to the short ratio differential. This made it the perfect weekend track warrior. Emission laws barred these mischievous siblings from the US.
The biggest criticism of American cars is the notion that they are undesirable. Well, here’s a very desirable one. Meet the Ford Focus RS. It’s a more powerful, more nimble Focus. Ford’s European design division came up with the internationally successful Focus and consequently entered it into WRC competition which was also driven by Colin McRae. Their tribute car came in the form of the Focus RS. Though not a huge departure from the standard Focus, the first RS was equipped with a 2.0L turbo four producing a modest 205 HP. Earlier this year, the second generation Focus RS hit European showrooms with a whopping 300+HP turbocharged five-cylinder from Volvo. The first generation Focus RS would have been a patriotic and unique alternative to the Japanese Evo’s and STI’s. More importantly it might have helped put the US automaker back on the map at home.
No, the year range is not a typo. This is one of Italy’s most quintessential cars. Its style and superior performance was everything that was Italian all in a compact aluminium shell with wheels. In Italy during the 60′s a gorgeous woman could be called “Abarthizzata.” Other than working it’s way into modern Italian vocabulary, the Abarth’s racing counterparts were successful in their classes which included touring cars. Early versions put out only a mere 27BHP while the later 850SS models were rated a almost 100BHP and were capable of reaching speeds close to 120MPH. Fiat has revived this model in Europe and has specifically announced its plans to bring the car to America. With its purchase of Chrysler, Fiat has perfect distribution method for the 500 Abarth. Just as BMW did with Mini, Fiat will sell the 500 through Chrysler dealerships.
We have yet another car inspired by rally racing; this one is from the Group B era. For those who don’t know, Group B era ended because the cars were too fast and too dangerous. So, Porsche decided to make a production version of the car that was too dangerous for racing drivers. This monstrosity gave new meaning to the word ridiculous. Remember, this car showed up in the mid 80′s and could time warp you to 60MPH in 3.7 seconds and to the quarter mile in 11.8 seconds. These figures were pure insanity in the 80′s. The only car to out accelerate the 959 was the famed McLaren F1, which showed up in the 90′s. Speed wasn’t the only thing it had. Style, reliability and handling were in equal abundance. The Porsche-Steuer Kupplung (PSK) AWD unit, the most advanced of its time, could direct 80% of available power to the rear when needed, the shocks could be adjusted electronically to various comfort and sport settings, it’s aerodynamics produced no lift which made it drivable at its top speed of almost 200MPH, and it sported super light weight magnesium alloy wheels which burn a blinding white when lit on fire. Porsche refused to send the US Department of Transportation the four 959s required for crash testing, so the car was never brought here by Porsche. However, since the “Show and Display” law, the car now meets crash test standards and can be fitted with emissions equipment to make the car legal in the US.
This is the great grandmother of all of Audi’s AWD cars. The Audi Sport Quattro housed the same AWD unit used in Audi’s legendary Group B rally car and has been handed down to all of Audi’s cars. Quattro is the pride of all Audi fans and it was the reason of the car’s dominance in Group B. The rally version eventually made well over 500BHP and is still one of the most powerful rally cars ever built. The production version made a modest 305BHP from a 2.1L in-line five. Even 17 years later, the Audi Sport Quattro could up keep up with the far more advanced Mitsubishi Lance Evolution VI. Only 224 were ever made and none were sent to the US, although gray market cars have been spotted. Emission laws again prove to be a thorn in the side of many automakers attempting to bring cars into the US.
Yet another feather-weight rally inspired hot hatch that never saw the Red, White, and Blue. This car is like a baby Skyline GT-R. It had similar AWD unit and an exclusive turbo-charged engine with 2 less cylinders and 1 liter less displacement. Other goodies included a snazzy body kit, sporty suspension, and big brakes. This car was available in left hand drive but only made it as far as UK in its westward travels. It was very quick for its day and had a matching chassis making a great competitor to the Subaru WRX and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, but in a smaller, cuter package.
Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32) – It earned the nickname of ‘Godzilla’. An offspring of a concept car called MID-4, the Nissan Skyline GT-R production mirrored the Porsche 959 – except for the engine placement. In street form the car was nearly unbeatable. But in race form the GT-R was unbeatable, literally. It won all 29 races in the JTCC (Japan Touring Car Championships) from 1989-1993 and won the series title every year during that time. From 1991-1997, the car was undefeated in the N1 series in all 50 races. The car was so dominant in racing that the GT-R was given it’s own racing series, now known as (JGTC) Japan GT Car Series. Not only did the ‘Godzilla’ dominate the Japanese home market, but it killed the competition at the Nurburgring, the UK, and Australian racing circuits. In fact, the rumor is that the GT-R was squeezed out of the Australian race circuit.
Auto Union Type D – Born before Europe broke out in conflict yet again, the Type D was a fantastic improvement over the Type C. With new rules limiting engine size, the total output of the engine went down, but improvements in the suspension and the chassis slightly tamed the monster that was the Type C. In the era of high horsepower, low grip, and knife in the back handling, the Type D was a valiant effort by the company that went on to become Audi. Driven to success by Tazio Nuvolari after the tragic death of Bernd Rosemeyer, and through various team upsets, the Type D represented what a team could accomplish when they were blood thirsty to win. Hard to master, but incredibly fast, this mid engined car set lap records that were in place long after the cars disappeared behind the Iron Curtain after WWII.
Audi Sport Quattro – This monster was created to smash all contenders in the short lived Group B Rally. Driven hard by Walter Röhrl before the FIA took the axe to the overpowered and accident prone Group B cars, this car literally dominated the rally scene for the few shorts years it was allowed to. It took a few years for other manufactures to emulate Audi, as RWD not AWD was the norm at the time. Being able to reliably put down the close to 600 HP the later versions produced made this one hard car to catch, even with the tough competition.
Porsche 917K – Before modern times of anti-stall, traction control, and computer controlled everything, the 917K delivered a well earned first win at the 24 hours of Le Mans to Porsche. After a disappointing showing by the unstable 917 in 1969, the car was modified with a shorter tail to produce downforce instead of lift. Having finally solved the stability issues, the 917 went on to set the standard for the series. Setting total distance records that stand in modern times at 3,107.7 on the Circuit de la Sarthe, this was a car to be feared at the track. While later versions had more power, and even went faster down the Mulsanne Straight, the 917K was the first version to make the competition shake in their driving suits.
McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13 – In an attempt to slow the cars down further, the FIA mandated grooved tires in the 1998 F1 season. Fighting for traction, the new tires were not well liked, caused an immense amount of frustration, but one team had the car to best adapt. Edging out the genetic mutant that we call Shuey, Mika Häkkinen earned the Drivers Championship, while McLaren-Mercedes easily won the Constructors Championship. Fighting off a frustrated Ferrari, the MP4/13 was questioned and reviewed for it’s different braking system, and it was found out that it was using the brakes similar to a modern hybrid. Converting kinetic energy to electrical energy stored in batteries, the MP4/13 could give itself a close to 40HP boost for a limited time. This long wheel base McLaren had a few teething problems, but was a huge advance for McLaren’s record in the 1990′s.
Mercerdes 300SL W194 – Nicknamed the ‘Gull Wing’, this was the first car to use direct fuel injection into its 6 cylinders, although the race version was carburated. The race version of the same vehicle, to the tune of approximately 230hp, won numerous overall victories at the 24 hour of Le Mans endurance race, and recorded 2nd and 4th place finishes in its first race, the Mille Miglia in Italy. The ‘Gull Wing’ was so well designed that ex-factory Mercedes racing driver John Fitch drove it in an attempt to set a land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 2005. It was also recently voted as ‘the Car of the Century’.
Ford Sierra Cosworth – From BTCC, DTM, Group N Rally, to a host of others, this little hatch took on the world. Inspired off a rather uninspiring small car, the project of Stuart Turner looked to exploit this little RWD car and imprint Ford’s name back into racing. By adding a aircraft carrier sized dual-rear wing, the lift generated by the hatchback was negated, and instead pushed the rear wheels to the ground at speed. Short wheelbase, high HP, and plenty of venues in which to compete, 1980′s race tracks were crammed with these cars. The rules required the car to be homologated, and soon tarted up Sierras were seen across Europe.
