Originally Posted by ADias (Post 8046565)

But look at the added complexity... does that make sense in a sports car? Heck, I don't even need electric windows. Soon (if Eric Schmidt has his will) cars will drive us...

Originally Posted by brt3 (Post 8047353)

I would love to hear, from a Porsche engineer, how much weight is added to a 911 solely because of safety and emissions gear. And also, how much extra size is required to accommodate said gear.

We are to a point where the biggest gains -- in both performance AND economy -- will come from advances in materials. Several companies seem to be on the verge of price breakthroughs on carbon-fiber or composite materials, and when that happens things will get interesting. Lambo is on the cutting edge of this, as they have a joint research project at the University of Washington that incorporates Boeing's expertise. Their new show car, the Sesto Elemento, is a great example of this, as it's not a Lotus-sized car -- yet it weights 2,200 pounds. A little more than a ton and it has 570 HP!

Now imagine a real-world implementation of this technology in a Porsche. Say we keep the 400 HP output of a GTS, but drop the weight to 2,800 pounds. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

It's easy to be upset about the issues that seem to be strangling our cars, but we may also be on the verge of new technologies that make Porsches more fun than ever. Case in point: towards the end of the 19th century New Yorkers held a series of meetings to deal with an impending environmental crisis that threatened to shut the city down. The issue? Commerce depended on transportation by horse, and the sidewalks were stacked with horse manure. By the end of the 1890's most people forecast doomsday scenarios that involved shutting the city down. However, none of this came to pass; a technology no one anticipated -- the automobile -- changed the course of history and saved New York City from ecological disaster.

Ironic, ain't it?

Originally Posted by Clifton (Post 8047617)

I'm confused here, don't you have a PDK transmission in your car? The PDK certainly adds complexity and much to your point does that really make sense in a sports car?

Additionally, if you don't need electric windows, then why not drive a manual 6 speed in lieu of a computer controlled gearbox?

Help me understand your passion for reducing complexity in a sports car.

Originally Posted by texas911 (Post 8047631)

Sure we Porsche can use super exotic materials, just like Lambo and Ferrari. But look how much more they cost too. Remember the days when Porsche was the everyday sports car? I think Porsche still wants to keep it that way.

Originally Posted by Clifton (Post 8047617)

I'm confused here, don't you have a PDK transmission in your car? The PDK certainly adds complexity and much to your point does that really make sense in a sports car?

Additionally, if you don't need electric windows, then why not drive a manual 6 speed in lieu of a computer controlled gearbox?

Help me understand your passion for reducing complexity in a sports car.

Originally Posted by ADias (Post 8047746)

No inconsistency at all. A dual clutch tranny is just an extension of a manual tranny adding performance with a small weight penalty. An electrical stop-start is added complexity that penalizes performance. A compromise for commuter use of a sports car in an urban environment - a compromise in itself.

Originally Posted by Clifton (Post 8047764)

By your logic then wouldn't an electric window just be an extension of an manual crank window adding performance with a small weight penalty as well?

Originally Posted by tpenta (Post 8047068)

While not exactly that extreme, my company is moving to a health benefit program that is based on health measurements. Everyone does blood tests once a year and based on results, your premium varies...

So, if you are willing to pay, go ahead and eat and smoke all you want. Maybe it should be the same with cars. Put a polution tax on it, let us pay for it, and get it over with...

-T

Originally Posted by ADias (Post 8047798)

I'll give you that, as it turns out today's electrical windows may not be much heavier than a crank mechanism, but please do not add more useless crap, mostly dictated by the government elites of the day.

Originally Posted by brt3 (Post 8047353)

I would love to hear, from a Porsche engineer, how much weight is added to a 911 solely because of safety and emissions gear. And also, how much extra size is required to accommodate said gear.

Originally Posted by lhd7 (Post 8048915)

have you driven an Audi A3 tdi - that thing is a hoot to drive...