991 Club Coupe Announced
05-28-2012, 07:23 PM
#16
Race Director
Personally, I don't understand all the negativity. I actually like the color and think it looks great with the brown interior. Well equipped S with power kit, what's not to like? At 13 units with 12 for sale, I see it more as an options marketing excercise than a money maker.
05-28-2012, 09:10 PM
#17
Rennlist Member
I think it's along the lines of the Sport Classic.
05-28-2012, 09:27 PM
#18
Rennlist Member
As noted several times above, did someone buy by mistake an extra 500 gallons of the ever popular "Brewster Green" paint??
05-28-2012, 10:26 PM
#19
Race Director
05-28-2012, 11:04 PM
#20
Race Director
05-29-2012, 05:51 AM
#22
Porsche marketing has surprised me!
It's not easy being green.
This 60th anniversary arrives in a difficult transition for the 911. The 991 is not receiving the unbridled passion that we'd wish. If, like other "awkward" years for anniversary Porsches, there was an attempt to sell a couple of hundred of these "anniversary edition" vehicles to a cold reception, it would only do harm. Instead, they've expressed understanding of the history of the enthusiasts, they've turned around the "quick parts-bin revenue grab" problem and they've played their X51 "card" to make this a specific car with a meaningful purpose, without taking the value of the X51 off the table -- they're still able to play the X51 card again in the future and no harm done.
There's other issues, there's "clues" to future price points and model specifications (look at the wheels, lugs, caliper positions moving from one drawing to the next, and the designs ... these are sketches, not the actual vehicle) but keeping to high level moving pieces, I think this offering is to be applauded.
As for those who would read "green" and be against the idea of it, there are impressive examples that give an inky, black depth to green and the Web site images suggest this could be a great color, but that's neither here nor there, the importance of this car -- to me, at least -- is that Porsche can change itself and not do another "ring the cash register" cash grab, instead, being reserved and considerate. While I'm a vocal critic of Porsche, I have to acknowledge a hand well played.
It's not easy being green.
This 60th anniversary arrives in a difficult transition for the 911. The 991 is not receiving the unbridled passion that we'd wish. If, like other "awkward" years for anniversary Porsches, there was an attempt to sell a couple of hundred of these "anniversary edition" vehicles to a cold reception, it would only do harm. Instead, they've expressed understanding of the history of the enthusiasts, they've turned around the "quick parts-bin revenue grab" problem and they've played their X51 "card" to make this a specific car with a meaningful purpose, without taking the value of the X51 off the table -- they're still able to play the X51 card again in the future and no harm done.
There's other issues, there's "clues" to future price points and model specifications (look at the wheels, lugs, caliper positions moving from one drawing to the next, and the designs ... these are sketches, not the actual vehicle) but keeping to high level moving pieces, I think this offering is to be applauded.
As for those who would read "green" and be against the idea of it, there are impressive examples that give an inky, black depth to green and the Web site images suggest this could be a great color, but that's neither here nor there, the importance of this car -- to me, at least -- is that Porsche can change itself and not do another "ring the cash register" cash grab, instead, being reserved and considerate. While I'm a vocal critic of Porsche, I have to acknowledge a hand well played.
05-29-2012, 11:37 AM
#23
Rennlist Member
At least with the Speedster, Sport Classic, and RS 4.0, some design and engineering, along with limited production, somewhat justified prices on either side of 200k.
This is just like the 997 Club Coupe, but twice the price. If it isn't a money grab, I don't know what is.
This is just like the 997 Club Coupe, but twice the price. If it isn't a money grab, I don't know what is.
05-29-2012, 01:51 PM
#25
At least with the Speedster, Sport Classic, and RS 4.0, some design and engineering, along with limited production, somewhat justified prices on either side of 200k.
This is just like the 997 Club Coupe, but twice the price. If it isn't a money grab, I don't know what is.
This is just like the 997 Club Coupe, but twice the price. If it isn't a money grab, I don't know what is.
I think the 12 units going out at $200K is the kind of thing Porsche should do when it means "limited" production. In the past, when they sold the Carrera GT as limited, it became "limited to anyone who places an order" and much the same for the GT2 RS and RS 4.0 ... these were limited to a number that was their best guess of 100% of demand (and in each case, they were comfortably over the mark.)
These price points are arbitrary (building the GT2 RS might cost $20K more than building a base Carrera) so it's not as if anyone should consider the $200K for a 12 unit limited production to reflect anything other than exclusivity and they've chosen one of scant few ways to produce a limited car that will not become instantly unimportant as the 991 story unfolds.
05-29-2012, 02:01 PM
#26
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
12 units for sale worldwide. That's invisible to their P&L -- by no means a cash grab. Even the 50 units of the 997 Club Coupe USA-only equivalent, in its day, could not be seen as a revenue-oriented decision. Surely every unit produced has to answer to the almighty balance sheet -- from 918 to Boxster -- but when it's 50 cars for the USA alone, that's still not going to budge the needle off idle in terms of worldwide gross revenue.
I think the 12 units going out at $200K is the kind of thing Porsche should do when it means "limited" production. In the past, when they sold the Carrera GT as limited, it became "limited to anyone who places an order" and much the same for the GT2 RS and RS 4.0 ... these were limited to a number that was their best guess of 100% of demand (and in each case, they were comfortably over the mark.)
