Do you think of your 997 as an "exotic"?
12-12-2010, 04:22 PM
#31
Anyone who doesn't think the 997 is exotic is desensitized. Hell, the 997 is virtually the benchmark of all supercar tests! When you stop to consider that even the Boxster has performance rivaling the early-80s Lamborghini Countach whose poster I had on my wall beside the early-80s 911 Turbo (whose performance is also bested by the Boxster), you have to admit that our perspective is a little... spoiled.
I think a lot of our arguments in this thread are semantics about the word "exotic", as it means different things to different people. If you live in Beverly Hills, everyone's got one. I'll go days in VA Beach without seeing another Porsche, though. If you want to get technical about it, the dictionary definition of "exotic" simply means it was imported from another country. You must append the word "supercar" to it to have meaning, otherwise we'd be talking about exotic Peugeots and Citroens. We live in a world where supercars are actually affordable to middle class Americans. And yes, it is a GREAT world! It takes a new word- "hypercar"- to define the totally obscene limits of technology.
I think a lot of our arguments in this thread are semantics about the word "exotic", as it means different things to different people. If you live in Beverly Hills, everyone's got one. I'll go days in VA Beach without seeing another Porsche, though. If you want to get technical about it, the dictionary definition of "exotic" simply means it was imported from another country. You must append the word "supercar" to it to have meaning, otherwise we'd be talking about exotic Peugeots and Citroens. We live in a world where supercars are actually affordable to middle class Americans. And yes, it is a GREAT world! It takes a new word- "hypercar"- to define the totally obscene limits of technology.
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12-12-2010, 04:56 PM
#32
Race Director
I'm sorry, no car based originally on a volkswagen beetle is an exotic.
There is nothing specially exotic about a 997. Nothing about its construction or design is really exotic.
Its a good tough well built sports car...but its not an exotic.
There is nothing specially exotic about a 997. Nothing about its construction or design is really exotic.
Its a good tough well built sports car...but its not an exotic.
12-12-2010, 08:34 PM
#33
Race Director
Name another rear engine production car. Name another production car with a flat six horizontially opposed engine. Seems there are some things about the 911's construction or design that are, by definition, exotic.
12-12-2010, 08:40 PM
#34
Race Director
An old, tired, and basically false attempted put down. The 356 was a car based originally on the VW beetle. The 911, OTOH, was a new design. If you have to skip generations to make your point, then we can also conclude that the Corvette is loosely based on the Model T because it has a water cooled front engine design. Stupid comparison, of course, sort of like comparing the 911 to a Beetle.
Definition of exotic: Intriguingly unusual or different; excitingly strange.
Name another rear engine production car. Name another production car with a flat six horizontially opposed engine. Seems there are some things about the 911's construction or design that are, by definition, exotic.
Definition of exotic: Intriguingly unusual or different; excitingly strange.
Name another rear engine production car. Name another production car with a flat six horizontially opposed engine. Seems there are some things about the 911's construction or design that are, by definition, exotic.
What is exciting or intriguing about a flawed platform? Having the engine in the rear is more of a detriment than anything.
Flat six? who cares. Flat 4? A bunch...all produced by subaru.
12-12-2010, 09:01 PM
#35
Race Director
Great. At least we're making progress with this discussion. 
And yet they keep managing to win all those races with a "flawed platform". Must be very frustrating to the owners and builders of cars with "superior" design.
And yet they keep managing to win all those races with a "flawed platform". Must be very frustrating to the owners and builders of cars with "superior" design.
12-12-2010, 11:06 PM
#36
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Always reminds me of the assertion that any aircraft design starts with a flawed premise if the fuselage is separate from the lifting surfaces. In other words, they all should be flying wings. Amazing what we've accomplished with all those flawed airplanes.
Gary
12-13-2010, 07:32 AM
#38
Burning Brakes
imho, the true barometer is if you can drive about for a day and no one says anything about your car then it is not an exotic. From the gas station, parking lots, stop lights, etc... If you take a f-car out, you can't even park the thing without attracting a crowd and/or comments...this is a plus for me as I only drive it for the performance and not to be "seen" otherwise I would have bought a 360/f430/gallardo.
Interesting to note that the car I got the most comments on was my late 2009 cayman s. I agree and think it looked more exotic than a 911. Blasphemy I know, but you obviously know where my heart is (see sig).
