Edgy01

For a true insight into what goes into the value of a Porsche you would have to be a Porsche insider. That sort of stuff is very proprietary and considered business secrets.

Graygoose997

My theory is long ago, someone at Porsche made a mistake and charged $ 1,200 for electric seat option , instead of the 120.00 that it was worth.
A smart manager noticed that there was no shortage of orders at $ 1,200
At that point, all bets were off, and option prices were drawn out of a hat.

Porsche charges what they do for the same reason a dog licks it's *****....because it can.
It's good to be Porsche.

TigerStadt

+1 ! ! !

Spectro28

Clarification/Amplification: I didn't initiate this thread to dispute value, rather, I'm wondering if anyone has done a "teardown" (virtual or otherwise) of a 911, in the manner that folks do a teardown of every new iPod, to evaluate cost of materials, engineering, labor, tooling, etc.

Is there really a 150% difference in costs between a 911 and a Cayman? It's really all right if there isn't, and I'm willing to bet that there's NOT a 150% improvement in bang-buck, unless it's winner-take-all, as there might be on the track. Again - I have no problem with that, but I'm curious if there is a substantial technical/cost differential (valve lifters formed from single-crystal unobtanium, for instance).

I'm enjoying the responses as I sit here in DC Superior Court on Jury Duty!

gravedgr

What are your concerns, specifically? My '03 and '07 both made it to around 20k miles before being traded and while I agree that Porsche could learn from Audi on interior design, construction and materials, I had no problems from either car interior.

TooSixy

Aren't you supposed to be paying attention to the arguments, spectro?

Mspeedster

I've owned other high-end makes as well and I'm overall very pleased with my 997.1's interior. The one exception is the finish used on certain plastic trim parts, which after a few years seems to soften to where it can be easily scratched if one is not careful. Is Porsche still using this same finish on the 997.2? At least on the Panamera I looked at, it didn't seem to have that "slush" paint finish anymore.

tincanman99

All the car companies are using this soft touch paint crap and that includes Audi, Lexus, Infiniti, MB and BMW.

Regardless of brand put some hand lotion on and touch the part repeatedly and let me know what happens - it peels as we all know. I wish the car companies would stop painting the parts and just mold it in the color even if meant that you could only get black.

I think Porsche's profit is very dependent on model. I think the Cayenne has the highest profit of it all and when journalists quote the figure of them being the most profitable that is what drives it. The Cayenne's engineering was done hand in hand with VW/Audi which greatly lowered the cost. End result is a very high profit margin which when you mix in amongst the other models greatly increases the over all margin of the company.

I do think though that Porsche charges more because they can. Though I have to say that they are magnificently engineered cars. I dont think the interior is horrible, its spartan which is just the way I like it. Very Germanic and simple. I dont need wood .

WCE

As others have stated above, that bizarre takeover attempt of VW certainly skewed the company's value during the market climb, and the subsequent market crash prior and accumulated stock purchasing debt almost finished them - great freak'in business plan! The fact remains, Porsche makes more money on every car they sell then other manufacturers and are obviously proud of it!
Look for justifiable COSTS in a $100k Carrera and you are not likely to find them. VALUE is another story, since it's based mainly on market perception and what people are willing to pay.

_Nathan

The Z06 easily outperforms a Carrera S. For similar performance, a better comparison would be the Carrera S vs the base C6 Corvette. When I bought my 997 S in '08, my car and the base C6 both did the 1/4 mile in 12.6 sec according to Road and Track. The cheezy interior and the low-tech (but powerful) engine in the base C6 Corvette help keep the cost down.

jakes dad

ABOLUTELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Standard" interior is embarrassing.... It's not even "Corvette" quality...

flyfast

Just wondering if quality has gone down the drain? I've owned a 993 and in terms of dashboard, buttons and leather I thought it was top notch. Never a problem.... In the market for a 997 S, should I be worried?

docfink

I don't think you need to be concerned. The quality is beyond reproach. Considering how tight the suspension is, I'm surprised at how tight the car is and how few shakes and rattles I hear.

Of course the Panamera's and Cayenne's interiors are more elegant in design and likely superior in overall quality, but the 997 is in no way cheap. Let's face it--the 993's and 964's interiors may be solid, but they're downright primitive looking.

The 997 gives you killer performance with the amenities you want--or don't. Your choice.

ADias

Now people are saying the std vinyl interior is bad? Come on? I've seen 10 year-old 996 vinyl interiors looking perfect. Yes, leather is better, but the std interior is well done. I suppose some people look at these cars as 'luxury' showcases and that is why the 991 will be bigger and with more doodads - not a good thing.

4 Track Mind

This is what the market will bear. The price of admission to swing a shapely, heavy rear end around. Many of us grew up dreaming, quite literally, about this shape. I still do. IMHO the 996 was a misstep aesthetically but still it bettered its predecessor mechanically. Porsche evolves the 911 to be the best it can be rather than wastefully reinventing it every 8 years. They refine the icon and would likely turn a profit at twice the price. When we stop dreaming of curvy 911s they will compete on price. Until then there is no substitute.