What a difference the last 20 years has made on the 911
07-26-2018, 02:31 PM
#1
What a difference the last 20 years has made on the 911
As we all browse this 992 forum wondering ( and for many fearing ) what the next model will bring I wanted to share a few refreshing pages from the 993's marketing booklet as an example of just how much has changed in the last 20 years since the 993 production ended and with it the greatest run of an original design carefully perfected by time.
As a long time owner of 911's from air cooled 911's right up to a 991.1 I have always loved Porsche for so many reasons with tradition being at of the top. So clearly , I'm cringing at the up coming Taycan and 992 who's spy photos (primarily of the interior) have me wondering why Porsche, a company once so shrouded in tradition and passion and with a rebellious attitude towards the mainstream would choose to sell out to marketing and sales volume pressures so badly.
I understand changes needed to be made at the turn of the century for survival of the brand but at this point I just wish we were back in 1998 when purchasing a Porsche was so much more than buying the latest and greatest 2 year product cycle lease vehicle loaded with superficial gimmicks.
But don't take my ranting for it , take a look at these pages, remember the good times and decide for yourself...
As a long time owner of 911's from air cooled 911's right up to a 991.1 I have always loved Porsche for so many reasons with tradition being at of the top. So clearly , I'm cringing at the up coming Taycan and 992 who's spy photos (primarily of the interior) have me wondering why Porsche, a company once so shrouded in tradition and passion and with a rebellious attitude towards the mainstream would choose to sell out to marketing and sales volume pressures so badly.
I understand changes needed to be made at the turn of the century for survival of the brand but at this point I just wish we were back in 1998 when purchasing a Porsche was so much more than buying the latest and greatest 2 year product cycle lease vehicle loaded with superficial gimmicks.
But don't take my ranting for it , take a look at these pages, remember the good times and decide for yourself...
07-26-2018, 10:11 PM
#2
Rennlist Member
Many thanks for sharing this. I've just in the last 2 weeks purchased my first Porsche, 2016 911 C4S (CPO). Really appreciate the history and share the concern.
07-27-2018, 06:54 PM
#3
The approach to keeping tradition and barely innovate made them almost go bankrupt at times. They've changed pace and are now at the forefront of technological development and more successful than ever. I feel like as engineer Ferdinand Porsche would have been quite happy to see Porsche as they are now.
07-27-2018, 07:29 PM
#4
The approach to keeping tradition and barely innovate made them almost go bankrupt at times. They've changed pace and are now at the forefront of technological development and more successful than ever. I feel like as engineer Ferdinand Porsche would have been quite happy to see Porsche as they are now.
I look back at the 993 as a time when Porsche made products that felt special and well made and the exact opposite of the " built for a profit " mentality that has heavily distorted the sports car industry. I care about my experience and the quality of the product and nothing else. Worrying about financial success is the companies problem while worrying about the product is ours.
Do you think that 993 owners in the mid 90's were having a bad experience with their cars because the company that built them was not doing well financially and not at the forefront of technological development? The only thing you get by being at the forefront of technological development is obsolescence in a few short years which is exactly where I see these new cars heading.
The point is there used to be way more to Porsche than making money, sales volume , technological forefront etc and it's all written in the lines of that 993 brochure I attached. If all the Porsche family cared about was money then I'd wager they would have gotten into the money business rather than the automobile one. Passion for automotive excellence is what started the brand and I fear it's being lost with each successive decision made.
07-28-2018, 08:47 AM
#5
Rennlist Member
Sure, but that's from a business perspective and not an enthusiasts one. As an enthusiast I could care less about all the big business board room monopoly games and could care even less about the companies bottom line.
I look back at the 993 as a time when Porsche made products that felt special and well made and the exact opposite of the " built for a profit " mentality that has heavily distorted the sports car industry. I care about my experience and the quality of the product and nothing else. Worrying about financial success is the companies problem while worrying about the product is ours.
Do you think that 993 owners in the mid 90's were having a bad experience with their cars because the company that built them was not doing well financially and not at the forefront of technological development? The only thing you get by being at the forefront of technological development is obsolescence in a few short years which is exactly where I see these new cars heading.
