The Fixer

drnick,

I'm sure you have seen the super light mid-engine Alfa Romeo 4C by now.
It eats the CaymanS for lunch and Auto Journalists love it and the design.

When i saw it i thought of your lightweight headlamp solution. Seems they did the same. Your's is better though.

I remember a few snarky comments about your solution.

You're on the cutting edge man!

James Bailey

Sadly they are predicting that if/when the Alfa 4C comes to the US it will weigh what YOUR 928 now weighs costing over $55,000 before any dealer gouging and you KNOW there will be a premium being sold by the Maserati Dealers.

hacker-pschorr

I'm not sure I would use the 4C as an example of good headlight design.

True story - they ran out of money designing the car before they got to the headlamps. They are literally pieced together form the "parts bin". Nothing the Alfa designers are proud of.

The Fixer

I read that too but didn't want to be a buzz kill.

I figure this design compromise won out over other cost saving ideas.

They are growing on many including me.

I read the euro version weighs 2100 (dry) and the US version in the 2300+ range. (Edit: 2650lbs for US version)
The Italians (not myself) always cheat their curb weight specs.
They don't have oil/coolant in the motor or fuel in the tank.
Ferrari is notorious for doing this.

SMTCapeCod

I'm sorry, but following a tragic cluster-F, I do believe that the 928 auto trans is Mercedes Benz...parts bin, wait, it's late and there's a storm, I'll stop...

The Forgotten On

It is, but Porsche redid the synchros for sportier shifting. You all know the reliability of the Porsche 5 speed transaxel VS the Automatics.

They chose the best auto there was at the time, and it makes sense, after all Porsche was floundering at the time which is why they built the 928 in the first place. So why spend extra to redesign something that is already being built?

dr bob

Fixed that for you.

The 928 was anything but a desperation car. The auto gearbox is MB guts in a purpose-designed case, at a time when hotrod M-B's were being assembled in the Porsche factory under contract. They had intimate knowledge of what would work as far as functionality, just had to sketch up a housing that would hold it with a torque tube in front and a differential connected directly behind it in the car.

Meanwhile, the 924 actually was saving the company, at a time when 911 performance was, um, less than exciting due to emissions and safety requirements in the US. The 924 truly was a parts-bin car, with pieces borrowed from the cousins at Audi and Volkswagen in a Porsche-designed shell. Sales of that entry-level car help[ed keep the company afloat as they finished the initial 928 development and moved into production. Perhaps the 928 was too expensive, too exclusive precisely becaue it wasn't a 'parts bin' car?

The Fixer

Just reading the Automobile mag Alfa 4C/ Cayman comparison.

Alfa 4C carbon fiber tub weighs only 143 lbs, manual steering..
They write the lightweight headlamp design saves 9 lbs.
in US trim comes in at 2650 lb + .

Alfa 4C at US trim weight or 650 lbs lighter than the Cayman and with
only 237 BHP and 258 lb-ft, is much quicker than the base Cayman to 60mph
and as quick as the new shick -shift 400 HP 911 Carrera. (both 4.5 sec)

Goes on to top officially at 164mph. They saw 166 on Auto Strada

4C only comes with a Dodge Dart spec (parts bin) 7 speed auto.
the turbo 1.7 i-4 is likely pretty stressed at this boost level.

Anyway the point i wanted to make is less weight really does = Faster
With weight advantage fewer downshifts are needed, handling & braking are enhanced.
But you guys all know this here.

And to tie the 928 back into this, i got my big heavy V8 Porsche down to 2650 lbs pretty darn easy which really surprised me.
Considering the big 928 motor, this is proof (to me) the Porsche Engineers really did their homework to keep the 928 light.
I was really impressed when taking this Porsche apart.
I need some lighter wheels.

Alan

I think has more implication of Quicker than Faster...

Alan

hacker-pschorr

Where has anyone ever disagreed with this?

Good point, the Veyron weighs over 4,000lbs

The Fixer

Where has anyone ever disagreed with this?

Like i said above Hacker: But you guys all know this here.

But until you've felt the difference, they're just numbers.

I was struck by the fact that the 2650 lb. Alfa is as quick as a new manual shift Carrera w/ 400bhp.
I wanted to drive the point home. It's modern 7 speed automatic helps a lot.

I talk to a lot of car guys that just look at HP numbers.

drnick

Matt, your clearly not taking into account the effect of torque... or Amsoil

The Fixer

LOL, Yes you're right. I do but thought that went without saying here.

Your lightweight 928 make a little bit of torque too, what does it weigh?

My 2005 Cayenne S had a Mercedes manufactured tiptronic trans with locking differential and low range.
Great transmission.

Imo000

^^^ Is that the same transmission that found in the VW Toureg V8?

James Bailey

Touareg....The 09D 6-speed automatic transmission
was developed at the famous Japanese manufacturer of automatic transmissions, AISIN Co., LTD,
where it is manufactured....