Porsche CEO Wiedeking Leaves Company
07-16-2009, 10:19 AM
#16
Three Wheelin'
If true, WW's departure will mark a triumph to tragedy epic worthy of a Wagnerian opera or a Shakespearean play. A nearly bankrupt company of great heritage is taken to the height of success/profitability by a man whose overarching ambition (and possibly greed) eventually leads him into hedge funds and leveraged takeovers that, amid a global economic calamity, will leave him and his company at the mercy of those he sought to dominate.
07-16-2009, 11:03 AM
#17
Three Wheelin'
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,539
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just as he's solely responsible for taking Porsche from the verge of bankruptcy to the most profitable car company in the world. Can't leave out the credit when giving blame.
07-16-2009, 01:03 PM
#18
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Fellas, Fellas, Fellas.................
WW turned Porsche around. Once he made it profitable, yes he made the Cayenne and the Panamera (like it or not) this funded awesome projects like GT3, GT3RS, GT2, CGT, Cayman and many more. All these are facts. Without WW we would not be driving these great cars today.
Everyone is stating the obvious but, no one is asking the "why?"
Why did WW and the Porsche family (do not forget that WW might as well be one of the family) tried to buy out VW. Let me help you with the answer.
To save both companies from Piech and his antics that go way back, from the days of the great old man.
Some examples:
1) When Porsche ran the record breaking 917 in LeMans Piech wanted to be part of the racing program and his grandpa told him to stand down. So young Piech decided to convince his mommy to buy him a 917 and they campaigned it against the factory car. What a guy - what a team palyer.
2) The Bugati Veyron which is huge waste of money
3) The purchase of Lamroghini, which in my opinion continue to thumb his nose at Porsche.
and many many more stories of juvenile behavior.
It was a great idea for WW and the Porsche family to buy this jackass out once and for all and it is a huge shame that their timing couldn't have been worse.
Now Porsche finds itself in the horrible position of having to make a deal with the devil rather than the original plan of exorcising him.
This will be a disaster for Porsche, and it will never be again as it is today.
WW turned Porsche around. Once he made it profitable, yes he made the Cayenne and the Panamera (like it or not) this funded awesome projects like GT3, GT3RS, GT2, CGT, Cayman and many more. All these are facts. Without WW we would not be driving these great cars today.
Everyone is stating the obvious but, no one is asking the "why?"
Why did WW and the Porsche family (do not forget that WW might as well be one of the family) tried to buy out VW. Let me help you with the answer.
To save both companies from Piech and his antics that go way back, from the days of the great old man.
Some examples:
1) When Porsche ran the record breaking 917 in LeMans Piech wanted to be part of the racing program and his grandpa told him to stand down. So young Piech decided to convince his mommy to buy him a 917 and they campaigned it against the factory car. What a guy - what a team palyer.
2) The Bugati Veyron which is huge waste of money
3) The purchase of Lamroghini, which in my opinion continue to thumb his nose at Porsche.
and many many more stories of juvenile behavior.
It was a great idea for WW and the Porsche family to buy this jackass out once and for all and it is a huge shame that their timing couldn't have been worse.
Now Porsche finds itself in the horrible position of having to make a deal with the devil rather than the original plan of exorcising him.
This will be a disaster for Porsche, and it will never be again as it is today.
07-16-2009, 01:13 PM
#19
Rennlist Member
07-16-2009, 02:21 PM
#21
07-16-2009, 02:44 PM
#22
Nordschleife Master
When a 911 comes with a mid-engine (and it may), the previous model will be my last 911.
07-16-2009, 03:22 PM
#23
Instructor
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The rear engine is an anchronism, and therein lies the appeal. Unique shape, unique feel, unique interior space concept, simply unique.... And, history supported this last time Porsche tried to "move-on" as it were.
Yes, WW has (had?) his faults. Think the Panamera is too large and too heavy and that that is all because of WW and his "I want a 6'4" person to be able to sit comfrotably in the back" and setting the benchmark cars as S-classes and 7-series and not having a rear transaxle set-up to accomodate four wheel drive a la Nissan GTR, but he was good for Porsche and good for profits.
Keep the 911 going. Dear Mr Piech (if WW is truly gone), if you need to have a mid-engine car, start with 46 years of development in your existing 911, swing the engine and gearbox through 180 degrees (hang on a sec, that is what they did with the boxer). OK, anyway, start with the modular boxster platform then, extend the wheel base by 10cm and the width by 5cm, redesign the interior (drop in the 911 interior perhaps), drop the twin-turbo engine in, provide radical new exterior design, add rear venturis, add active air-flow management both at the front and back of the car, call it the "Super-Carrera" while announcing to the world a new "fifth" model line for Porsche, write-off the development costs by offering the underlying platform to Audi and Lamborghini to form the basis of the next generation R8 and Gallardo, and a very Porsche-esque business model you will have (almost as if WW was still there....). But please, with all the money saved and cross-development synergies on airflow management and engine technology, etc, please keep the 911 going as well....
Yes, WW has (had?) his faults. Think the Panamera is too large and too heavy and that that is all because of WW and his "I want a 6'4" person to be able to sit comfrotably in the back" and setting the benchmark cars as S-classes and 7-series and not having a rear transaxle set-up to accomodate four wheel drive a la Nissan GTR, but he was good for Porsche and good for profits.
Keep the 911 going. Dear Mr Piech (if WW is truly gone), if you need to have a mid-engine car, start with 46 years of development in your existing 911, swing the engine and gearbox through 180 degrees (hang on a sec, that is what they did with the boxer). OK, anyway, start with the modular boxster platform then, extend the wheel base by 10cm and the width by 5cm, redesign the interior (drop in the 911 interior perhaps), drop the twin-turbo engine in, provide radical new exterior design, add rear venturis, add active air-flow management both at the front and back of the car, call it the "Super-Carrera" while announcing to the world a new "fifth" model line for Porsche, write-off the development costs by offering the underlying platform to Audi and Lamborghini to form the basis of the next generation R8 and Gallardo, and a very Porsche-esque business model you will have (almost as if WW was still there....). But please, with all the money saved and cross-development synergies on airflow management and engine technology, etc, please keep the 911 going as well....
07-16-2009, 07:55 PM
#24
Drifting
07-16-2009, 11:15 PM
#25
Three Wheelin'
Good article on all the drama in the "European Windows" section of the July Panorama. p.66
Some good news on PCA-sponsored HPDE Insurance too for those interested! p.54.
Some good news on PCA-sponsored HPDE Insurance too for those interested! p.54.
07-16-2009, 11:20 PM
#26
I believe the next big move for the Porsche 911 will be an aluminum body! This technology is readily available from Audi and will enable Porsche to maintan/improve performance with existing engines. With the prices they charge for the 911 they can readily afford it!
07-16-2009, 11:26 PM
#27
Three Wheelin'
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Norwalk,CT
Posts: 1,853
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Now, all I have to do is re-order a new Porsche....
Deanski
