Ok am I alone or does anyone else REALLY hate 987 front end?
05-10-2005, 02:33 PM
#17
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Originally Posted by perfectlap
DISCLAIMER:
ok this is not a performance chat.
Purely a creative/artisitc/aesthetic debate from a lifelong art/design student who is a fan stylistically of the Ferrari F355, Jag e-type and the new Ford GT.
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When I first saw the 987 I was instantly let down. My initial impression was "it looks Japanese now" The trademark amoeba headlights are a tough act to follow and rather than coming up with something new Porsche went retro. Not that I have anything against the ages old round P-car lights, but the past is past.
I was at the dealer yesterday and a older man was picking up a new 997. As the salesman was putting on the front plate I just looked at it thinking"Man something is not right the back end just doesn't fit with the front end". I almost started thinking "New VW Beetle on steroids".
As I sat in the new 987 I thought "different but not better". For a second I thought am I sitting in the Lexus or world class sports car? Of course the performance reminds me its the latter but the visual experience has me confused. Or perhaps I'm of the school that thinks a pure sports car should look a certain way on the inside. This to me is not that way.
The new GT3 front end I feel is an even bigger disaster and I find it interestining that on the Cayman spy picks they have faked amoeba looking lights via some duck tape or something.
No doubt there must have been some heated debates about going backwards with the "new design direction". But to be honest I think the new 997 and 987 will make our 996 and 986 cars classics.
Well those are my drop in the bucket opinions. I'm just wondering if anyone else was let down in a big way as well.
ok this is not a performance chat.
Purely a creative/artisitc/aesthetic debate from a lifelong art/design student who is a fan stylistically of the Ferrari F355, Jag e-type and the new Ford GT.
(please support www.cardesignnews.com)
When I first saw the 987 I was instantly let down. My initial impression was "it looks Japanese now" The trademark amoeba headlights are a tough act to follow and rather than coming up with something new Porsche went retro. Not that I have anything against the ages old round P-car lights, but the past is past.
I was at the dealer yesterday and a older man was picking up a new 997. As the salesman was putting on the front plate I just looked at it thinking"Man something is not right the back end just doesn't fit with the front end". I almost started thinking "New VW Beetle on steroids".
As I sat in the new 987 I thought "different but not better". For a second I thought am I sitting in the Lexus or world class sports car? Of course the performance reminds me its the latter but the visual experience has me confused. Or perhaps I'm of the school that thinks a pure sports car should look a certain way on the inside. This to me is not that way.
The new GT3 front end I feel is an even bigger disaster and I find it interestining that on the Cayman spy picks they have faked amoeba looking lights via some duck tape or something.
No doubt there must have been some heated debates about going backwards with the "new design direction". But to be honest I think the new 997 and 987 will make our 996 and 986 cars classics.
Well those are my drop in the bucket opinions. I'm just wondering if anyone else was let down in a big way as well.
To me the Boxster was a classic the moment it came to life. To have Porsche fine tune it with better interiors and a stronger exterior is just icing on the cake.
My only gripe has always been the engine choice of these cars... they should have gone with the old casings (like they did with the GT3, TT, GT2)...
05-17-2005, 06:40 PM
#18
I personally really like the 987. While I can see the similarity to the CGT in the head lights I thought the 987 head lights just look like a smoother and cleaner look of the 986. I think CGT comparisons come from the rounded trunk line along with the shape of the lights. I think the subtle changes the fenders work really well to make the look more muscular. I like Porsche’s evolution of a design, and I think this good for the future of the Boxster (assuming Porsche increases the performance). The Boxster has a lot of potential from performance stand point and I only hope the Cayman is the next step in the evolution and that Porsche will not stop there.
Interior wise I like the increased room and like some of the styling elements, but overall I do get the Japanese sense of design there. Personally I really don’t mind the organic curves of the 986 and the 996 interior. It was the materials used and the very intimate feel of the 986 really caused the problems for me. By opening up the space inside and using higher quality materials the 987 is an improvement. However, I would have liked to see more analog instrumentation implemented such as oil temperature and oil pressure along with water temperature and the volts meter.
Interior wise I like the increased room and like some of the styling elements, but overall I do get the Japanese sense of design there. Personally I really don’t mind the organic curves of the 986 and the 996 interior. It was the materials used and the very intimate feel of the 986 really caused the problems for me. By opening up the space inside and using higher quality materials the 987 is an improvement. However, I would have liked to see more analog instrumentation implemented such as oil temperature and oil pressure along with water temperature and the volts meter.
