Project car idea scrapped... new buy instead

[Autarch]

With the new job that I recently landed I will be working more hours than I am used to coupled with a longer commute than I normally have. Unfortunately this means that I won't have time to work on a project car (72 240Z) like I wanted to and will isntead buy a new car to replace my Lincoln LS V8 with. I was going to just keep the lincoln and work on something else on the side but now I have the extra capital to just purchase something new isntead.

I want something sporting. A manual transmission is necessary. Good handling is necessary. Good gas mileage is necessary (good is a relative term). A back seat is necessary even if it's just vestigial. I don't care about looks... I care about how it feels to drive. Sport is also more important than luxury but I like both. Price target is around $30k.

I have narrowed my choices so far down to:

Waiting for the new BMW 3 series (prob the best all around choice)
2005 GTO (the 400hp LS2 powered version. 400hp for $30k with civility?)
Mazda RX-8 (best handler of the group, good acceleration but not great gas mileage)

Any other suggestions along the same vein? I am currently leaning heavily towards a 3 series simply because I can get great fun out of it and they have such good resale value that I will have about 50% of my money still left in the car after 4-5 years and the new engines they are going to be putting in them are nothing short of spectacular.

While I mourn the ability to have a project car, a BMW or GTO should stave off the my desire to be working on a project for a while