When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I am so with you on this....I was going to buy one but not if it looks so similar to the fouyr door today. Really disappointing. The concept was spectacular and I was willing to pay $200K for that thing. Now with the spy shots, 85K is far too much.
The basic proportions are right there. Gained some ground clearance, (presumably) lost the suicide doors and the front fenders are closer to the other production models. Without camo it's going to be great, if not quite as stunning as the concept. Looks like a pretty nice $85k car to me.
I think we are all hoping that the production car is as close to the concept as possible. One key element is the elimination of the B pillar. Porsche said this online:
"In one area, however, carbon is the optimal choice: in the so-called ‘Weissach Frame’, the passenger compartment formed as a carbon monocoque. Extremely light, and yet so stable that there is no need for the B-pillar."
This is likely critical to the interior layout, structural integrity of the car, weight and cost. I hope they can pull it off.
I had a feeling when the base price was announced to be 85k, it may lose some of the specialness we saw in the concept. Porsche is trying to compete directly with Tesla and I have no doubt that I would rather still own this over a Model S when it is finally revealed. I just think the margin by how much more I would rather own the Porsche over the Tesla has dramatically shrunk.
The basic proportions are right there. Gained some ground clearance, (presumably) lost the suicide doors and the front fenders are closer to the other production models. Without camo it's going to be great, if not quite as stunning as the concept. Looks like a pretty nice $85k car to me.
Agree it looks stunning.
Suicide doors would have been nice, but we all know they add a lot of weight because of the advanced locking mechanism needed to meet NHTSA guidelines. So they probably made the right call here.
I'll be really disappointed if the bean counters win out and make this a small electrically powered Panamera in an attempt to compete with Tesla.
This should be a statement car, something that stirs the blood, not just a rehashed Audi or VW.
That 3/4 rear side view from street level above looks awesome. You really get a look at the shape of the primary elements of the car without the camo ruining it and it looks great. That view of the front fenders shows a great line.
If they put the right wheels on this (hint: 5 spokes Porsche!), it's going to look beastly. Also, I think when they remove that camo from the headlights, the front end is going to look great.
I love how everyone wails and gnashes their teeth about every new disguised prototype photo posted yet when the final model comes out, there's only a few naysayers left. I suspect it'll be pretty much the same here.
And I have to wonder, how many futuristic concept cars have made it to market "as-is"? I don't recall too many. If all the cool concept cars made it to production as they were originally shown, we'd have some pretty cool cars prowling the roads. Yet, most are tamed for production purposes, for a variety of reasons, I suspect. As noted, safety rules, first and foremost. Economy of scale would be another... to share parts between similar models. And finally, not all of the buying public are enthusiasts, so they have to make a more "centralist" car to get more than just the "I'd pay 200K for that!" buyers interested.
Another thing that might be requiring 4 testers... maybe there is a gas powered option here, too. The mid-sized Panny, if you will, to slot in with the 5 Series and E Class. I'm not holding my breath, but it's possible....
Another thing that might be requiring 4 testers... maybe there is a gas powered option here, too. The mid-sized Panny, if you will, to slot in with the 5 Series and E Class. I'm not holding my breath, but it's possible....
Definitely, 100% not. The architecture would not accommodate an internal combustion engine.
I agree with you in everything else you said. Once packaging, safety, manufacturing processes and cost, etc. are considered, most concept cars have to be altered heavily. The concept is only the dream. Production is brutal reality.
Is there camo over the b-pillar in the photos? It seems like the b-pillar is solid. There's no line down the center where the door would open. For a comparison, I've attached a picture of the sport turismo where you clearly see a line in the center.