2009 Cayman RS
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From: California Boardwalk, Skanderborg Denmark
Originally Posted by PTurbo965
Or they could produce a mid-engined car and declare it to be "the new 911". Will people complain? Yes. Will there be countless debates on the internet over whether it is a "real 911"? Yes. Just like the whole air-cooled vs water-cooled debate. Would life go on? Yes. Would Porsche keep on making boatloads of cash? Bet your life.
The 911 is such a proven design and proven race winner, that one can see how it would be difficult to throw out the baby with the bath water.
The 911 is such a proven design and proven race winner, that one can see how it would be difficult to throw out the baby with the bath water.
I think the point is that the first 356 Porsche was mid-engined the way Dr. Porsche wanted it to be, after all he had many mid-engine designs in his past, but this did not work out as a practical solution for a salable GT car, thus the engine was moved to the rear of the 356. Every dedicated Porsche's racing car however has the engine in the middle where it probably should be in a racing car.
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From: As you can see, I'm right here.
It really comes down to where Porsche wants to put the engine and what they want to call a 911. The public has little choice but to accept it. I'm sure that some die-hards would reject a mid-engine 911 out of hand, but that would be silly IMHO.
Some time ago I read about the evolution of the GT1, but I have forgotten the details. One part that I do recall was that the design was taking advantage of the rules for those specific years of IMSA racing. I'd have to pull that book off the shelf again to discuss it more intelligently. The GT1 was certainly more of an aero/downforce car than a regular 911 and moving the engine was simply part of the design of a new breed of Porsche race car. While there are some features that are taken from the 911, I never thought of the GT1 as a 911 with fender flares and a wing. It was/is its own car.
Some time ago I read about the evolution of the GT1, but I have forgotten the details. One part that I do recall was that the design was taking advantage of the rules for those specific years of IMSA racing. I'd have to pull that book off the shelf again to discuss it more intelligently. The GT1 was certainly more of an aero/downforce car than a regular 911 and moving the engine was simply part of the design of a new breed of Porsche race car. While there are some features that are taken from the 911, I never thought of the GT1 as a 911 with fender flares and a wing. It was/is its own car.