The point is there used to be way more to Porsche than making money, sales volume , technological forefront etc and it's all written in the lines of that 993 brochure I attached. If all the Porsche family cared about was money then I'd wager they would have gotten into the money business rather than the automobile one. Passion for automotive excellence is what started the brand and I fear it's being lost with each successive decision made.
I look back at the 993 as a time when Porsche made products that felt special and well made and the exact opposite of the " built for a profit " mentality that has heavily distorted the sports car industry. I care about my experience and the quality of the product and nothing else. Worrying about financial success is the companies problem while worrying about the product is ours.
Do you think that 993 owners in the mid 90's were having a bad experience with their cars because the company that built them was not doing well financially and not at the forefront of technological development? The only thing you get by being at the forefront of technological development is obsolescence in a few short years which is exactly where I see these new cars heading.
The point is there used to be way more to Porsche than making money, sales volume , technological forefront etc and it's all written in the lines of that 993 brochure I attached. If all the Porsche family cared about was money then I'd wager they would have gotten into the money business rather than the automobile one. Passion for automotive excellence is what started the brand and I fear it's being lost with each successive decision made.
It took almost 40 years to wipe out the air cooled engine, less than twenty to wipe out the normally aspirated engine, and probably 10 to radically change that engine. At some point there won't be an internal combustion engine. If you think that's still 50 years away, I believe you are in for a shock.
As long as Porsche keeps its fingers in racing there will be reason to be optimistic.
07-28-2018, 11:03 AM
#6
Rennlist Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: New Orleans, LA (NOLA)
Posts: 5,193
Received 2,235 Likes
on
1,020 Posts
P.S. The 992 will still be an awesome car, will probably outsell the 991 and outperform the 991 in every category.
07-28-2018, 07:19 PM
#7
Rennlist Member
Originally Posted by blepski
Sure, but that's from a business perspective and not an enthusiasts one. As an enthusiast I could care less about all the big business board room monopoly games and could care even less about the companies bottom line.
I look back at the 993 as a time when Porsche made products that felt special and well made and the exact opposite of the " built for a profit " mentality that has heavily distorted the sports car industry. I care about my experience and the quality of the product and nothing else. Worrying about financial success is the companies problem while worrying about the product is ours.
Do you think that 993 owners in the mid 90's were having a bad experience with their cars because the company that built them was not doing well financially and not at the forefront of technological development? The only thing you get by being at the forefront of technological development is obsolescence in a few short years which is exactly where I see these new cars heading.
The point is there used to be way more to Porsche than making money, sales volume , technological forefront etc and it's all written in the lines of that 993 brochure I attached. If all the Porsche family cared about was money then I'd wager they would have gotten into the money business rather than the automobile one. Passion for automotive excellence is what started the brand and I fear it's being lost with each successive decision made.
I look back at the 993 as a time when Porsche made products that felt special and well made and the exact opposite of the " built for a profit " mentality that has heavily distorted the sports car industry. I care about my experience and the quality of the product and nothing else. Worrying about financial success is the companies problem while worrying about the product is ours.
Do you think that 993 owners in the mid 90's were having a bad experience with their cars because the company that built them was not doing well financially and not at the forefront of technological development? The only thing you get by being at the forefront of technological development is obsolescence in a few short years which is exactly where I see these new cars heading.
The point is there used to be way more to Porsche than making money, sales volume , technological forefront etc and it's all written in the lines of that 993 brochure I attached. If all the Porsche family cared about was money then I'd wager they would have gotten into the money business rather than the automobile one. Passion for automotive excellence is what started the brand and I fear it's being lost with each successive decision made.
Trending Topics
07-29-2018, 11:18 AM
#8
Rennlist Member
As we all browse this 992 forum wondering ( and for many fearing ) what the next model will bring I wanted to share a few refreshing pages from the 993's marketing booklet as an example of just how much has changed in the last 20 years since the 993 production ended and with it the greatest run of an original design carefully perfected by time.
As a long time owner of 911's from air cooled 911's right up to a 991.1 I have always loved Porsche for so many reasons with tradition being at of the top. So clearly , I'm cringing at the up coming Taycan and 992 who's spy photos (primarily of the interior) have me wondering why Porsche, a company once so shrouded in tradition and passion and with a rebellious attitude towards the mainstream would choose to sell out to marketing and sales volume pressures so badly.
