Now that I've read through, here are some more unsolicited remarks to ignore:
1. I like the new Mustang, but it's still a coupe with a tight rear seat, cheap interior materials, and a live axle at the rear. Fun car, but not in the same league as, oh, a G35 of any shape. Or a 300hp STi for that matter.
2. What's the "new" SVT-C? I'd pick the MS6, first off, TC'd I4 be damned. But that's just me.
3. The regular Altima 3.5 SE has an awesome powerplant, but is a bit plodding. When I saw that an SE-R was coming out, I was excited until I saw the price. When you climb to that price point, there are a lot of choices as good or better than the SE-R, at least on paper.
4. I'm not knocking anybody's decision, here. Somebody mentioned FWD as an advantage in a snowy climate. Great. At $30k, I want RWD or AWD on my next sedan. When I compare sporty sedans around $30k, I see a lot of better choices for me. The G35 is obvious, as it is a Nissan with similar components in a different/superior configuration, etc. etc. (Oh, and btw, the sedan is lighter than the coupe.)