These price points are arbitrary (building the GT2 RS might cost $20K more than building a base Carrera) so it's not as if anyone should consider the $200K for a 12 unit limited production to reflect anything other than exclusivity and they've chosen one of scant few ways to produce a limited car that will not become instantly unimportant as the 991 story unfolds.
I think the 12 units going out at $200K is the kind of thing Porsche should do when it means "limited" production. In the past, when they sold the Carrera GT as limited, it became "limited to anyone who places an order" and much the same for the GT2 RS and RS 4.0 ... these were limited to a number that was their best guess of 100% of demand (and in each case, they were comfortably over the mark.)
These price points are arbitrary (building the GT2 RS might cost $20K more than building a base Carrera) so it's not as if anyone should consider the $200K for a 12 unit limited production to reflect anything other than exclusivity and they've chosen one of scant few ways to produce a limited car that will not become instantly unimportant as the 991 story unfolds.
05-29-2012, 02:29 PM
#27
Some analysts have suggested that the component cost difference between a Boxster and a 911 Turbo is about $6,000. If you consider that this model is likely $100,000 pure profit then $1,200,000 on the old bottom line would probably get noticed. That and these high-margin models are part of a larger strategy that definitely has a P&L impact.
http://www.porsche.com/usa/aboutpors.../dataandfacts/
It's a 128,000+ cars production for 2011 ... let's not speak of 10 or 15 cars being a factor. It's $10B top line and $2B profit +/- during a global recession. If each Club car sold for US$1M, it still wouldn't be much of a cash cow, let alone the tip of an iceberg strategy to generate profits that the board would want to review.
If anyone in the top 100 execs at Porsche suggested "let's build ten cars and make $1M" they'd have their desk emptied into a cardboard box and escorted to the bus stop before their coffee went cold.
Conversely, if a marketing team was scratching their collective chins as to how to do something meaningful for the 60th anniversary of the enthusiast clubs around the world, without revealing too much about the 911, without spending too much, while demonstrating sincere respect and appreciation, while upholding the brand and again, not spending too much or distracting resources too far from their appointed goals, I think this would receive compliments for being a sensible plan. Nothing innovative or revolutionary, just appropriate to the objective and I think it's nice way to tip their hand a little and tell us about the 991 at the same time as underscoring the importance of the enthusiast to Porsche "galactic central headquarters." After all, as an enthusiast, I've been staring into the abyss ever since the 3.8 RS and I still don't see the next car, but at least Porsche didn't give us another "Sport Classic" ... : )
05-29-2012, 03:06 PM
#28
Race Director
If you can cite those "some analysts" then great. I've read years ago that the difference between a GT3 damper in 2005 and a Carrera damper was $15, for example. But for facts reported, here's Porsche saying what they're doing:
http://www.porsche.com/usa/aboutpors.../dataandfacts/
It's a 128,000+ cars production for 2011 ... let's not speak of 10 or 15 cars being a factor. It's $10B top line and $2B profit +/- during a global recession. If each Club car sold for US$1M, it still wouldn't be much of a cash cow, let alone the tip of an iceberg strategy to generate profits that the board would want to review.
If anyone in the top 100 execs at Porsche suggested "let's build ten cars and make $1M" they'd have their desk emptied into a cardboard box and escorted to the bus stop before their coffee went cold.
Conversely, if a marketing team was scratching their collective chins as to how to do something meaningful for the 60th anniversary of the enthusiast clubs around the world, without revealing too much about the 911, without spending too much, while demonstrating sincere respect and appreciation, while upholding the brand and again, not spending too much or distracting resources too far from their appointed goals, I think this would receive compliments for being a sensible plan. Nothing innovative or revolutionary, just appropriate to the objective and I think it's nice way to tip their hand a little and tell us about the 991 at the same time as underscoring the importance of the enthusiast to Porsche "galactic central headquarters." After all, as an enthusiast, I've been staring into the abyss ever since the 3.8 RS and I still don't see the next car, but at least Porsche didn't give us another "Sport Classic" ... : )
http://www.porsche.com/usa/aboutpors.../dataandfacts/
It's a 128,000+ cars production for 2011 ... let's not speak of 10 or 15 cars being a factor. It's $10B top line and $2B profit +/- during a global recession. If each Club car sold for US$1M, it still wouldn't be much of a cash cow, let alone the tip of an iceberg strategy to generate profits that the board would want to review.
If anyone in the top 100 execs at Porsche suggested "let's build ten cars and make $1M" they'd have their desk emptied into a cardboard box and escorted to the bus stop before their coffee went cold.
Conversely, if a marketing team was scratching their collective chins as to how to do something meaningful for the 60th anniversary of the enthusiast clubs around the world, without revealing too much about the 911, without spending too much, while demonstrating sincere respect and appreciation, while upholding the brand and again, not spending too much or distracting resources too far from their appointed goals, I think this would receive compliments for being a sensible plan. Nothing innovative or revolutionary, just appropriate to the objective and I think it's nice way to tip their hand a little and tell us about the 991 at the same time as underscoring the importance of the enthusiast to Porsche "galactic central headquarters." After all, as an enthusiast, I've been staring into the abyss ever since the 3.8 RS and I still don't see the next car, but at least Porsche didn't give us another "Sport Classic" ... : )
Last edited by kosmo; 05-29-2012 at 04:57 PM.
05-29-2012, 03:50 PM
#30