I understand changes needed to be made at the turn of the century for survival of the brand but at this point I just wish we were back in 1998 when purchasing a Porsche was so much more than buying the latest and greatest 2 year product cycle lease vehicle loaded with superficial gimmicks.
But don't take my ranting for it , take a look at these pages, remember the good times and decide for yourself...
As a long time owner of 911's from air cooled 911's right up to a 991.1 I have always loved Porsche for so many reasons with tradition being at of the top. So clearly , I'm cringing at the up coming Taycan and 992 who's spy photos (primarily of the interior) have me wondering why Porsche, a company once so shrouded in tradition and passion and with a rebellious attitude towards the mainstream would choose to sell out to marketing and sales volume pressures so badly.
I understand changes needed to be made at the turn of the century for survival of the brand but at this point I just wish we were back in 1998 when purchasing a Porsche was so much more than buying the latest and greatest 2 year product cycle lease vehicle loaded with superficial gimmicks.
But don't take my ranting for it , take a look at these pages, remember the good times and decide for yourself...
Porsche of today are very fast accomplished cars and yes they are on top of the tech game but does that as an entusiast men they are better? IMO not.
To me it is all about feel, smell, sound etc. In these areas Porsche is long way from what they were when they were just a company with handbuilt sportscars. The exclusivity is long gone, soon they will produce more cars than for instance Volvo
However for Porsche poeple like me are a minority so they dont care.
I will keep enjoying the older cars where I can dismantle parts using a screwdriver and wont have to worry about braking plastic tabs ......
07-29-2018, 02:52 PM
#9
Rennlist Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,524
Received 825 Likes
on
452 Posts
To a “proper enthusiast”, it’s been downhill since the 356 
Regular 911s have never been about exclusivity. Porsche has always made well engineered, high performance, reliable, and practical sports cars that are also more affordable than their Italian competitors. Porsches are the sports cars you see around every day. Each generation throughly outperformed the predecessor and remained competitive, and that’s how they sold. They were starting to get stagnant by the 993, and so the company suffered and they sold fewer. This stagnation and low sales volume is now seen as being special and exclusive today since you can’t buy them new.
To remain competitive, legal, and not go bankrupt, every generation has to perform better and also keep up with chaning emissions, sound, and safety regulations. Stagnation would kill the company.
I appreciate the feel of classic cars, but they’re a niche item. If Porsche made an updated mass produced 993 compliant with legal minimums and tried to sell it, it may be a novelty at first, but it wouldn’t sell in high volumes and would lose its charm once it becomes a commodity you can buy new from the showroom. You’d end up with something very expensive that’s not competitive on modern performance, comfort, or safety.
Another example: I have an old W126 chassis S-class. I love the car and am spending an excessive amount of money relative to its value fixing it up. I like the old school heavy tactile steering, the smell of old leather, the soft ride, elegant simple interior, and ease of DIY repair. However, it would be a wholly uncompetitive car if it were sold today, and would not feel as special to me if I could buy a new one and see a bunch on the street every day. It’s slow, fuel thirsty, relatively noisy inside compared to a modern S class, not agile at all, has lots of leather squeaks, and would be 1.5x the cost of an equivalent modern new S-class. It’s not competitive, wouldn’t be special in a nostalgic way either if it could be purchased new.
Regular 911s have never been about exclusivity. Porsche has always made well engineered, high performance, reliable, and practical sports cars that are also more affordable than their Italian competitors. Porsches are the sports cars you see around every day. Each generation throughly outperformed the predecessor and remained competitive, and that’s how they sold. They were starting to get stagnant by the 993, and so the company suffered and they sold fewer. This stagnation and low sales volume is now seen as being special and exclusive today since you can’t buy them new.
To remain competitive, legal, and not go bankrupt, every generation has to perform better and also keep up with chaning emissions, sound, and safety regulations. Stagnation would kill the company.
