968 ".... a fantastic car."
10-12-2005 | 02:38 PM
#1
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From: Kirkland WA USA
968 ".... a fantastic car."
In case some of you have not seen the October Pano, this quote confirms what we all know.
Harm Lagaay was interviewed by Pano Editor Betty Jo Turner. Lagaay retired from Porsche after 15 years as Design Chief. He was responcible for the initial 924 concept and continued to influence Porsche design all the way through to the Carrera GT. He taked about bringing the 911, 928, and 968 together, "to look like members of the same family", and selling US dealers on the 968.
Betty Jo replys, "It remains a really wonderful sports car"
Lagaay responds, "It was extremely expensive to build, but it was a fantastic car. It just was too expensive for its time."
Harm Lagaay was interviewed by Pano Editor Betty Jo Turner. Lagaay retired from Porsche after 15 years as Design Chief. He was responcible for the initial 924 concept and continued to influence Porsche design all the way through to the Carrera GT. He taked about bringing the 911, 928, and 968 together, "to look like members of the same family", and selling US dealers on the 968.
Betty Jo replys, "It remains a really wonderful sports car"
Lagaay responds, "It was extremely expensive to build, but it was a fantastic car. It just was too expensive for its time."
10-13-2005 | 05:30 PM
#3
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From: Kirkland WA USA
Silver Bullet,
You'll be happy to know that your car - same color coupe with stock wheels - is in the Porsche Museum catalog book. I was just there on vacation and though the car was not on display it is covered in the book I brought home.
You'll be happy to know that your car - same color coupe with stock wheels - is in the Porsche Museum catalog book. I was just there on vacation and though the car was not on display it is covered in the book I brought home.
10-14-2005 | 12:57 AM
#6
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From: SouthEast Asia
Silver Bullet,
What a gorgeous 968!!
Makes me want to replace my stolen 944 turbo with one of those (one as nice), but that would mean getting rid of my other car.. which is kinda tough.
But wow...
to your car..
I just bookmarked it
What a gorgeous 968!!
Makes me want to replace my stolen 944 turbo with one of those (one as nice), but that would mean getting rid of my other car.. which is kinda tough.
But wow...
to your car.. I just bookmarked it
10-14-2005 | 08:57 PM
#7
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From: Kirkland WA USA
Museum Book
Silver Bullet,
Sorry but the book is published by Porsche and I think is not sold anywhere except at the Museum.
Is your car Midnight Blue? I am sure it is the same as the one in the Museum book. They also show a Copper color 968 Cabrio in a Museum Brochure. Here is a picture of my Cobalt Blue Cab.
Sorry but the book is published by Porsche and I think is not sold anywhere except at the Museum.
Is your car Midnight Blue? I am sure it is the same as the one in the Museum book. They also show a Copper color 968 Cabrio in a Museum Brochure. Here is a picture of my Cobalt Blue Cab.
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10-14-2005 | 09:19 PM
#8
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From: Kirkland WA USA
Great collection of pictures of a gorgeous car Mr. Bullet !
Where did you live in Germany? Yes our trip was a long planned and very nice experience. Our trip was 12 days and 3300 kilometers of driving starting in Frankfurt and then south through the Black Forest then east to Austria and back north to the Rhien. The driving was great fun even though I did not have a Porsche. Wonderful country & mountain roads ... and the Autobaun experience!
One target was the Village of STAUDT where my name originates from. It is a beautiful country - very Green and hilly with mountains and lakes everywhere. I am happy to say it is alot like the Pacific North West. Otherwise I would not be happy coming home. But I would be happy to do this same trip again.
Where did you live in Germany? Yes our trip was a long planned and very nice experience. Our trip was 12 days and 3300 kilometers of driving starting in Frankfurt and then south through the Black Forest then east to Austria and back north to the Rhien. The driving was great fun even though I did not have a Porsche. Wonderful country & mountain roads ... and the Autobaun experience!
One target was the Village of STAUDT where my name originates from. It is a beautiful country - very Green and hilly with mountains and lakes everywhere. I am happy to say it is alot like the Pacific North West. Otherwise I would not be happy coming home. But I would be happy to do this same trip again.
