laurence '97 C4S

Porsche Delay Racing Return July 25 04:19
Porsche has delayed a speculated return to international motor racing for financial reasons.


Chairman Wendelin Wiedeking told this week's edition of Financial Times Deutschland that the set-back relates only to 'cost considerations.'

Concrete plans for a racing prototype had already been drawn up in anticipation of a return to an 'attractive' racing series in 2004.

'Other manufacturers would have followed us,' Wiedeking said, also ruling out involvement in Formula One.

Porsche pulled out of the Le Mans series in 1998, promising a return within 'three or four years.'


Source: f1.com

ca993twin

I see lots of Cayennes on the dealer lots, few on the road. Have their sales been a disappointment to Porsche? Does it seem that they entered the lucrative SUV market about 4 years too late? Too bad, I would have loved to see a Porsche GTP car again.

PSU-993

I caught just a brief bit of a story on one of the early morning news shows this week where I thought I heard the PCNA rep say that the next two years of the Chili Pepper were sold out! I may be mistaken as it was very early.

DJF1

Its all about corporate profits. This is the bottom line... Companies "hurt" because their returns are lower than last years even though they are talking of millions in profits still, only compared to last year they are less a few millions... Porsche has found the golden pill that is passing out to everyone..we are a small company..we want to stay independant, yada yada yada... I'm sick and tired of this...Still love my 993's!!!

Edward

No way the Cayennes are "sold out." I was just at a major dealer (here in SoCal) and he had two S peppers on the lot and was willing to take an order on a turbo. He tried to get me to take a test drive, but I was pressed for time. Given that I've seen a grand total of ONE on the road (and this is LaLa Land!) I'd guess Porsche may be hurting on this deal.

Edward

Speedraser

I'm beginning to think that Wiedeking is simply toying with us -- teasing us that he'll go back to racing just to keep us interested. How many years has he been saying these things, only to yet again say he's not ready?

I'm starting to see a number of Cayennes on the road, but the local dealer has a ton of them on the lot.

Greg D.

I mean, let's be honest for a second and think about it before you reply... The announcement that Porsche was still not returning to racing was a blow to most of us, sure... But does it really matter to porsche sales TODAY? (now that porsche's reputation is established). It's not 1950 anymore where Porsche was building image thansk to it's giant killers...

After all we're talking about Porsche not being in the top ladder of prototype racing only, because take a long look at the lower classes and all you'll see are Porsches ! A sea of them....

Most people with a 996/boxster bought them during a time where porsche was not racing. It did not stop us/them from doing so, did it? We liked the car, the company has history and builds quality, we bought it...

Over time the lack of racing might tarnish the superb "racing" reputation porsche enjoys, but that could take a while, and if they continue to make superb road cars, people will still buy 'em !!! Regardless of which flavor of disguised Audi won Le Mans and how many times they do so, that won't make me buy an A4...

Racing improves the breed: true but PCCB brakes made it to road cars regardless, also while porsche was not racing..

In 98 at Le mans, porsche got a relatively lucky win anyway... Previously, While the sports car champsionship was still alive, porsche's GT1 was getting creamed by mercedes, I was there at laguna seca watching! I think Porsche quit on a high, just before prototype racing became almost as expensive as F1 (per race, at least). No guarantees they'd come back and cream the opposition, they probably lost a bunch of racing engineers in the menatime, so would spending millions of Euros and losing look better than not participating? And let's not forget that GT, NGT etc, where the fields are 90% porsche these days...just not pure factory efforts...

So why would Wiedeking want to come back and spend money for "nothing" ? He doesn't care that much about history, more about bottom line $$$, that much has been obvious under his tenure. Don't get ME wrong, I want nothing more than porsche to return top top flight racing, but even in my case (fanatical porsche gear head) a new prototype winning le mans will not make one iota of difference in the next porsche I buy (just in bragging rights and posters on my wall) and I still will buy the next porsche 911 or Boxster RS or whatever only if it looks good, performs well, and is reliable... My car has more in common with a GT3-RS (racing all around the world) than with a prototype, so is the current trend all that bad ? I feel more sympathy/closeness for a Racer's group win than I do for a prototype, really ! I would almost go as far as prefering that porsche NEVEr return to prototype racing and funds factory entries for Gt and GTS classes, to fight the ferraris and corvettes ! A GT2-RS ? ;-)

The way things are going, I don't see a full fledge return anytime soon ! Why should they, in their eyes ?

PS: a stop gap solution in terms of image would be for Porsche to subsidize Speed TV to broadcast Supercup Races before F1 live! It'd be cheap and efficient! I mean those races have more "fun" and paint trading in under an hour than 24h of Le mans combined, talk about close combat racing !

George from MD

The Cayenne interests me intently not because I'm interested in buying one but because it's the most significant change Porsche has made in many years (if not the history of the company) and I think they're blowing it.

It is NOT sold out- not even close. A search on PCNA reveals there are thousands available- at deeply discounted prices I'm sure. My own (small) dealer appears to have around 12. I can recall no other Porsche having been introduced and offered at discounts- not to mention deep discounts. Porsche's own statements that the car was sold out are disingenuous at best- designed to drum up desire for a car for which there is no desire. At worst, they have lied to their stockholders and the public.

