worf928

Ahh... my mistake. I mis-read your original post.

But, I think you've summed Porsche's marketing strategy nicely. They are - IMO - pandering to the status-symbol-seeking crowd first and their historic market segment - enthusiasts - last.

M758

What gets me with this however is that I think they are failing at that AS WELL.

If you buying for status why not just get a boxster? still a Porsche, cheaper and with the top down every can see how "cool" you are. I can very much see one of these guys spend MORE cash for the ability to look "cool" in their open top car. Thus should not then the boxter be more money? If you are an enthusiast with lots of cash to spend then you will probably get the S. More hp and all.

If you are an enthusaist, but don't have cash to spend on cayman you will naturally look at boxster. If you don't like soft tops then it will be turn off, but then you probably will cross shop the Z4 coupe.

I guess my point is that procing the cayman above the boxster and so far above the BMW makes it a really tough sell. Unless deeply discounted and I am not sure who would by one.

I personally love the cayman S as a car. Think it fantastic and finally worthly replacement for my 88 944 Turbo S. (I don't like cabs at all). What I don't like is the cost. Way too much given the boxster S costs and other market offerings. Still a great car just 10k too much $$$. That puts it WELL out of reach for me.

Now the base cayman seems like another great car. Not a powerhouse, but it will probably be one of the better Porsche offerings. Enough power to be fun with a great chassis. However again once you price it at current MSRP it just turns flat in my mind. Great car, but for that money there are so many other options. I start to think that may be I can live with a soft top for 5k less or maybe save 10k and get a BMW. Very Tough sell for some one who I would have estimated would be the prime markety buyer for a non-S cayman.

10 GT3

In this months Excellence magazine, they had a side article about Cayman S sales. On the positive said they said that Cayman S models are selling 3 times what 911 Carreras and Boxster S' are selling combined. On the down note, sales are quickly dropping off and Porsche is building them at about twice the demand. Inventory stock levels are at 45 days as of April. I suspensct Porsche is going to back down Cayman S production to more more inline with sales volume and hance where the production of the Cayman (non-S) will come from.

In the article they also discuss the mismatch between coupe and convertible prices with the Cayman/Boxster compared to other models noting the "extra 15 hp" was the cost justifier. If the Boxster is now going to have the same drivetrains and power as the Cayman, what is now the justifier for the price being higher?