05-17-2005, 06:53 PM
#19
OK my two cents. I loved the original show car design but was greatly disappointed in the 986- primarily because the deep sculpting and muscular flanks were gone and the interior was, IMO, composed of downright cheap materials and wasn't that great a design anyway.
IMO the new headlights are a big improvement and the interior is (for the most part) what it should have been all along. I would still like to see deeper sculpting etc. but think we should count our blessings- what if Porsche had hired Chris Bangle?
The one thing I've always wanted to see in the Boxster interior is the five gauge cluster from the 911.
At the least make it an option......
IMO the new headlights are a big improvement and the interior is (for the most part) what it should have been all along. I would still like to see deeper sculpting etc. but think we should count our blessings- what if Porsche had hired Chris Bangle?
The one thing I've always wanted to see in the Boxster interior is the five gauge cluster from the 911.
At the least make it an option......
05-18-2005, 06:03 AM
#20
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While I really like the new Boxster headlights. IMO, they are a step backwards. I like the idea of integrated head/fog/turn lights(as longs as it amber-less). The original Boxster Headlights were GT1 inspired, which won Porsche's last LeMAns. Don't mind that association at all. As for as the design of the new interior, it just doesn't give you that German feel IMO. Seems like Porsche went overboard to please consumers. Lastly, why did Porsche have to increase the size of the wheel arches?? Simply to please the masses who increasingly want the largest diameter wheel possible. With 18in rims it doesn't give the visual effect of 18s. As far as 19 inchers, one of the German auto mags tested a 997 0-125mph. It was 2 second slower with 19 inch wheels. Although strides were made with body rigidity and PASM, some things are not for the better IMO.
05-18-2005, 04:00 PM
#21
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I think they increased suspension travel in the 987 as well. Maybe that was another reason for the increased arches. Im not sure though!?! I agree though, there is a trend toward huge and very heavy "bling" wheels these days. Im like you, components engineered for speed rather than just for looks will always be more beautiful.
05-18-2005, 05:40 PM
#22
Pardon my ignorance but why would the 19's be slower in terms of acceleration unless they weigh more? Wouldn't the overall radius be the same whether 18 or 19?
06-11-2005, 05:54 AM
#24
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It does look a bit bland from head on, I must admit. I don't think it is the shape of the headlight though. I find myslef scanning for a feature in the middle of the hood... it just needs something for the eye to follow. However, since form should follow function, and it functions very well... I am not displeased overall. I do like the larger more crescent shaped intakes on the side, and I think with the top down the car looks pretty balanced with nice curb appeal.
Like Stacey, I also have a Lexus, and the interiors are not in any way similar. The Lexus is truly boring, with no personality (but it's sure as hell reliable and quiet!), I love the interior of the 987. It is functional and aeshthetically pleasing to sit in. I have flown many different types of aircraft over the years, presently Airbus widebody, and the Porsche design teams could offer aviation engineers a lot, if only they would converse! I wold rather sit in the 987 than the B777 anyday!
Ciao
Mach-hog
Like Stacey, I also have a Lexus, and the interiors are not in any way similar. The Lexus is truly boring, with no personality (but it's sure as hell reliable and quiet!), I love the interior of the 987. It is functional and aeshthetically pleasing to sit in. I have flown many different types of aircraft over the years, presently Airbus widebody, and the Porsche design teams could offer aviation engineers a lot, if only they would converse! I wold rather sit in the 987 than the B777 anyday!
Ciao
Mach-hog
06-14-2005, 12:38 PM
#25
I love the new 987! It is what the Boxster should have looked like from the beginning if Porsche didn't have to cheap out and combine all of the lights into one assembly. I went to the dealer this weekend and was comparing the 986 to the 987. The 986 (especially w/ the orange lights in front) looked strange.
06-14-2005, 01:47 PM
#26
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cheap out and combine all of the lights into one assembly
06-14-2005, 03:29 PM
#27
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I'm just curious...but in what way is the 987 a step backwards from the 986?
In my opinion they made just about ever part of the car better. Just my $0.02 though.
In my opinion they made just about ever part of the car better. Just my $0.02 though.
06-14-2005, 03:44 PM
#28
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I just don't really care for the foglights in the bumber. It would look cleaner without. Its more late 80s, early 90s style...I do like the 987 headlights though.
06-15-2005, 12:00 PM
#30
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Interesting.
I really like the fog lights in the bumper and how they are integrated in to me makes it look more modern (And when you're driving in the fog you want them to be as low as possible so they are more functional as well). I also think that the rounded off edges of the hood makes for smoother lines. Definitely agree with you about the headlights.
This i know for sure....they are both beautiful cars BUT I'm extremely glad that I waited for the 2005 because if it had bought a 2004 i'd be dying to trade it in right now....