I appreciate the feel of classic cars, but they’re a niche item. If Porsche made an updated mass produced 993 compliant with legal minimums and tried to sell it, it may be a novelty at first, but it wouldn’t sell in high volumes and would lose its charm once it becomes a commodity you can buy new from the showroom. You’d end up with something very expensive that’s not competitive on modern performance, comfort, or safety.
Another example: I have an old W126 chassis S-class. I love the car and am spending an excessive amount of money relative to its value fixing it up. I like the old school heavy tactile steering, the smell of old leather, the soft ride, elegant simple interior, and ease of DIY repair. However, it would be a wholly uncompetitive car if it were sold today, and would not feel as special to me if I could buy a new one and see a bunch on the street every day. It’s slow, fuel thirsty, relatively noisy inside compared to a modern S class, not agile at all, has lots of leather squeaks, and would be 1.5x the cost of an equivalent modern new S-class. It’s not competitive, wouldn’t be special in a nostalgic way either if it could be purchased new.
Last edited by wizee; 07-29-2018 at 06:02 PM.
07-29-2018, 03:00 PM
#10
Porsche in 2018 is, let's be honest, a rebadged Volkswagen group SUV company as measured by sales units and profits. Sure the Touareg (Cayenne) and Q5 (Macan) have the company producing more units and profit than ever but at what cost the soul?
In another two decades hopefully someone in Germany wakes up to realize the world doesn't need more overpriced badge engineered SUV's and takes the company back to its roots before it's too late.
As for the Toucan, no reason Porsche couldn't put out a Boxster or 944-sequel affordable electric go kart similar to the original Tesla Roadster/Lotus and keep it's heart beating vibrantly into the great beyond of electron-fueled motoring.
Less profits, perhaps. More excitement, quite certainly. Niches will matter again in automobiledom, they always reassert themselves.
In another two decades hopefully someone in Germany wakes up to realize the world doesn't need more overpriced badge engineered SUV's and takes the company back to its roots before it's too late.
As for the Toucan, no reason Porsche couldn't put out a Boxster or 944-sequel affordable electric go kart similar to the original Tesla Roadster/Lotus and keep it's heart beating vibrantly into the great beyond of electron-fueled motoring.
Less profits, perhaps. More excitement, quite certainly. Niches will matter again in automobiledom, they always reassert themselves.
07-29-2018, 03:12 PM
#11
Rennlist Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,524
Received 825 Likes
on
452 Posts
Porsche in 2018 is, let's be honest, a rebadged Volkswagen group SUV company as measured by sales units and profits. Sure the Touareg (Cayenne) and Q5 (Macan) have the company producing more units and profit than ever but at what cost the soul?
In another two decades hopefully someone in Germany wakes up to realize the world doesn't need more overpriced badge engineered SUV's and takes the company back to its roots before it's too late.
As for the Toucan, no reason Porsche couldn't put out a Boxster or 944-sequel affordable electric go kart similar to the original Tesla Roadster/Lotus and keep it's heart beating vibrantly into the great beyond of electron-fueled motoring.
Less profits, perhaps. More excitement, quite certainly. Niches will matter again in automobiledom, they always reassert themselves.
In another two decades hopefully someone in Germany wakes up to realize the world doesn't need more overpriced badge engineered SUV's and takes the company back to its roots before it's too late.
As for the Toucan, no reason Porsche couldn't put out a Boxster or 944-sequel affordable electric go kart similar to the original Tesla Roadster/Lotus and keep it's heart beating vibrantly into the great beyond of electron-fueled motoring.
Less profits, perhaps. More excitement, quite certainly. Niches will matter again in automobiledom, they always reassert themselves.
The fact that the Taycan is a small, low sedan rather than a large crossover is a good sign in my mind.
I also wouldn’t dismiss the Cayenne and Macan as rebadged Volkswagens. They may share a platform, but are largely unique cars, and they perform very well for what they are. Their main buyers may be wealthy soccer
moms, but that doesn’t make them bad cars.
07-30-2018, 12:57 AM
#12
I've been a Porsche fan ever since I bought my first car, a Porsche, 22 years ago. There's just no way you can claim that Porsche have lost their way if you give the current range of cars a fair chance. Porsche enthusiasts too often get stuck in the past, at least until they realize that time marches on whether they accept it or not. I wish we could avoid this silly song and dance every time a new generation is released, with owners of the previous generation clinging on to their precious cars and trying to convince themselves that progress is bad.
