c1pher

Isn't that kind of what the premium package is?

Also, besides charging you more, I think the idea is that if you want a truer sports car experience, you can have it and not be weighed down by tech or other items. Maybe you want to stay in a budget and want sport chrono, PDCC and rear steering to give you optimal performance and could care less about navigation. You're paying for a premium sports car. But if you want those luxury items, they can be added in. Expensive but one of the great things I have once to appreciate about Porsche. If you can only afford a bare bones car, you can have it. If you want all the bells and whistles, you can have that too, down to stitching and materials.

992gtsilver

lesser car brands offer these options as standard in most cases because they have to.

otherwise customers tend to looks elsewhere.

TheStanman

Agreed. Just sucks that Porsche exploits that to make more money.

To be fair, I think the 911 gas greatly improved. Keyless entry, heated seats, auto headlights and wipers, etc are all standard. Almost all my option spend was on performance and cosmetic preferences (except Bose and ACC)

Porsche has agreed, along with most OEMs, to make auto braking standard by 2022. I expect that will include adaptive cruise.

aggie57

To be frank VAG makes these things options because it makes them more money, we will buy them, and it doesn't stop people buying 911's.

If you look at spec differences between the various markets they do adjust depending on local conditions but the basic principal remains the same. Bose is standard in many markets as is full leather, but not in the US. Auto-dimming mirrors are standard in the US but amazingly still an option in some markets including some that have leather as standard, I gather because that's what the local distributor wanted. The list goes on, either way they do it in purpose, always have and likely always will.

ipse dixit

Really?

I tend to disagree.

If Porsche made all those things that are "standard on less expensive cars" (whatever they might be), Porsche would simply increase the base MSRP.

What that would mean is that everyone would have to pay for all those options that are "standard on less expensive cars" even for those that do not want them (see LCA).

Porsche's a la carte system when it comes to all those things that are "standard on less expensive cars" actually provides the full panoply of choices for the entire spectrum of buyers -- those that want a loaded 911 to those that want a stripped down base base 911.

It's a win-win in my opinion.

politeperson

I have some old cars from the 60's with no options. They are still extremely desirable for other reasons. People want them. However they are toys, not dailies like my 992

I have come from from an optioned Tesla Model S daily driver to a base 992 as a daily driver. I did over 140,000 miles in Model S's.

The Tesla had active cruise, autopilot, auto dipping head lights, active Google maps with laser sharp traffic reports, music streaming, Arcade games, HD reversing camera, your could drive it on your phone like a remote control car from out side, heat the interior in the air port car park as you plane landed. Basically it had more gadgets than you could count.

Compared to the Tesla, the 992 has approximately nothing whatsoever. I think a fully optioned 992 would not compare in terms of Tech options to an "S".

However, for excitement, the Model S was completely "yawnsville". Dull.

For a driver, The Model S was way more than competent that 99% of all cars on the road, however it lacked all the sex appeal of the 911.

Therefore, for me, in comparison, I miss none of the Model S gadgets whatsoever when I climb aboard the 911. The driving abilities of the Porsche more than compensate.

As far as I am concerned the dynamic abilities of the 992 outweigh the novelty value of all the best gadgets you can buy in a car. I think the Tesla had all the best gadgets in any car available, and still has.

The value in the 992 is the chassis and the engine. It is about the best drivers car around for the real world owners and drivers.

As far as the competition goes, they are TOYS.

Try piling on the miles in an Aventator or a 488 Pista and see what happens to your bank balance. Leave them for high days and holidays.

So I wouldn't swap my 911 far all the gadgets I have just lost in the MS.

OK. One thing I miss- Spotify Premium, as I have an Android phone.

markchristenson

I drive a Model 3 as my commuting car and absolutely love it--for the mundane task of getting to/from work. I spend a fair amount of time commuting (well, it's been a lot less during the pandemic) and try to take advantage of "car time" to get business done. The Tesla has really upped the ante in terms of its Autopilot capabilities. Not that I can sit in the back seat and ignore everything, but I can be a bit more productive and focused on a phone call than I was in the past, and the AP is amazing in variable-speed traffic.

But I don't want any of that, per se, in the Porsche (despite ordering InnoDrive) on a daily basis. When I drive the 992 it will be for the enjoyment of the drive, including taking a completely different route through back roads to get to the office :-)

Bluehighways

Much to agree with. My argument was (and remains); the Tesla S appealed to my head and the 992 appeals to my heart.

HouTexCarreraS

I agree. Comparatively, the 911 base price is quite reasonable and when you add the options that you want, the final price is in line with other cars of the same caliber. Personally, I like Porsche’s pricing structure—it doesn’t force you to buy anything you don’t want.

TheStanman

Porsche would almost certainly save money by making these things standard. I've worked on product portfolio complexity and production costs, and the production complexity most likely costs much more than the cost of the parts.

There is a reason low-cost OEMs do more standard equipment and trim levels. It's cheaper than a la carte.

And regardless, Porsche does not do cost-based pricing so it's a moot point. I believe they do it because it increases their average sale price which outweighs less efficient production.

TheStanman

I think the other benefit is it gives the sense of a customized product. I definitely appreciate that for aesthetics and performance options, just not for convenience or safety items.

Penn4S

I agree. I can't even remember the last time I listened to the radio. Since moving the car to Florida I'm usually driving with a window open by myself stretching its legs listening to the exhaust or taking the wife to dinner, talking with her and listening to the exhaust.
I always marvel at how well it drives and that I can do it every day without having a mechanic living in our spare room.

ipse dixit

Its cheaper for them because most less expensive cars (i.e. Ford Fiesta, Camry, Accord, etc.) are produced at about 5-10x as any single Porsche model. So just the assembly line and the efficiencies of scale (in avoiding producing 100 different iterations of the same model, like a Camry) inures to the benefit of those marques.

The same does not apply to Porsche, however, given the low volume of each model -- be it a 911, Cayman, or even the voluminous Macan.

TheStanman

You're right, scale is definitely different. But I thought 911 was still a standardized mass production line?

Side note, one funny side effect is when the complexity tricks even Porsche up. Thinking of how they installed the wrong console buttons on some cars because there are ~10 iterations based option combination.

SZ992

Let's be honest...if you bought a 992 for the tech/ bells + whistles, you bought it for the wrong reasons. This car is meant for driving. I wouldn't want a computer keeping me in my lane. When I get in the car I don't even want to check my phone. Just want to enjoy the experience....that's my 2 cents

Others will disagree with me but again, I don't daily drive mine so I enjoy it solely for the driving aspect rather than the tech