neurotic

I have a feeling we will be seeing more and more of these "packages" and "editions." VAG needs money more than a $5 hooker. Look at BMW (slapping an "M" on everything); same goes for MB and "AMG" badges. Audi will be doing the same here in the US. You will be seeing more "RS" models here due to the success of the RS3 (I actually have an Audi cleaning lady!*). Anyways, they need to sell cars. In the end of the day, good for regular Joes like us and bad for the VIP and uber wealthy folks. Porsche is technically the only pure sports car left (in the sense of manual, RWD, lightweight). Don't tell me M3/4--it's a fat pig compared to a Porsche. And an MX-5 is targeted at a different clientele.


*RS4/5/6 will "probably" be here in the next 2 years according to my source.

Footsoldier

Maybe they know the supply is going to be ok...?
Or they've just run out of rear wings.

Dr.Bill

I think they are just trying to see how much they can remove from the car and still have people lining up to pay the same amount! Soon they will be charging for floor mats again.

fuddman

Messages, IMO and not necessarily in this order:

A. They need to sell more 2 door cars, especially in the US. Of any kind. Check the decline in sales of those (911/Cayman/Boxster) over the last 5 years and that'll be evident. Also evident from discounts ($4,500) now in place.

B. The message in this sentiment "....Because the R is hyped so much, it has tripled its value, which is astonishing and almost frightening. That wasn’t the intention. If you have a car like the R, you might shy away from driving it. My cars are built for getting driven and I don’t want them standing around in dark garages collecting dust.”

From here: http://www.thedrive.com/flat-six-soc...-to-drive-them

In short, increase supply of that which will hammer the resale value of the R and other GT car garage queens.

PantsFire

Depressingly I think you're right, it'll also sell more Carrera's & GTS's as people settle for less because they're not worthy enough to get a GT3.

For me it's irritating but there are other cars from other brands, the Ferrari Portofino, the DB11, the new Continental, have all caught my eye of late. If Porsche don't want your money go to somone that does. **** it, if the Dino becomes a thing maybe I'll get an RS3 as daily and a Dino for the weekend

sechsgang

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE BE RIGHT I WANT AN RS6 AGAIN!!


As far as the overall meaning, it's really Porsche saying, lets get a few more of our enthusiasts happy and in something thats definitely got an R aesthetic and cool factor to it. There are also PLENTY of people who "collected" GT3 RS, Gt3 and every other kind of Porsche who didn't drive them at ALL and did the same flips as people did with R's as well should people forget.


As far as 911r value...this isn't going to effect the R in the remote longterm at all. They left off enough special bits and formal numbering to make sure the cars still have a unique difference, and don't forget...even the 991.1 GTS manual Rennsport car, which is basically a numbered GTS with PTS paint STILL goes for a healthy dose over MSRP even today! They (R's) were going through a correction from the stratospheric prices they got to post inception anyways, but you won't see these things be going anything NEAR msrp or even 100k over, ever and especially now...the more people talk about the 911r vs the GT3 Touring, the more juice you're putting in the r's box so to speak because this whole thing was done because the R was THAT car so to speak (like it or not, this is isn't a debatable point really). Especially as people put R style stickers on their cars, I only see people asking "is that a real R or a gt3 touring".

InnovateGT3

I concur with the OP.

There's so much backlash from regular upstanding Porsche customers for the lack of R supply that this was Porsches opportunity to get those people a car as most could get an allocation for the GT3.

I have a feeling that there will be considerable demand now for the GT3 Touring which will surely inflate prices dramatically on the secondary market. If you were someone who badly wanted an R for what it is then this GT3 Touring is it albeit no limited production. Should be interesting to see what the market dictates once these cars start hitting U.S. shores.

As soon as this option was announced I jumped and I'm sure many of us with allocations will. You get the best of both worlds...track monster and daily use, weekend curvy road monster without the race car looks.

neurotic

all he can tell me is that it is very likely will be seeing the all re-designed RS6 Avant here in next 2 years....i'll be the first to own it. f'in love that car.

sechsgang

As far as I'm concerned, they should have done this years ago. Execs told a friend it was because of cost but I know PLENTY of people who would have gone for it at even some ridiculous prices! That will be the first time I'll give up an SUV and go back to a sedan.

GT3RS-Fan1

This is PORSCHE, the master of "Marketing."

If this is the current Steak menu:
1.) TURBO S Exclusive Series - Rare (500 Copies)
2.) 911R - Medium Rare (991 Copies)
3.) GT3 991.2 - Medium (Production numbers unknown as it just got launched)
4.) GT3RS 991.1 - Medium Well (Most got allocation as long as not too late to the party)
5.) All other 911 variants e.g., GTS, Targa, Carrera, etc. - Well Done

The creation of newer models is good for those looking for the variety and uniqueness. As CJ points out, this creates a narrower window to order the high demand on the new GT3 991.2, as allocation (i.e., production numbers) is NOT increasing. The model selection increased but production is still limited. The end result, it created more demand due to more model selection but still the same production number.

Bravo, higher demand, more selection, but still the same production numbers.

Drive safe,
GT3RS-Fan1

isv

+1 - exactly this.

Nizer

+1

Last Audi I bought was a Manual A6 Allroad. There's a reason I never bought another and it ain't cause I didn't like car.....

manitou202

This^^^^^

All they did is essentially remove the wing from the GT3. I love it even though I'm ordering mine with the wing. But it gets it's own reveal at Frankfurt and generates tons of press?!?!?

Auto Journalists: "Porsche is building the true enthusiasts car!!! Manual gearbox and no BF wing!!!"

This will not sell any additional GT3's (not like they had the problem to begin with). But people who were entertaining a Porsche and now hear they are building the cars for enthusiasts will go test drive a 911 or Cayman.

Alan Smithee

We'll see. All 911s go down the same assembly line. Without the CF rear wing, the Touring now has all standard Carrera 4 bodywork. Nothing mechanically exotic from a manufacturing standpoint. I see no reason why they cannot shift the production mix. Perhaps this is exactly why they introduced the package; profit margin for a $160k GT3 Touring must be staggering compared to a $95k base Carrera.

Although the cynic in me thinks the Touring is just marketing...

boxer-11

Seems likely to increase the potential buyer pool, no doubt.

Perhaps Porsche could see their way to making it easier (oh, say by building a few more! ) for track day guys to get into a Clubsport GT4 to siphon off some of the overflow pressure from the GT3 order book?? GT3 to Cup seems like too big of a jump and well driven Cup cars seem out of place on track days...not that I've seen a CS GT4 in that environment either but it seems like the CS wouldn't be so out of place and the price of entry and running costs would make it plausible for many of the faster track day junkies.

Or is that just wishful thinking on my part because heart of hearts what I'd really like for myself is full cage car with access to some of the modern Porsche nanny systems to help me learn (...and there's no way I can afford to run a Cup )??