Can you automatically flap the doors with this, maybe when you are on the race track and need some extra thrust?

 

Not to cast doubt, but what makes this announcement 'official'??? It looks like another auto mag printing their guess. I'd wait for a press release from Porsche before I'd call it 'official'. And as for the photos, since when does Porsche supply concept pictures to the press? The Carrera GT was a complete surprise. And remember the veil of secrecy over the Cayenne?

 

Auto Motor und Sport is known for pretty accurate photoshopped images of future cars. However, this one is years away, and it is likely the style has not been finalized.

Would Porsche supply such pictures? No way! Not even to their neighbors (Auto Motor und Sport) down the street.

However, Bill, the Carrera GT was known since it popped up at an auto show, and pictures of the Cayenne had been floating around for quite some time. All were more or less photoshopped, though.

Another funny one was that rumor about an 8-cylinder 997. Even two Porsche salesmen told me about it. What a piece of bull! There is no way you'd fit an 8-cylinder in the back of a 911 without creating a major issue in weight distribution and with space. The V8 is way too high - even if they could make it fit, it would lift the center of gravity and make the 911 not handle as well anymore. If it was a flat 8, the car would have to be almost endlessly long..., or the transmission woud have to move forward quite a bit.

I asked someone at Porsche about this some time ago, and while he could not confirm anything about the 997 (he wants to keep his job), he did say he had never heard about an 8-cylinder 997. And he should know, because it would directly affect his work.

So yes, let's be careful with taking such "announcements" too serious - there is still so much time for changes, and most of the stuff isn't true to begin with...

 

Nicole -

I meant to say the CGT was a complete surprise when it showed up at the Paris show. And while there were some pictures of the Cayenne floating around (I helped spread some of them), they didn't come from Porsche.

And maybe Auto Motor und Sport is a reliable source, but does anyone here think Porsche could sell 20,000 of ANYTHING a year for $270k? Is there any other vehicle in that price range that sells even close to that volume? In the USA (I don't have ROW numbers) MB, BMW and Audi each sell around 1000 of their top of the line vehicles (S600, 760il, A8L 6.0) which cost less than half as much!

 

Well this is getting like the new Star Wars movies. People wanted them forever and when they were finally made, people shat all over them.

If Porsche makes another sports car in spirit of the 928 which is what this crowd wants. It seems like an even split of people will hate it regardless. I think the pics were close to what Porsche would do in terms of design. They aren't going to loss that headlight package and front and rear bumper style anytime soon.

I just hope they put an ejection seat in for the passenger so you can get rid of hitch hikers.

 

Bill: I wrote earlier that the goal of building 20,000 of them per year at that price is a "wee" high. This was ironc, because I think it is entirely unrealistic.

1. I don't believe the price will be nearly that high - at least not for the entry level versions.

2. 20,000 is about the number of 911s made per year - it is unlikely that Porsche can sell that volume of a different model that has a lot more competition.

I think these numbers are made up by some editor...

 

Listen to Nicole. $275?? Not a friggin chance. Under 175K is the price point and even then its a stretch.

That car is fugly. I hate it. Then again, I'm not a CGT fan either.

Is chris Bangle moonlighting?

 

This is the quote of the day!!!

 

Porsche has abandoned numbers for names . Boxster , Cayenne , Carrera GT ............ I doubt any 4 door will ever be called 928 or any other number unless they are called ................... " number 2 " , but that would not be by Porsche !

 

They probably won't ditch the numbering system, though I wonder what happens when they run out of numbers....

-That car in Auto Motor und Sport is HOT....but I bet that is another magazine-generated computer rendering. There's just too much CGT in the mix to be credible...I say Photoshop. Though I don't doubt that the car will be built...

$275k? What is the purpose of producing such a car? This project is actually a "vehicle" to produce money for Porsche AG...and as such will be designed for a certain price range in the market. I don't think there is a real market for a $275k car, even adjusted for inflation, unless it is a "halo" vehicle such as the CGT. And I suspect that cars in that price range are going to need to be two door/ two seat sports models.

A $100- $200k four door with a great pedigree such as this would probably do immensely well in the marketplace. Now adjust that 2004 price for four years of inflation, and you'll probably get an idea as to how Porsche will price these cars. Expect it to have construction/mechanicals that allow Porsche to produce a large per-unit profit at this price.

That's all good and fine, I hope it comes to fruition and looks as good as the pictures. As long as they DONT call it a 928....

Normy!
'85 S2 5 Speed

 

$275,000 and 20,000 units is 5.5 billion dollars in sales. From one model? That would be the same as 12500 Carrera GT's. Can anyone imagine THAT? - Ruf

 

I'm wondering if they didn't typo the volume. I think they could sell 2000/year if the performance ends up in CGT territory. The Maybach is a completely different car (ultra-lux vs. ultra-performance) but MB is only planning to sell 1000/year at a somewhat higher price!

 

Actually, in the issue of Auto Motor und Sport they state that the goal is to produce 20,000 each of the Boxster, Carrera, Cayenne and GT Coupe. It is the price that I doubt is correct.

BTW: The article also states that most likely the transmission will not be in the rear on these cars.

 

My German isn't good enough to disagree, and the online translators aren't much better...

If they really do want to make 20k of these a year, what price could they get away with? No more than the Cayenne, I would guess. And how soon before it gets a VW engine when they miss their sales targets???

 

Good point Bill. We do have a model to follow here. What ever they do for the SUV, is what they will do for this 4-door thing. If they really are putting all this effort into a 4-door, while the worls is crying for a new 2-door four seat coupe, then I've lost all faith in their marketing ability.- Ruf