I'm totally with you on the value/performance thing in favor of the base model. For five grand you could...

(a) buy another set of rims and "track-day" R-compound tires for auto-X or other summertime fun.

(b) take out the stock seats and buy a pair of Sparco or Recaro or some other high-tech "racer" seats to hold your butt in place puling those .9 plus "G" corners.

(c) have a shop fabricate a cool stainless true dual exhaust system that will sound like the car looks.

Shop smart and you could do all three !

Cheers,

Slim