You'll come around, so will most of the others. I've seen it many times. And for those of you that don't come around, there will be three times as many new Porsche buyers that will take your spot, and you guys can all stand around yelling at them to get off your lawn.
You'll come around, so will most of the others. I've seen it many times. And for those of you that don't come around, there will be three times as many new Porsche buyers that will take your spot, and you guys can all stand around yelling at them to get off your lawn.
07-30-2018, 03:57 AM
#13
Thanks for posting 
.
I think you have to look at this in the round - I have quite a few of these hard backed model descriptions.
Here are a few lines for the current Series 2 991 911
"The dream of the sports car" . "We like to start from the front. In the lead" . "An icon? certainly but only because we continue its development" "How do we defend our position? By always being one idea ahead" . or how about this one from the 981 hand book "How do we nurture our relationship with the driver? By purposefully strengthening our bond with the road."
All the same sentiments are shared throughout these handbooks - in effect its all about the dream and the drive. Like all good marketing, and Porsche are very good at it, they tap into ones perception and nostalgia buttons.
Do we spend our time climbing mountains, racing around Le Mans or the Nordschleife whilst keeping an eye on our next ocean racing meet - short answer no . There are many, many historic cars out there - in fact historic racing is great fun - however the fun quotient only lasts for an hour here or an hour there on a balmy summer day. . Perhaps as we get older its easier to look back in time rather than forward.
Having said all of that I think Porsche have/are entering an unusual phase and I think they have to be careful with respect to marketing of a vehicle like the Taycan - its not a sports car, it would be a huge mistake to pretend it is one. Likewise they they have to get their execution and delivery together - real mistakes have been made e.g. GT3 991.1 engine (finger follower oiling and design defect) and GT4 third gear failure situation (this is plain cheap engineering e.g. not splined and peened). What about the next GT4 - that will be a real bell weather.
Superimposed on this is brand dilution e.g. Macan, its a warmed over Q5, we all know that - its also not a sports car that "handles like a cayman" (they really do use this line), its a small price point SUV with poor rear head room and a branding label.
The knock on effect of the latter is felt in spades at dealerships - e.g. service technicians that barely know 911s (their time is spent with drudge servicing Macans and Cayennes) to salespeople who seem to have a poor understanding of the sports car market and the products they sell. I think the 992 will turn out ok simply because its got a great engine and Porsche have a few engineering tricks they can apply.
After that I think they'll be in trouble - simply because sports cars aren't big sellers - and most younger guys I meet seem to think driving round an xbox is more fun than actually sticking a helmet on and having the man parts to do it for real.
.I think you have to look at this in the round - I have quite a few of these hard backed model descriptions.
Here are a few lines for the current Series 2 991 911
"The dream of the sports car" . "We like to start from the front. In the lead" . "An icon? certainly but only because we continue its development" "How do we defend our position? By always being one idea ahead" . or how about this one from the 981 hand book "How do we nurture our relationship with the driver? By purposefully strengthening our bond with the road."
All the same sentiments are shared throughout these handbooks - in effect its all about the dream and the drive. Like all good marketing, and Porsche are very good at it, they tap into ones perception and nostalgia buttons.
Do we spend our time climbing mountains, racing around Le Mans or the Nordschleife whilst keeping an eye on our next ocean racing meet - short answer no
. There are many, many historic cars out there - in fact historic racing is great fun - however the fun quotient only lasts for an hour here or an hour there on a balmy summer day. . Perhaps as we get older its easier to look back in time rather than forward.Having said all of that I think Porsche have/are entering an unusual phase and I think they have to be careful with respect to marketing of a vehicle like the Taycan - its not a sports car, it would be a huge mistake to pretend it is one. Likewise they they have to get their execution and delivery together - real mistakes have been made e.g. GT3 991.1 engine (finger follower oiling and design defect) and GT4 third gear failure situation (this is plain cheap engineering e.g. not splined and peened). What about the next GT4 - that will be a real bell weather.
