"Moreover, my ideal characteristics, are quick, full of feel and accurate steering, lots of power, a pliant ride, not too harsh, very reliable as a package, easily thrashable, and the very best manual gearbox."

we just rec'd an SMG M3 yesterday and it would seem to fit the bill for you real nicely. what a blast that car is to drive - especially with SMG. stay tuned, if you need a 4 door, you can get the SMG in a 500 hp M5 package soon.