Z356

When Porsche announced the new '11 Spyder in 2009, it said it was to be an additional Boxster model and NOT a limited production version. This is what they said. They were not 'numbered', like any other limited production model (whether gt2 RS or the new Speedster...or even the '12 Boxster Black Edition) that PAG has produced. So I beg to differ. It is true that by Model Year 2012, given the termination of the outgoing 987 chassis, they limited production since the line was stopped towards the end of July. But for MY2011, I believe Porsche would have produced a higher number of Spyders had the demand been there! z356

Marine Blue

I'm not so sure about this. They definitely said it was a production car and not limited but allocations to dealers were always limited, at least that is what the dealers were saying. I say this because I personally spoke with the sales guy at my local dealership with the zone rep right there in the office with him. The question was asked about getting me an allocation and I told him I would provide a deposit immediately but the answer was clearly no at the time. I tried three other dealers before going outside of my immediate area to order the car.

Fast forward to 2012 and additional allocations were provided to my dealer, two to be exact. Both sold very quickly, actually I assisted by connecting buyers with the dealer on both cars. The dealer said he would take more allocations if he could get them. I also know the dealer in RI had similar demand for the Spyder and had buyers lined up paying full MSRP for them. They've been selling used Spyders for top dollar and a few cars have changed hands because buyers wanted different options or different color combo's.

Either Porsche intentionally limited demand or it was done for marketing purposes. Based upon my experience it was the latter, the dealers kept the cars in the showroom and did the bait and switch to a Boxster S which was readily avaliable. My dealer tried really hard to change my mind on a Boxster S but I knew what I wanted.

Plavan

+1

Porsche said the Spyder would not be limited, but they were limited big time. Some dealers did not even get 1 allocation because of their size, yet were able to order Caymans and Boxsters. I remember trying to find an allocation when I first started looking, and that was tough.
The Spyder is anything but a "Regular" production model. It was harder to find than a GT3RS, and I'm ok with that.

n4v4nod

Right after Porsche launched the Spyder, Porsche had a sales meeting in the beginning of December 2009 and took initial orders from sales managers before demand was established. Most dealers didn't think the concept of the Spyder would sell ...the manual tent top was a huge issue for a $60+ car in many eyes. By the time demand was in placed it was too late! A 1.5 year production run takes a lot of preplanning and on-demand allocation is difficult unlike a normal Boxster or Cayman which has been in production for some time.

n4v4nod

I still think there is a chance that the new Boxster will debut at LA. The 987.2, Spyder and Cayman R were all introduced there. California is the primary market for open top debuts, not Detroit.

Marine Blue

So you're implying that the dealers made the wrong call as far as what demand would be which resulted in limited allocations. And while each dealer had more allocations for 2012 the production run was very limited which resulted in very few cars being made? Sounds like dealers are catering to people who place comfort and features above the sportiness of the car.

Z356

"Right after Porsche launched the Spyder, Porsche had a sales meeting in the beginning of December 2009 and took initial orders from sales managers before demand was established. Most dealers didn't think the concept of the Spyder would sell ...the manual tent top was a huge issue for a $60+ car in many eyes. By the time demand was in placed it was too late! A 1.5 year production run takes a lot of preplanning and on-demand allocation is difficult unlike a normal Boxster or Cayman which has been in production for some time."

Let me add this to Cayman's excellent post above.

The Spyder was conceived and developed prior to the 'first' economic downturn in 2008. By the time the Spyder was announced at the LA Auto Show in Nov 2009 to arrive in early spring of 2010, the market had already contracted quite a bit for sport cars in general. From all of the dealers I know and talked to since I got interested in the Spyder (approx. August of 2010), I can confirm what Cayman is talking about. Besides the general economic downturn for sport cars by early 2010, the US dealer networked never fully 'warmed up' to the Spyder until it was way too late...if indeed they ever did. Nothing goes further in proving this point that analysing the specs of Spyders ordered by dealers for stock vs those ordered by actual customers. The overwhelming majority of dealer spec Spyders did NOT have the sport buckets or the sport shifter. Some had the optional Sport Exhaust, but not as many as you would have expected. Quite a number of dealer spec cars had the expensive PCM option. It is interesting to study the sample I did of the last Vin #'s MY'12 Spyders. It showed clearly the dichotomy between how dealers ordered their last of this unique model versus how customers ordered theirs. You will not fail to see the bias of dealers had for 'comfort', which blunted the full potential of what this model could offer. The only 'comfort' option that was accepted almost universally and you see BOTH in customer orders AND dealer orders was the automatic A/C.