10-15-2005 | 12:01 AM
#10
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From: San Antonio, Texas
Thanks for all the kudos on the car! Yes, I like it also! I love the way the pearl-effect paint changes color in the different lighting...the color is Amazon Green pearl-effect, as listed by Porsche. It's a coat of pearl green with a coat of pearl blue over it, then some gloss.
I lived in Ramstein AB, it's about 40 min from the french border and about an hour south of Frankfurt. I never owned a Porsche while there, but I did get to drive the autobahn's at 110mph + all the time with my little german ford sierra - 1.6 liter engine but that baby would go all day with the pedal to the floor! (typical german car)
On our cars being 'expensive' to build, that was for a number of reasons, mostly the cost of keeping the special parts coming to build the cars. And there was a LOT of engineering that went into the 968. Did you know that our intake manifolds are the best at providing boost (3psi) without a turbo than any other made?
Happy trails from Texas...
sasilverbullet
I lived in Ramstein AB, it's about 40 min from the french border and about an hour south of Frankfurt. I never owned a Porsche while there, but I did get to drive the autobahn's at 110mph + all the time with my little german ford sierra - 1.6 liter engine but that baby would go all day with the pedal to the floor! (typical german car)
On our cars being 'expensive' to build, that was for a number of reasons, mostly the cost of keeping the special parts coming to build the cars. And there was a LOT of engineering that went into the 968. Did you know that our intake manifolds are the best at providing boost (3psi) without a turbo than any other made?
Happy trails from Texas...
sasilverbullet
10-15-2005 | 08:39 PM
#11
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From: Kirkland WA USA
Expensive to build is a broad statement.
My guess is that because the plans where laid to bring out a new line of water cooler sixes that could share components - and the 928 was being dropped - so most of the development cost of the 968 engine was placed on this one car model. Expensive engine components that cannot be shared with another engine line for example - like that intake manifold - and produced in a limited run are more costly. They also had to bring production in house - moving from the Audi plant - more costs. And at the time both the 968 and the new Carrara 2 & 4 models where still more "hand built" than the cars of today.
In our Factory tour the guide stressed the "Hand Built" Assembly by a team dedicated to one car. He said only one robot was used - to install the windshield. And the engines - on the assembly line were also Hand built - one Tech to an engine start to finish.
But what he did not say and we could not see was the body creation in another plant. I suspect this was totaly automated - no hand finished welds and hand sanded fenders like the "old days". Back then they also did not use the new "just in time" parts automated delivery system our guide often referred to.
My '91 Carrera 2 had a sticker of $79.000 - 13 years later you can still by the Carrara 2 Cab for about the same price with lots more power and features. My current '93 968 Cab cost about $56.000 and we can by a basic Boxster S for that. So - yes these cars where expensive to build and buy - which makes them an even better Porsche to own today.
My guess is that because the plans where laid to bring out a new line of water cooler sixes that could share components - and the 928 was being dropped - so most of the development cost of the 968 engine was placed on this one car model. Expensive engine components that cannot be shared with another engine line for example - like that intake manifold - and produced in a limited run are more costly. They also had to bring production in house - moving from the Audi plant - more costs. And at the time both the 968 and the new Carrara 2 & 4 models where still more "hand built" than the cars of today.
In our Factory tour the guide stressed the "Hand Built" Assembly by a team dedicated to one car. He said only one robot was used - to install the windshield. And the engines - on the assembly line were also Hand built - one Tech to an engine start to finish.
But what he did not say and we could not see was the body creation in another plant. I suspect this was totaly automated - no hand finished welds and hand sanded fenders like the "old days". Back then they also did not use the new "just in time" parts automated delivery system our guide often referred to.
My '91 Carrera 2 had a sticker of $79.000 - 13 years later you can still by the Carrara 2 Cab for about the same price with lots more power and features. My current '93 968 Cab cost about $56.000 and we can by a basic Boxster S for that. So - yes these cars where expensive to build and buy - which makes them an even better Porsche to own today.
