Z356

Turbo engine? Nope. Don't let those side rear air intakes fool you!



Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel
.

GT3 Techno

"This vehicle confirms the sports car manufacturer's commitment to high-performance sports cars that are enjoyable for everyday driving."

Not sure if an RS qualify for that !

The new Boxster may well be a "Club Sport" at the end.

987720

From the Official Press Release:
"The second new model is another exceptional Porsche that sets new standards on the racetrack. The world premiere will take place during the Porsche press conference at the Palexpo Arena in Geneva at 11:30 (CET) on March 3, 2015. A live webcast will be available in German and English on: http://porsche.gomexlive.com/. This vehicle confirms the sports car manufacturer’s commitment to high performance sports cars that manage to make a very special link between everyday driving and motorsports."

This is definitely the GT3 RS

MKW

well, after seeing " everyday driving " in the context of this presser, it is obviously the RS !

Sportwagen

I totally agree with this. But this is different from stating that *everyone* who doesn’t like the Spyder’s top will walk out of the showroom with a different Porsche. Some of us just walk out – that top design *did* cost Porsche some sales. OK, I’m harping on this, but it’s because people keep stating the opposite as if it was a fact ...

It’s technically true that I ended up with a Porsche several years later. However, I doubt that “we didn’t get him this time, but we’ll get him in four years” is really what Porsche marketing was going for. Or that this kind of strategy would be considered a success by anyone. And frankly, I was quite dissatisfied with what Porsche was offering for the money until I decided to go with the BGB 3.8 conversion, so I still feel that Porsche is not really offering what people like me want.

What first got me to a dealership was just the fact that Porsche had a two-seat roadster. At the time, I was choosing between the 986, the M Roadster, and the S2000. I fell in love with the S2000, hands-down, no comparison – the 986 and M seemed like they were trying to be many things to many people, and I was smitten by the S2000’s focus and purposefulness. I’m probably a little upset about the Spyder’s top because the Spyder brought that type of focus to the Boxster, and I had high hopes for it until I saw how that top worked.

I *get* that people get attached to cars despite or because of their idiosyncracies. By objective standards, the S2000 was loud, lacked most creature comforts, and was almost dangerously prone to oversteer – but I loved that car, and in some ways it was more special and more fun than my 3.8 Boxster. What disappointed me about the 987 Spyder was that it moved the Boxster in the right direction for my taste, except that Porsche chose to build it only for people who live in sunny climates or who don’t drive it much.

I would love to see Porsche rip out the power seats, the sound insulation, all the switchable PSE/shocks/SportChrono, all the leathers and colored stitching, fancy interior panels, electric fuel door, carbon fiber trim, vanity lights, dual automatic climate control, but make it a car you can drive everyday...

And I will not state my transmission preference for the Spyder for obvious reasons...

Z356

Whether it is 'in its segment' or 'on the racetrack', everyone 'in-the-know' is expecting the 991 gt3 RS to debut in Geneva next week!



Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel

.

Z356

Sportwagen: Niche marketing. Basically same reason the majority of 356 Pre-A and A Speedsters were sold in California in the 1950's.



But you might be the type that objected to this Beach Boys classic too:

The West coast has the sunshine
And the girls all get so tanned
I dig a french bikini on Hawaii island
Dolls by a palm tree in the sand

I been all around this great big world
And I seen all kinds of girls
Yeah, but I couldn't wait to get back in the states
Back to the cutest girls in the world

I wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California girls




Sport, maybe you might want to consider moving down to sunny California from that damp, rainy place you live in Oregon! You'll love our low taxes too!

Rip out all the leathers & the colored stitching? Please no! That would be a disaster. Oh, the horror...the (in)humanity!



What would I be left to talk about on these forums? That's just too drastic, Sport! Please reconsider your wishes...and let's just pray for a sunny day in Portland to positively change your current depression & get you out of that funk.

Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel

.

Sportwagen

*Now* we’re talking ...

A modern 356 Speedster would be fantastic. That chopped windshield would look great on the 981, as it did on the 1989 and 1994 911 Speedsters. But the 356 Speedster looks to have a fairly normal-looking roof. How does *that* convertible top work?

987720

I wonder why PCNA changed the wording from the PAG press release?

Z356

At the request of their US corporate lawyers. They don't want to identify this model as a track car, or a race car of any type. It has to do with liability concerns. As far as they are concerned, it's strictly a street vehicle with a sporting character, period.

Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel

987720

Got it!

the_vetman

Not true. I live in NE USA with real 4 seasons. The only time I don't drive my Spyder is when there's snow and salt. I certainly don't drive it everyday but it's a semi-DD. 31,400 miles, 32-37 DE days/year, still driven frequently on the street.

I've been teeter-tottering on whether to respond but my PC meter has run dry.. sorry. Why do you keep harping on your personal opinion of Spyder over and over again as if others feel - or should feel - the same way? As has been brought up: YOU don't "get" the top, it's not for you, never was, move on, buy something else. No one cares if the top was a "failure" in your eyes. Current Spyder owners don't care and neither does Porsche. And if they did, they sell and move on.

Spyder top is elegant, simple, and lightweight. Ticks many boxes for those who like it. We couldn't care less if it was a deal-breaker for you. They make convertible Corvettes.

fast1

I've been teeter-tottering on whether to respond but my PC meter has run dry.. sorry. Why do you keep harping on your personal opinion of Spyder over and over again as if others feel - or should feel - the same way? As has been brought up: YOU don't "get" the top, it's not for you, never was, move on, buy something else. No one cares if the top was a "failure" in your eyes. Current Spyder owners don't care and neither does Porsche. And if they did, they sell and move on.

What you post is true, but my recollection is that his posts were mostly in response to other posts. So it was more of his being reactive rather than proactive. The one thing that we all have in common is that we believe the 987 Spyder is one hell of a car. Some may like its top more than others, but that doesn't mean that we all don't appreciate the car.

ClintonM3

987 Spyder's top gave the car character, charm, it looks different and it is cool, regardless it is well engineered or not. There are old school products out there that are not the most efficient or the best engineered, but that is exactly the appeal. You know the guy who still shoots with a film camera(but not a hipster), he probably enjoys the Spyder's manual top. Same goes with the guy who uses a French press for coffee, or the guy who still buys hard cover books.

I think Porsche has a tough decision here. To make the new car with a powered top or a manual top. A powered top will attract a much larger audience. But the spirit of the car is kinda lost.

fast1

I think Porsche has a tough decision here. To make the new car with a powered top or a manual top. A powered top will attract a much larger audience. But the spirit of the car is kinda lost.

I know that it would take lots of work and lots of ingenuity, but how about a manual top that will fold up into the back of the car. Would that kill the car's spirit?