Originally Posted by Luckymba

push the silver cover over the cupholders and it springs down and then the cupholders come out

Originally Posted by DMoore

I've always thought the cupholders were designed by someone's idiot nephew. "The lad's a dolt but I have to find something for him to do. I know - he can design the cupholders for the Americans."

I especially love the way that if you forget to close the silver "door" over the cupholders, they're free to swing sideways as you turn and eject your drink. I can't be the only Porsche owner who figured that one out the hard way. Plus, in my GTS the driver's side holder hung up as often than it would open. I often had to pry it open with a screwdriver. I had it replaced recently, no problems so far.

Great car, but the world's worst cupholders. Second worst piece of Porsche design, in my opinion, is the removable crossbar for the trunk cover in the Panamera. I have the retracting rear window screen, so the things weighs a ton and is a major PITA to remove. Reinstallation isn't as bad -- but that's not to say it's easy.

The good engineers obviously work on car dynamics and, as far as I'm concerned, they're brilliant. The apprentices, or idiot nephews, or whatever, get the car "convenience" projects. At least, that's my opinion.

DMoore
'11 C2 GTS
'10 Panamera 4S

Originally Posted by Dadio

If the cup holders are swinging freely your cup holder is broken. They are spring loaded and do not swing freely.

Originally Posted by Spiffyjiff

well, my feelings on how shoddy they are and whether a sports car even needs them in the first place aside...i will say they do seem to adhere somewhat to porsche's "form follows function" mantra in that their design allows the cup to be heated/cooled (depending on season, climate control settings etc) since they are in front of the vents when in the open position.

(ok, i actually read that somewhere but can't remember if it was a designer/engineer quote or simply an observation of the writer of the article )

Originally Posted by DMoore

They're spring loaded, but the spring isn't all that strong. If there's an almost full can of soda in the holder, and the access door isn't closed to lock the holder into place, the inertia of the can as you go around a corner can be enough to cause the holder to swing sideways and either eject the can or, at a minimum, tip it to the point that its contents spill out.

DMoore
'11 C2 GTS
'10 Panamera 4S

Originally Posted by Yet anothercrisis

I read that in the manual I think. What a joke. The cup holders in my 1999 Tahoe are in front of the vents! If the engineers at Porsche are so out of touch with what the consumer wants, it is not much of a company.

Originally Posted by Minok

Whats the complaint here exactly? If the heater is on, it keeps your warm beverage warm, and if the AC is on it keeps your cool beverage cool.

Originally Posted by Edgy01

You're supposed to close the access door when the holder(s) are deployed.

Originally Posted by sjfehr

I like to drink cold soda all year long. It's really annoying when I reach for the cold soda I put in the cupholder 10 minutes prior and discover it's now hot because it's 60F out and the heater's on.

Originally Posted by DMoore

Is there another car on the road with such a complicated and ineffective design?

Originally Posted by Minok

Ah, that is an issue. What about closing the one vent that is behind your particular cup holder then, so no warm air gets send out of that vent. Problem solve?