Ford GT40 – Built at the request of an enraged Henry Ford II, the GT40 teethed for a little before dominating at Le Mans. Ford was upset due to a failed acquisition of Ferrari, and shot Enzo between the eyes by building a better racecar than the men from Modena could muster. Destroying the competition in 1966, the GT40′s scored a 1-2-3 finish, proving their Lola sourced chassis and 427ci engine was a force to be reckoned with. Combining great looks, immense power, and handling poise, the GT40 was the perfect slap in the face Ferrari deserved. Thousands of replicas later, and remade by Ford in 2003, the GT40 can turn heads on the road or track to this day.
Jaguar D-Type – Borrowing a ton of technology from aircraft industry, the D-Type took full advantage of Malcolm Sayer’s aerodynamic expertise. Combining disk brakes (first seen on the C-Type predecessor), a monocoque chassis, fuel bladders and a wind tunnel tested design, Jaguar was attacking Le Mans for all it was worth. Down on power against the Ferraris, the D-Type used it’s slippery shape and fantastic brakes to edge forward. While the factory cars always seemed to be plagued by misfortune, the simplicity of the D-Type ensured that many private entries were around to take up the slack. An impressive racing history combined with an advanced yet simple chassis, the D-Type was the car to beat for many years in the 1950′s.
Lotus-Ford 72 – The forefather to the F1 cars of today. A ground breaking shape that was emulated quickly, the 72 surged ahead of the pack, and revolutionized the F1 world. Inboard brakes to save unsprung weight, sidepod mounted radiators, and exotic (if quirky) suspension allowed this Ford powered car to set a blistering pace. Accomplished as being one of the most recognizable of the 1970′s F1 cars, this wedge went on to run in almost 6 complete seasons before a worthy replacement was introduced. Either in the Gold Leaf livery, or Black on Gold, the John Player Special 72′s went on to score many wins, and raised the bar for what made an F1 car competitive. The top mounted airbox that gives the engine the benefit of ram air was introduced on the 72, and quickly became the standard in F1.
Datsun Z/ZX – The 240Z was originally named ‘Fairlady Z’, after the Broadway’s ‘My Fairlady’ play. But at the race track, there was nothing lady about the Z. It is probably the most decorated car in SCCA history. The Z won from 1970-1979 and 1984 in the production C class, and for a good measure the same car won again in 1986 in the GT2 class (by the son of a driver of one of the original Z’s). It was also piloted by some of the most famous American drivers such as Johnny Morton, Paul Newman, and Steve Millen (of Stillen).
Audi R10 – A revolution in endurance racing, the Audi R10 TDI was the first truly successful diesel vehicle to compete. Released as a concept in 2005 with a 5.5 liter twin-turbo V-12 diesel, the R10 won both the 12 hours of Sebring and the 24 hours of Le Mans in its first full race season. Between 2006 and 2008, the R10 racked up 3 consecutive 24 hours of Le Mans victories in the LMP1 category and overall. Not only did it win 3 years in a row but the R10 also took over the podium with many 1-2 finishes, leaving other manufacturers like Peugeot to dream about the victory. Case in point, in the 2008 Le Mans, after a rare mechanical problem, the Audi fell a good 45 minutes behind the Peugeot 908, only to come back to win by a margin of 4 minutes in the late stages of the race. The dominant force in endurance racing since its inception, it is being used as the base for its replacement, the 2009 Audi R15 racecar.
Suzuki Escudo – Anyone who has played Gran Turismo 2 or 3 knows this baby. With a 2.0L V6 cranking out an astonishing 985HP, this boosted beast was made for one purpose: climb Pikes Peak. While the newer XL7 may hold the current climb record, you’d be hard pressed to ask a car enthusiast what an Escudo is without them bringing up this horrifying car. With the wing area that rivals most small aircraft, more power than an F1 car, and a purpose built mid engine, AWD chassis, this car really took full advantage of the “Unlimited Class” in the Race to the Clouds.
Everyone has a friend who is always getting into trouble, itching for fights, and can’t be trusted to behave. If you gave a group of guys like that the ability to advertise for your brand, you’d basically have BMW’s advertising department. Whether it is pushing the bounds of acceptable, teasing other car manufacturers, BMW loves poking fun at everyone. Just as nothing can get the attention of a crowd of people like a fight, their brash and unorthodox methods gets attention from everyone.