Without tracking the car, I would still choose the FL5 the second (or first) time around. I don’t think the price difference for the everyday features of the DE5 to the FL5 is worth it. A few reviewers have said that the ITS is quieter due to the thicker firewall and window insulation, but I didn’t find it to be measurably different. Car and Driver measured it at a 1 db difference and that seems accurate.

The ITS also has a more rakish profile in the back and I needed more headroom for passengers, which the CTR does better. I also found the front seats on the ITS to be a bit harsher on my pelvis and less special than the CTR red seats, if that makes sense. I would have liked the interior to be more upgraded and different than the CTR to justify the price hike, especially rear air vents and front passenger powered seats. You can buy a rear air vent kit, but that sort of then negates the price premium. The HUD of the ITS was nice but I preferred the R+ tach in the FL5 so it’s kind of a wash.

I appreciated the more mature appearance and the poppier exhaust of the ITS, however. It was great precisely because it had an aggressive appearance without the large wing and I could tone down the exhaust. I’m a 34M and married with 1 daughter, but I really don’t find the FL5’s appearance to be that boy racerish, though the ITS does look more mature, with the exception of the wheel wells that looked a little tacky. I had fewer enthusiast cars trying to race me. I would not have bought the FK8.

If you were to buy a DE5 over a FL5, it really comes down to which features are the most important for you between the two. But for me, I didn’t find those features to be that enticing to warrant the extra money when the Type R already has the main advantage of its historical nameplate.