Bucket seats in the 991GT3
04-24-2013, 10:57 PM
#61
Rennlist Member
It's a powerful capability in the repertoire of a CEO to be literally hands on with product and customer alike. That he could talk comfortably from first hand information and be confident and fully informed of related factors suggests he's not just a bureaucrat. This is a ray of sunlight in the cloudy skies of Porsche!
In my years as a "due diligence" tech person for M&A in Silicon Valley over the course of the last three decades, I developed a system for scoring ("points factor evaluation" for those in this game) which put considerable weight on factors related to executive "C3" team, especially hands-on product knowledge and customer involvement. I remember being one of the very few naysayers in an 8 figure acquisition where my principal objection centered around the CEO not having the product installed on his laptop.
That the Porsche CEO is intimately familiar with such a trivial (sorry, but seats are relatively trivial in the grand scheme of running Porsche!) matter and be confident in his awareness and control of the situation bodes well for Porsche AG.
I envisage him as someone who drives the 991 (sedately or vigorously, no matter) and congratulates the team on a resounding success then promptly reports the shortcomings he sees to be addressed in the .2 model year.
As for PCNA, it's SNAFU -- rather than be vocal customer advocates and offer solutions or at the very least, know the facts and communicate directly to the market, they bury their collective heads and encourage customers to consider which of the wildly overpriced headlight options is the most "visually impactful design aesthetic language" ... sheesh.
In my years as a "due diligence" tech person for M&A in Silicon Valley over the course of the last three decades, I developed a system for scoring ("points factor evaluation" for those in this game) which put considerable weight on factors related to executive "C3" team, especially hands-on product knowledge and customer involvement. I remember being one of the very few naysayers in an 8 figure acquisition where my principal objection centered around the CEO not having the product installed on his laptop.
That the Porsche CEO is intimately familiar with such a trivial (sorry, but seats are relatively trivial in the grand scheme of running Porsche!) matter and be confident in his awareness and control of the situation bodes well for Porsche AG.
I envisage him as someone who drives the 991 (sedately or vigorously, no matter) and congratulates the team on a resounding success then promptly reports the shortcomings he sees to be addressed in the .2 model year.
As for PCNA, it's SNAFU -- rather than be vocal customer advocates and offer solutions or at the very least, know the facts and communicate directly to the market, they bury their collective heads and encourage customers to consider which of the wildly overpriced headlight options is the most "visually impactful design aesthetic language" ... sheesh.
04-25-2013, 03:47 AM
#63
Detlev is quite charming and has no shortage of charisma. He is a significantly more articulate speaker than Porsche global CEO Matthias Müller. The latter is painful to watch at product conferences when he speaks, either in German or English. And, in my opinion, he does not appear that well versed specific Porsche matters too! Some of you might remember Matthias telling auto magazines in 2011 that the next 991 gt3 would indeed be a manual and not PDK! Matthias was born in Karl-Marx-Stadt in East Germany. And that is probably where he got all of his relaxed charm and informality!
It would not surprise me if VW appoints Detlev to a CEO position at Porsche in the future. He is actually a Frenchman, but born of German parents. I think he is destined to higher things at Porsche!
Saludos,
Eduardo
It would not surprise me if VW appoints Detlev to a CEO position at Porsche in the future. He is actually a Frenchman, but born of German parents. I think he is destined to higher things at Porsche!
Saludos,
Eduardo
04-27-2013, 04:08 PM
#65
Nordschleife Master
I posted a question as to why buckets seats were not available for the 991GT3 in the US. Here is what one posted and was backed up by another. Both are very knowledgeable about Porsche and live in Germany.
Maybe a misunderstanding I understood that you can't order the narrow non-foldable bucket seats (which came with the Club Sport package in previous GT3 generations) anymore. Instead you can order the foldable bucket seats (which first were introduced in the 997 GT2). These are the seats displayed at the auto shows. Indeed there is a legal reason: the foldable bucket seats come with thorax airbags. I have those in my 997 GT3 and IMO they are excellent for both street and track Of course I am not sure about the situation in the US but maybe it's worthwile for you to double check which kind of bucket seats are not available in the US.
The second poster indicated that the foldable bucket seats were designed and approve for the US market. What do the foldable look like?
Maybe a misunderstanding I understood that you can't order the narrow non-foldable bucket seats (which came with the Club Sport package in previous GT3 generations) anymore. Instead you can order the foldable bucket seats (which first were introduced in the 997 GT2). These are the seats displayed at the auto shows. Indeed there is a legal reason: the foldable bucket seats come with thorax airbags. I have those in my 997 GT3 and IMO they are excellent for both street and track Of course I am not sure about the situation in the US but maybe it's worthwile for you to double check which kind of bucket seats are not available in the US.
The second poster indicated that the foldable bucket seats were designed and approve for the US market. What do the foldable look like?
If you want to know what they'll look like, I might suggest taking a close look at the most recent photos of the 918.
Ryan
Beverly Hills Porsche
04-27-2013, 04:50 PM
#66
Race Car
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Bucket seats might become available on the GT3 in 2014 calendar year after the introduction of the 991 GT3 RS for 2014 or 2015 model year.
If you want to know what they'll look like, I might suggest taking a close look at the most recent photos of the 918.
Ryan
Beverly Hills Porsche
If you want to know what they'll look like, I might suggest taking a close look at the most recent photos of the 918.
Ryan
Beverly Hills Porsche
Also, the 20" wheels and rumored 21" wheels on the RS have the sole function of keeping track rubber off the GT3.
And, rear wheel steering will cause somebody here to fly off the track at 200 mph (worst case) or simply break and give you the run time of a GTR on track (best case).
And PDK is for sissies.
I'm sure I missed a few other salient observations.
04-27-2013, 05:28 PM
#67
04-27-2013, 08:55 PM
#68
Bucket seats might become available on the GT3 in 2014 calendar year after the introduction of the 991 GT3 RS for 2014 or 2015 model year.
If you want to know what they'll look like, I might suggest taking a close look at the most recent photos of the 918.
Ryan
Beverly Hills Porsche
If you want to know what they'll look like, I might suggest taking a close look at the most recent photos of the 918.
Ryan
Beverly Hills Porsche
Sorry Ryan. You obviously haven't been following the threads here. See, the buckets aren't available b/c PAG wants to keep the car off the track and they are afraid of mean US lawyers. They'll never show up.
Also, the 20" wheels and rumored 21" wheels on the RS have the sole function of keeping track rubber off the GT3.
And, rear wheel steering will cause somebody here to fly off the track at 200 mph (worst case) or simply break and give you the run time of a GTR on track (best case).
And PDK is for sissies.
I'm sure I missed a few other salient observations.
Also, the 20" wheels and rumored 21" wheels on the RS have the sole function of keeping track rubber off the GT3.
And, rear wheel steering will cause somebody here to fly off the track at 200 mph (worst case) or simply break and give you the run time of a GTR on track (best case).
And PDK is for sissies.
I'm sure I missed a few other salient observations.
05-02-2013, 08:36 AM
#69
US regulations had changed and that seat (as was optioned in MY2012 in the US) could not be offered on the 991/981 without modification. And that is what they were working on! I report...you decide!
As an aside, a good friend of mine is in the process of ordering a new Vette and is having the same problem with ordering the competition bucket seats - they are currently not available. Does sound like a possible change in govt regulations.
