I personally love my base model with the six speed that I have owned for 16 years now.

I thoroughly enjoy the shifting and playing with the gears but would like more power. Buying a car with diverse personalities like you are considering is purely up to you. Which means more?

My plan is to install a Mercedes AMG 3.2 (same engine as SRT6) and have both the AMG engine and the six speed in an effort to get the best of both worlds. The AMG engine prices have come down over the years and a complete engine goes from $2250 to $3750 depending on condition, mileage etc. Labor to install and modify controls is a big unknown. I plan to do the work myself and take my time as this is not a daily driver. Hoping to get help from this forum while I do this

Henry