Porsche Sedan Range

Skoda Auto is owned by Volkswagen Group. Other car companies that fall under the VW Group banner include Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, SEAT and, of course, Volkswagen.

Obviously you're in the market for a performance drive, and the biggest difference between your preferences is seats. Specifically, just two in the Porsche. So, despite the fact the Cayman has a pretty handy boot in the nose, it's never going to be as practical as a C-Class sedan. The 6.2-litre V8 in the (W204) C63 is a naturally aspirated dream. The sound and fury of 372kW/620Nm (in the Edition 507) driving the rear wheels is a rare pleasure, and on the right road, its balance and mid-range punch are sublime. The current (W205-based) C63 S's 4.0-litre turbo V8 just pips it on outputs (375kW/700Nm), but the biggest difference with that unit's forced induction is that all that torque is available from just 1750rpm. The new chassis is brilliant, and is even quicker point-to-point than the Edition 507. Then there's the Cayman. Although we've somehow missed seat time in the GT4, experience with previous ‘special' models, including the (881) Cayman R and GTS point to this being the purest (or purist's?) choice. The 3.4-litre atmo R produces 243kW/370Nm, the GTS 250kW/380Nm, and the 3.8-litre GT4 is at 283kW/420Nm. The Cayman's mid-engine layout, and ideal weight distribution makes it one of the most precise and agile sports cars on the planet. So if you can live with just the two seats (that aren't exactly easy to get in and out of), it's our pick in terms of outright driving enjoyment.

Thanks for the email. Hopefully I can keep this simple. 

I would strongly recommend a Toyota Aurion V6 $30,990 drive away or the Toyota Camry $28,990 drive away (pricing current September 2015). 

Unless you want the acceleration of the V6 I would opt for the four cylinder Camry, which is spritely enough and will also deliver good open road fuel economy. 

For the type of driving you're doing you do not need the hybrid Camry. 

Also, the base model Camry on the smaller wheels and Michelin tyres will be much more comfortable and a touch quieter than the dearer Camry models that come with sports tyres. 

In both the Aurion and Camry you will be protected by seven airbags and a five star safety rating. A rear camera is standard on both models too. 

The servicing costs are among the cheapest in the business. 

Furthermore the intervals are longer than other Toyotas (15,000km rather than 10,000km) and the capped pricing lasts four years or 75,000, whichever comes first (other Toyotas are three years, 60,000km). 

This was done to help Aurion and Camry appeal to fleets. 

However, your warranty is the same as other Toyotas at three years/100,000km. 

Dealership extended warranties are generally not worth the paper they are printed on, so save your money if you're offered an extension. 

Please check you're comfortable when driving the Aurion and Camry. They have ample room inside and a lot of travel in the front seat rails. 

Meanwhile, you're right in your assumption that Toyotas are regarded as a premium over Holden and Ford. The price is cheap because Toyota is trying to keep the factory running until 2017. It is in effect making a loss with each Camry it sells. 

Toyota also has a vast rural dealer network so hopefully you're never far away from help should you need it. 

Lastly, the Camry was at $26,990 drive away for much of last year and the price may limbo to that level again in the lead up to the end of the year or early next, to clear 2015 stock. This is not an inside tip, merely an educated guess on my part.

Good luck and let me know if I can help any further. I hope I'm still driving big distances in my 80s.