Interesting to note that the car I got the most comments on was my late 2009 cayman s. I agree and think it looked more exotic than a 911. Blasphemy I know, but you obviously know where my heart is (see sig).
12-13-2010, 03:11 PM
#39
I think 98% of the population would consider a $100K+ automobile with basically two seats and minimal luggage capacity as an exotic. Those of us who own these cars are probably a little desensitized as to what most people think is normal or even rational to spend on a vehicle.
That said, call me irrational, because I don't consider my car an exotic, at least not in the same sense as a Ferrari or Lambo.
That said, call me irrational, because I don't consider my car an exotic, at least not in the same sense as a Ferrari or Lambo.
12-13-2010, 03:25 PM
#40
Burning Brakes
I do not, I drive mine every day (unless we get 2 feet of snow in one day...) I use it to get groceries, to go out at night, to drive my mom home. It starts every day, reliably even in sub zero weather, and with snow tires and plowed roads goes off through it all without a complaint, and the heated seats work.
I bought the 911 because it is a great sports car, damn near bulletproof regarding reliability, and I can rip around a track all day long if I wanted to.
Is it an exotic, no. Its even better.
I bought the 911 because it is a great sports car, damn near bulletproof regarding reliability, and I can rip around a track all day long if I wanted to.
Is it an exotic, no. Its even better.
12-13-2010, 03:41 PM
#41
Rennlist Member
In a way Porsche have become victims of their own success in terms of visibility of their cars.
The 997 is such a competent year round car that they are driven yearround as DD rather than weekend specials. As such around here in Fairfield county they probably aren't exotics as a/ the average income in this area is more than enough to support a Porsche habit so no one is particularly impressed by a $100k car and b/ there are lots of them.
My 1986 turbo gets way more attention than the 997 just because they are so rare and, because they are harder to drive, don't get taken out every day.
That said, if exotics = crazy high service bills/ chronic depreciation and limited driveability then I am happy to be driving my P cars! (and what a really small problem to have - making this determination!)
The 997 is such a competent year round car that they are driven yearround as DD rather than weekend specials. As such around here in Fairfield county they probably aren't exotics as a/ the average income in this area is more than enough to support a Porsche habit so no one is particularly impressed by a $100k car and b/ there are lots of them.
My 1986 turbo gets way more attention than the 997 just because they are so rare and, because they are harder to drive, don't get taken out every day.
That said, if exotics = crazy high service bills/ chronic depreciation and limited driveability then I am happy to be driving my P cars! (and what a really small problem to have - making this determination!)
12-15-2010, 01:26 AM
#42
Poseur
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
An exotic car is a car that needs a lot of money thrown into it to keep it running--even for a few hundred miles. As an owner of aircooled and now watercooled Porsches since 1974 I can tell you that I have intentionally NOT purchased an exotic car so that it would be reliable.
Porsche has only made a couple of "exotic" automobiles:
959
980 (Carrera GT)
Porsche has only made a couple of "exotic" automobiles:
959
980 (Carrera GT)
12-15-2010, 12:42 PM
#44
Rennlist Member
In my mind, the entire point of the Porsche brand is that it is NOT an exotic.
Exotics are fancy and pointy, and made in small numbers. They are under developped. Parts fall off of them frequently. Their electrontics, motors and other systems break if you do not treat them like garage queens. They fall apart at the track, unless you change pretty much all the running gear. But they look cool when you park it in front of that new "in" resturant.
A Porsche is a car that you can do your every day chores with, spank it at the track, and drive home later without it over heating.
A Porsche is like a woman who rolls out of bed looking fresh, beautiful and with a smile on her face versus a tempormental pin up model who needs tape to hold her ***** in place.
I know who I would pick to spend time with in the short, medium and long run.
YMMV
Exotics are fancy and pointy, and made in small numbers. They are under developped. Parts fall off of them frequently. Their electrontics, motors and other systems break if you do not treat them like garage queens. They fall apart at the track, unless you change pretty much all the running gear. But they look cool when you park it in front of that new "in" resturant.
A Porsche is a car that you can do your every day chores with, spank it at the track, and drive home later without it over heating.
A Porsche is like a woman who rolls out of bed looking fresh, beautiful and with a smile on her face versus a tempormental pin up model who needs tape to hold her ***** in place.
I know who I would pick to spend time with in the short, medium and long run.
YMMV