It is, in the eyes of most beholders, damned ugly. IMO this has to have hurt sales. I would personnally be much more interested in one if it were attractive.

It's performance (that of the S) is on a par with the current offerings of MB and BMW. Some reputable analysts even rate the latter two vehicles superior in many areas to the S. In short, Porsche failed to leapfrog the current competition- a critical mistake I think as the second generation offerings are soon due from both BMW and Mercedes.

It is overpriced for the marketplace and fails to offer many of the basic
necessities offered as standard equipment in its competitors. A $2,500 optional spare tire that sits outside the load compartment and prohibits access is probably the best example of the boneheaded design work on this vehicle. Whoever came up with that should be fired- it sure isn't typical of the engineering excellence that was (and still is in some cases) Porsche. When one considers that base prices are thousands of dollars more than the competition (an even greater difference exists between it and its twin the Toureag) you have to wonder if they've been drinking their own bathwater. And there is no six cylinder version that could help offset the costs and (possibly) sell in greater volume at a competitive price.

The advertising is some of the most insipid garbage I ever saw- a slobbily dressed RV driver leaves the wheel of his rig while driving to get a better look at one? That's supposed to make me (an X5/Porsche owner and potential buyer) want one?? Dawktah (on the Cayenne board) came up with two beautiful ad ideas without even trying I won't relate here... but I just have to wonder.. who's in charge over there that would approve ads like that? Is Porsche after the RV market now?

Judging from the board, most Cayenne buyers are very sensitive about their purchase decision and will vehemently argue that the Cayenne is superior in spite of its obvious flaws- but I can't help but think they're going to be disillusioned come resale time- and the complaints about service and the dealer network are just starting to appear.

While the jury is still out I think the Cayenne is going to be one interesting phenomon to watch- while we're watching Audi/Bentley conquer the sports car world and Ferrari, McLaren and BMW Williams dominate Formula 1.

How the Cayenne will help or hurt Porsche only time will tell... but I suspect you're not going to be seeing factory Porsche's on a racetrack anytime soon.

poorb0yw

Hm, I've seen a buncha the peppers out on the road here in Houston. Maybe its a Texas thing. Even have the pleasure of seeing a few turbos cruising around.

911

Lately I've seen quite a few here in SoCal. I agree that PCNA may missed the SUV boat by a few years. But, at least they are starting to increase in numbers in the South Bay area, so that's positive.

p_carfan

Saw about 15 or so Cayennes setting in the lot of the local dealer here in Ft. Worth. Went to get some shims to adjust the alternator belt, when I walked up to the parts desk I said " Wow dude, lots of trucks", he didn't think I was very funny. BTW.....they didn't have the shims, typical

Speedraser

Greg D,

You make several persuasive points, perhaps the most significant of which is that Wiedeking cares only about the bottom line. Obviously, the bottom line is critically important, but it is not the ONLY thing that matters. Long term, if Porsche does not return to top-level racing, I think it will change the way many people view the company and its products. However, the buyers Wiedeking is chasing may not care.

I do think that racing is an important part of the "aura" of Porsche, and to me this is important. I am also a potential buyer of Porsches for many years, and many of us on this board are too. I hope we still matter to the company.

nota_troll

See how Ford's profits are considerable less than last year. Most of that profit was not from the manufacturer but from their financing department.

Flying Finn

I'm again so pissed!

And have said numerous times why I think this kind of stuff is just big fu*k up! Porsche has history/legacy/heritage but not for long taht helps selling cars and have made past cars so great and "ahead of times".

There is only so long that Mr. "anti-Racing, beetle making" Wiedeking can beat this horse and sell cars because of that, and then, it's dead!

Come on man, don't turn this company into another wannabe sports car company and if you do, fu*king admit it! Don't keep telling us over and over again "Porsche will be racing yada yada..."

I'm afraid that when my kid is in driving age, I'll be polishing my car and telling about good ole days: "Yep son, this baby was built when Porsche still was a real sports car company and their cars were "driven" by racing, now my son, it's just a company that has a great history..."

Toby Pennycuff

George from MD..... regarding your statement comparing performance of MB and BMW relative to Cayenne. I owned a 2003 ML350 Inspiration Edition and spent quite a bit of time behind the wheel of it and an ML500. I sold my ML and bought the Cayenne due to much improved performance and handling and braking. Is my Cayenne a high-performance sports car? Of course not. That's what I have my 930 for. Does it ride and perform better, and is it more comfortable than the ML I owned? Absolutely - there is no question in my mind on these points. MB simply can't compare - even the ML55 requires much heavier steering inputs and simply does not have the feel of the Cayenne.

I can't offer any comparisons vis a vis the BMW X5's as I was not interested in a BMW product. I know Porsche and I enjoy dirving Porsches. I have found, to date, that driving my Cayenne S is a much more enjoyable experience than I ever had in my ML.

As for resale and complaints about the dealer network...... you are correct that the jury is far from coming in with a verdict WRT resale value. OTOH, the dealer network that services my Cayenne is the very same dealer network servicing 996's and Boxsters and 911's and 993's and 968's and on and on........

Sorry for the off-topic thread.