Superimposed on this is brand dilution e.g. Macan, its a warmed over Q5, we all know that - its also not a sports car that "handles like a cayman" (they really do use this line), its a small price point SUV with poor rear head room and a branding label.
The knock on effect of the latter is felt in spades at dealerships - e.g. service technicians that barely know 911s (their time is spent with drudge servicing Macans and Cayennes) to salespeople who seem to have a poor understanding of the sports car market and the products they sell. I think the 992 will turn out ok simply because its got a great engine and Porsche have a few engineering tricks they can apply.
After that I think they'll be in trouble - simply because sports cars aren't big sellers - and most younger guys I meet seem to think driving round an xbox is more fun than actually sticking a helmet on and having the man parts to do it for real.
Last edited by groundhog; 07-30-2018 at 04:12 AM.
07-30-2018, 06:14 AM
#14
Rennlist Member
As we all browse this 992 forum wondering ( and for many fearing ) what the next model will bring I wanted to share a few refreshing pages from the 993's marketing booklet as an example of just how much has changed in the last 20 years since the 993 production ended and with it the greatest run of an original design carefully perfected by time.
As a long time owner of 911's from air cooled 911's right up to a 991.1 I have always loved Porsche for so many reasons with tradition being at of the top. So clearly , I'm cringing at the up coming Taycan and 992 who's spy photos (primarily of the interior) have me wondering why Porsche, a company once so shrouded in tradition and passion and with a rebellious attitude towards the mainstream would choose to sell out to marketing and sales volume pressures so badly.
I understand changes needed to be made at the turn of the century for survival of the brand but at this point I just wish we were back in 1998 when purchasing a Porsche was so much more than buying the latest and greatest 2 year product cycle lease vehicle loaded with superficial gimmicks.
But don't take my ranting for it , take a look at these pages, remember the good times and decide for yourself...
As a long time owner of 911's from air cooled 911's right up to a 991.1 I have always loved Porsche for so many reasons with tradition being at of the top. So clearly , I'm cringing at the up coming Taycan and 992 who's spy photos (primarily of the interior) have me wondering why Porsche, a company once so shrouded in tradition and passion and with a rebellious attitude towards the mainstream would choose to sell out to marketing and sales volume pressures so badly.
I understand changes needed to be made at the turn of the century for survival of the brand but at this point I just wish we were back in 1998 when purchasing a Porsche was so much more than buying the latest and greatest 2 year product cycle lease vehicle loaded with superficial gimmicks.
But don't take my ranting for it , take a look at these pages, remember the good times and decide for yourself...
Thanks for posting .
I think you have to look at this in the round - I have quite a few of these hard backed model descriptions.
Here are a few lines for the current Series 2 991 911
"The dream of the sports car" . "We like to start from the front. In the lead" . "An icon? certainly but only because we continue its development" "How do we defend our position? By always being one idea ahead" . or how about this one from the 981 hand book "How do we nurture our relationship with the driver? By purposefully strengthening our bond with the road."
All the same sentiments are shared throughout these handbooks - in effect its all about the dream and the drive. Like all good marketing, and Porsche are very good at it, they tap into ones perception and nostalgia buttons.
Do we spend our time climbing mountains, racing around Le Mans or the Nordschleife whilst keeping an eye on our next ocean racing meet - short answer no . There are many, many historic cars out there - in fact historic racing is great fun - however the fun quotient only lasts for an hour here or an hour there on a balmy summer day. . Perhaps as we get older its easier to look back in time rather than forward.
Having said all of that I think Porsche have/are entering an unusual phase and I think they have to be careful with respect to marketing of a vehicle like the Taycan - its not a sports car, it would be a huge mistake to pretend it is one. Likewise they they have to get their execution and delivery together - real mistakes have been made e.g. GT3 991.1 engine (finger follower oiling and design defect) and GT4 third gear failure situation (this is plain cheap engineering e.g. not splined and peened). What about the next GT4 - that will be a real bell weather.
Superimposed on this is brand dilution e.g. Macan, its a warmed over Q5, we all know that - its also not a sports car that "handles like a cayman" (they really do use this line), its a small price point SUV with poor rear head room and a branding label.
