Buy/Drive/Burn: The B&B Burns a $45,000 Rear-drive Coupe

It is impossible to ignore the present pattern in the Buy/Drive/Burn series. We’ve had three entries in the series so far, two of which have been coupe-focused. In today’s fourth edition, we talk coupes again and sort out some questions of arson from B&B commenter Dal20402. He suggested today’s modern, rear-drive sports coupe lineup in the QOTD post where we introduced the rules for this series.

The coupe category spans three continents, each with its own idea of what a rear-drive coupe should be. Which one will burn?

Today’s coupes are all 2018 models, and share a few things in common: sporting ideals, rear-drive, automatic transmissions (live with it), and a price tag between $40,000 and $45,000.

Infiniti Q60 3.0t

Infiniti’s only coupe offering at present, the Q60 was the old G37’s replacement. The much-revised coupe you see here debuted in 2016. For $44,300 you get a LUXE trim Q60, which includes a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 making 300 horsepower. This mid-range trim does not offer the Dynamic Digital Suspension (you must step up to Sport for that). The Q60 needs that suspension. Your backside sits on leatherette.

Ford Mustang GT

As one might expect, the Mustang offers the biggest bang-for-buck of our trio, with the GT’s 5.0-liter V8 producing a grandiose 460 horsepower. The GT Premium comes with leather, and in automatic guise starts at $41,590. It’s less luxurious, more low-brow, and more fun than the other two. Staying on budget, you’ve got room for a couple of options like navigation or a Performance Package.

BMW 430i

The BMW we can afford today has half the number of cylinders of the Mustang (but much better fuel economy), and features a 2.0-liter inline-four engine producing 248 horsepower. The 430i with an automatic transmission asks $43,500 at your local BMW dealer, leaving room for a color that is not white or black for $550 extra. I might go with Snapper Rocks Blue Metallic to cover up the leatherette interior.

Three coupes with different missions in life, asking the same sort of money. Dal wants to know which goes home to your garage, and which becomes a burned out shell?

[Images: Lexus, Infiniti, Ford, BMW]