That’s the great divide between track and real world pleasure. Porsche needs to win races, yet also balance pleasing weekend enthusiasts who just want to feel some emotion out of their car, as it’s purists and enthusiasts who built the brand into having the ability to milk such cachet today. “I’ll buy whatever they make with a lukewarm stance” isn’t what makes legendary manufacturers. It’s always those loud pitchfork enthusiasts that cultivate an energy and fanaticism (that said brand reciprocates through product) that “normies” then get drawn to (which equals the recipe to mega $$$$ for said manufacturer). Usually they’ve been good at that, but China market has mixed things up.

Personally, as an enthusiast, I don’t count China sales as a plus in terms of what satisfies myself or most U.S sports car enthusiasts (I’d wager even EU). If something is built for and selling especially well- or better (than it used to) in China, that’s almost always (if not literally always) a bad sign to me. That’s just me. Of course, for Porsche’s bottom line, Money is money. Perfect example is a 718. China probably loves it. America, despite its amazing performance, gives it big thumbs down. My tastes are in line with the American market preference.

You mention the decline of sports cars. We all have theories as to why, but to me, it’s no coincidence that the sports car decline (at least in non-China markets) really picked up steam as soon as sports cars started being catered to the Chinese market. Cars got faster, more isolated, less quirky. “Better,” on paper, sure. But to me, not as much “gotta have it” and I feel that’s ultimately what hurt, or stagnated sports car sales (why get a sports car that feels like a fast sedan, when they’re making sedans- now SUV’s so fast? Used to, it was because of their unique sense of occasion, even lack of hushed refinement and practicality).

The 992 will be a performance marvel. No doubt. That’s so expected, it won’t even impress us anymore (seriously, .2’s already perform so well, who’s going to buy a new 911 simply because it knocks a few tenths off?). Most happy .2 owners will love it, I have little doubt. But can it bring the rest of the “us’s” (outside of China), i.e the 1/3 (in U.S) who immediately stopped buying new 911’s after mid 2016, back into the fold?

In that respect, I think it’ll be the most important 911 since the 996. A lot is riding on it.

Fortunately for Porsche, there isn’t much in the way of stiff competition. But I’ve recently started to get interested in Vettes (I’ve always hated Vettes), and considering my Porsche bias, it’s not a good sign for them, as I know I’m not the only one.

On the other hand. If the 992 doesn’t do great, and 718’s continue to decline in U.S, then they’ll probably just give China our allocations and we won’t really see them being sold out here in the future AS much. Leading into free range to go 911 Hybrid then EV without a fuss, as China market doesn’t hold our nostalgia for classic 911 visceral elements, and Porsche have a long brand milking roadmap they can exploit out there. That’s a sad reality, and I don’t hope it gets to that. But the 992 will hold the truth.

You do see the extraordinary irony in the above, do you not?

A 991 Carrera (any 991 Carrera) arguing as "us," the purist? There's a long line of 997, 996, 993, 964, and torsion-bar 911 enthusiasts—not to mention 930, 964T, 993TT, 996TT, and 997TT drivers—who would have a field day with this. Or those 991.2 enthusiasts who also drive 356s, 914s, 912s, 914s, 944s, etc.

Yes, I am pokin atcha a bit, and in good humor. A lot of what you say is something that is same as it ever was, and your 991.1 was a stop along a curve that began long, long before the first 991 rolled out the door. People complained about the refinements in the 356B, and Car and Driver ran an op-ed that stated the 911 SC was the end because it was as far as the 911 concept could be taken. Ahem.

We very much agree here.

You are right: The 911 will keep progressing. That's Porsche being Porsche. If a stop along the way suits one of us better, there are plenty of stops along the way. I like some stops better than others—the G50 3.2, the 964 RS 3.8, 993 RS, 997 RS 4.0, 997 GTS, and 991.2 being some of the ones I've liked best so far—and, like you, I fear the 992 may jump the shark. Has China had an effect? Undoubtedly. But I think the real question is whether the progression you mention is a matter of China or merely a tipping point (for you or me, personally, or a real one that's harder to nail down) along a far longer continuum—one that dates back to the 1950s. I believe it's the latter—but there are still great, raw, imperfect cars FULL of fun out there in 2018, if you look for them. The Fiat 500 Abarth comes to mind (as a car I had might have had more fun in, more of the time, than I did in my GT4), as does the Alfa 4C (pity about the transmission). So do some of Lotus' offerings, and the GT350 has a lot of appeal for me. I hear good things about the Civic Type R, but even for a guy who had a bug-eye WRX, that's a lot to look at. Ouch. After that, I too am surprised at how few new cars in 2018 appeal to me. The 991.2 Carrera/T/S/GTS and GT3 Touring might be the only other ones...

This is all speculation:

There is a waiting list in the UK for any 911. Why? Because they cut supply when the pound dropped. Porsche makes less money per car than elsewhere.

Allocations for any 911 are actually pretty thin on the ground in the US. Why? Because Porsche built on average almost 300 GT3 per month for US/Canada from September-December and with GT2RS and GT3RS 1/3 to 1/2 of 911 sales look to continue to be GT cars in America. Funny enough, no one on the GT3 Board is saying wait and get a 992 911 instead of a 991 GT car. That says something.

I have no idea what sales are like in China. Is it like Europe where there are cars available and no ADM on special cars and everything at MSRP? Anyone see what the profit is in euro based on the value of the yuan? In HK a 911 C2 with no options is $250k US. In mainland China is is $205k US. Some of that difference may be accounted for by taxes, but that China is buying so many at those prices shows the demand.

Porsche is not stupid, they shift production where they make the most money while not completely abandoning markets and while keeping up with regulations.

In the US they are selling every GT3 they make and a lot of them at significant additional markups for the dealers so for now they make more GT cars. . Macans are still selling well even though it has been out a while, the new panamera is doing well and the new cayenne should do well too. So what if no one wants a 718 in the US, send them to China and build more 911 (same manufacturing line). The real problems for Porsche and fuel economy and emissions. They have a plan for that too. They are pushing the hybrids hard and the mission E which if it is as successful as I think it will be, it will be a huge fix for fuel economy averages (at least under current calculations). The issue they have is emissions. Short of diesel style particulate filters, NA motors are not going to pass and those I can’t see fitting in a 911 and I personally believe the 991.2 GT3 and GT3RS are the last of the line. And even the 3.0 turbo will he pushed hard under new regulations. 992 will therefore likely have a hybrid option. And while we all love 911, Porsche is now a full line auto manufacturer. The days of the 911 being what it was and sort of is are coming to an end.

While I am sure they hedge, I doubt that they are fully hedged for fx.