The knock on effect of the latter is felt in spades at dealerships - e.g. service technicians that barely know 911s (their time is spent with drudge servicing Macans and Cayennes) to salespeople who seem to have a poor understanding of the sports car market and the products they sell. I think the 992 will turn out ok simply because its got a great engine and Porsche have a few engineering tricks they can apply.
After that I think they'll be in trouble - simply because sports cars aren't big sellers - and most younger guys I meet seem to think driving round an xbox is more fun than actually sticking a helmet on and having the man parts to do it for real.
.I think you have to look at this in the round - I have quite a few of these hard backed model descriptions.
Here are a few lines for the current Series 2 991 911
"The dream of the sports car" . "We like to start from the front. In the lead" . "An icon? certainly but only because we continue its development" "How do we defend our position? By always being one idea ahead" . or how about this one from the 981 hand book "How do we nurture our relationship with the driver? By purposefully strengthening our bond with the road."
All the same sentiments are shared throughout these handbooks - in effect its all about the dream and the drive. Like all good marketing, and Porsche are very good at it, they tap into ones perception and nostalgia buttons.
Do we spend our time climbing mountains, racing around Le Mans or the Nordschleife whilst keeping an eye on our next ocean racing meet - short answer no
. There are many, many historic cars out there - in fact historic racing is great fun - however the fun quotient only lasts for an hour here or an hour there on a balmy summer day. . Perhaps as we get older its easier to look back in time rather than forward.Having said all of that I think Porsche have/are entering an unusual phase and I think they have to be careful with respect to marketing of a vehicle like the Taycan - its not a sports car, it would be a huge mistake to pretend it is one. Likewise they they have to get their execution and delivery together - real mistakes have been made e.g. GT3 991.1 engine (finger follower oiling and design defect) and GT4 third gear failure situation (this is plain cheap engineering e.g. not splined and peened). What about the next GT4 - that will be a real bell weather.
Superimposed on this is brand dilution e.g. Macan, its a warmed over Q5, we all know that - its also not a sports car that "handles like a cayman" (they really do use this line), its a small price point SUV with poor rear head room and a branding label.
The knock on effect of the latter is felt in spades at dealerships - e.g. service technicians that barely know 911s (their time is spent with drudge servicing Macans and Cayennes) to salespeople who seem to have a poor understanding of the sports car market and the products they sell. I think the 992 will turn out ok simply because its got a great engine and Porsche have a few engineering tricks they can apply.
After that I think they'll be in trouble - simply because sports cars aren't big sellers - and most younger guys I meet seem to think driving round an xbox is more fun than actually sticking a helmet on and having the man parts to do it for real.
So True!
07-30-2018, 08:18 AM
#15
Race Car
I haven't seen seen such misplaced grousing about Porsche since the 914 was introduced and became a best selling car and won in Trans Am and introduced handling to oversteer enthusiasts. It was repeated when the 924/944 cars did the same, compounded by the 928 being a world class GT, and then when the 911 went water cooled with the 996. Also when the 991 came out with an electronic motor instead of hydraulic power for its steering rack.
If you haven't flogged a Macan GTS on track, you have no way of knowing that it is as fun and capable in the twisties as a 993, even though it is built for a different purpose altogether. The fact is you can take a 991.2 Carrera around most tracks as fast as a 991.1 Carrera S, just as it comes out of the showroom, and 991.2 GTS as fast as a 997 TT.
911s are not diluted at all (even though a mere 4 banger Cayman GTS will be for almost any real word performance purpose their equal). Porsche makes variants to suite just about any taste, from DD to dedicated tracker. One does not "dilute" the other.
If you haven't flogged a Macan GTS on track, you have no way of knowing that it is as fun and capable in the twisties as a 993, even though it is built for a different purpose altogether. The fact is you can take a 991.2 Carrera around most tracks as fast as a 991.1 Carrera S, just as it comes out of the showroom, and 991.2 GTS as fast as a 997 TT.
911s are not diluted at all (even though a mere 4 banger Cayman GTS will be for almost any real word performance purpose their equal). Porsche makes variants to suite just about any taste, from DD to dedicated tracker. One does not "dilute" the other.