f4 plt

Let me go out on a limb. I have heard that the next model of the Cayman will have the Audi 4 cyl engine as a means of meeting the fleet CAFE standards. If that be the case and with the fact that the current 911 (alright 997.2 ) in race form is about at the end of its evolution I would not be surprised to see the 998 to be a mid engine car. Think about it, the body could remain relatively the same i.e. same back side windows, eliminate the rear seats and flip the engine and trans-axle allowing for better balance, longer wheelbase etc. That would retain the 911 family line, produce a means of developing a better race car ( I have heard that there is already development and testing with a mid-engine design in Germany)

nyca

I think that 4cyl turbo car will be a new model - priced below the Boxster. VAG already has such a prototype car, they might as well sell it as a Porsche because its unlikely to generate any sales numbers as a VW. Sell a lower cost Porsche, allow younger buyers to step on the first rung of the ladder with the brand, and as they move forward in life they will generate some repeat sales of higher margin models.

Porsche doesn't have any CAFE issues now that they are part of VAG.

Ucube

From the latest issue of Road & Track (which bills itself as a Porsche special issue):

...the rumored "baby Boxster" based on VW's BlueSport concept apparently won't happen, as a company official recently said "there's no business case for Porsche in small cars." Instead, Porsche will improve the Boxster's performance and efficiency through weight savings and turbocharged 4-cyclinder engines.

There's also a section on the 2011 911 (designated the 998). Not much changes in the engine department -- base flat-six should see an increase to 360 bhp, with the S close to 400 bhp. Reworked Turbo and GT3 models should follow a year or so later in 2012.

nyca

People won't buy it with a 4, no matter how good it is. Its like trying to sell a Vette with a V6.

Porsche doesn't have a CAFE problem anymore, why do they need to produce a Boxster that gets 35MPG? Given the number they sell, averaged into the VW fleet, its a waste of time to drop a 4 in it, especially given how efficient the DFI engines are.

They can say "there is no market for a downscale Porsche", but the bottom line is that sales volume is way down, and its likely a permanent situation. So if they don't produce an entry level model that could generate some sales volume, then the current factory production reductions and issues with having enough sales to sustain the current dealer network, are going to be permanent situations.

Ucube

I'm not sure I agree with your analogy. I think a 4-cylinder Boxster is more akin to a V6 Camaro than a V6 Vette. A Boxster is to a 911 what a Camaro is to a Vette. There's not much demand for a V6 Vette, as is a 4-cylinder 911, but there's quite a market for a V6 Camaro. Hardcore enthusiasts might shun a 4-cylinder Boxster, although I think there'll be enough demand from the entry-level Porsche buyers to make up for the difference, especially the first-timers.