https://rennlist.com/forums/987-foru...to-the-us.html

Same holds true when I did a research of unsold MY'11 Spyder inventory as of September of 2010 at all US dealers. There was an acute shortage of cars with sport buckets and some of the other more 'sport' options for this model on cars sitting on their lots unsold, obviously all ordered on spec by the dealers.

https://rennlist.com/forums/987-foru...y-is-huge.html

I have no doubt that most US dealers made the 'wrong' call from day one on the Spyder. They never 'bought into' to the simplistic design of the manual top and the inconvenience that represented to their average/typical buyer. They also never believed that the sport buckets would sell. They apparently learned this 'lesson' from the experiences they had with one model that PCNA pushed on them back in MY2009. This was the special 'introduction packaged' .2 997 Carrera 4S that had those 'sport buckets' on just about all the cars that went to the dealers. These were the special intro model for the all-wheel-drive 911 that came in a color similar to 'Meteor Gray' and had full leather interiors & other options done as a special discounted 'package'. They were almost all identically spec'ced and had the same MSRP. Most dealers got stuck with these cars and had to discount them heavily by summer/fall of 2009, just as MY2010 were arriving at their lots. And to the last man, the dealers always blamed those 'damn sport buckets' for their poor luck in selling these cars. So that carried over when it was time to order their '11 Spyders in late 2009. No one wanted to be responsible for another disaster like that....and they ordered the sport leather seats in overwhelming numbers!

This is a very complicated subject matter. We still have not heard from PAG officially to tell us the truth about how their Spyder marketing effort went. But, should they decide to do another such model for the 981, I would hope they do a much better job of educating their dealers and customers of the full potential of the vehicle in its sportiest configuration. Saludos, z356

awai08

I like the overall proportions and larger side vents, but personally would prefer the doors without the upper horizontal duct crease, as I try to demonstrate in my amateur photoshopped pictures below. With the change, the whole car looks sleeker & more beautiful.

n4v4nod

Yes, you are correct... I corrected it above and thanks for the additional explanation.

Alan Smithee

There were limited Spyder allocations because of limited demand, due to both the economy and the controversial roof. I doubt any Spyders ever sold for over MSRP, and they haven't been given away, either. Not many are on dealer lots as the last cars arrive stateside. Supply and demand was just about right, IMO, and the total numbers are very close to the original projections quoted by the automotive press in late 2009/early 2010.

I think we will definitely see another Boxster Spyder. If Porsche follows the same pattern, it will not be until the end of the model cycle. However, with VW's influence and insane (IMO) sales goals for Porsche going forward, all bets based on past patterns are off. It is all about volume now for Porsche, just like every other manufacturer, so we can expect more models, more often, across the line-up. And I think we can expect those models to appeal to a broader range of people, so I doubt the next Spyder will have as rudimentary a top.

Marine Blue

Excellent explanation Eduardo.

My dealer definitely got it right when they specced their first car (buckets, MT, PSE) but I think they added PCM to their third car which I questioned.

Alan Smithee

Don't blame the dealers. Ordering a Spyder (or GT3, or even a regular Boxster, Cayman, or Carrera) with Sport Buckets for inventory limits the number of potential buyers significantly. Less demand means lower price and less profit. Sport Exhaust is expensive, and offers no performance benefit, so it is not an easy sell, either.

The 997.2 C4S launch cars with Sport Buckets were a bad idea. The Buckets belong in the Spyder/R/GT3, not in the 911 model that is typically least appealing to enthusiasts. (Those launch cars were Meteor Grey, and there was no discount on the 'package', but you are correct that they were not hot sellers. But neither were the green/beige 997.2 C2S launch cars.)

Nicole

I think it's a good idea for Porsche to further differentiate the look between the 911/991 and Boxster/Cayman series. I had often wondered how much sales the Boxster cannibalized from the Carrera Cab, for example.

Do you guys think the new turbo flat-4 will be accepted here in the US? It is said to have more than 300 hp; some rumors say as much as 340.

n4v4nod

IMHO:

Turb-OH Brad

A turbo flat-4 would be amazing. I doubt it would cannibalize many sales of the 6, because I would venture that they will be similar in price. I would probably buy the turbo if only because of the tuning potential and the glorious sound of a BOV.