RE: Porsche 718 Cayman - official
Discussion
EricE said:
Personally I cant see it happening because it would be a 4-cylinder roadster and cannibalise sales from the 718 which already seems like a somewhat disappointing package compared to the old cars.
It might be a disappointing package for PHers, but we're not really the target audience. Most people who buy a Boxster will be comparing it to things like the TT Roadster, Z4 and SLK; the Boxster may now be closer to them in ethos than it once was, but it's probably still the best car to drive out of the lot and for those who never push it past 3/10ths it'll be every bit as good to drive as the old ones. I'd love to think Lotus will pick up a whole load of Exige and Evora sales due to Porsche going down this path but most potential Boxster/Cayman buyers probably don't even realise Lotus still make cars.
Almost everyone will be thinking this is Porsche becoming boring or play safe in some way, but they will be well aware that this is in fact a massive risk for them. They won't be doing it lightly and will have a clearly thought through rationale. The BoxMan is not a 911. Besides what are people upset about - do they really care that much about the Cayman, or is it just general upset with "the way things are heading"?
kambites said:
I'd love to think Lotus will pick up a whole load of Exige and Evora sales due to Porsche going down this path but most potential Boxster/Cayman buyers probably don't even realise Lotus still make cars.
Neither group are buying a car, they are buying a lifestyle. Two very different lifestyles. People will just keep buying the Porsche and use the conversation queues given to them by the company to explain why they bought the 4 cylinder poverty spec edition. Plus, now it's a 4 pot turbo you'll get all the demand from the ricer end of the market as you'll be able to tune up the second hand ones to be faster than 911's etc. I don't see anyone actually turning down a Porsche on the grounds that the engine is low rent and then opting for a car that has an engine from a Toyota executive minicab?
Very sadly, I can't see this helping Lotus but the way things are slowly moving at Lotus if like to think that they don't need the sloppy seconds of a fashion retailer.
DonkeyApple said:
Very sadly, I can't see this helping Lotus but the way things are slowly moving at Lotus I'd like to think that they don't need the sloppy seconds of a fashion retailer.
It's interesting to see the attitudes to the two companies shifting. Porsche is loosing it's image as a 'specialist' sports car manufacturer, and being treated more openly as a lifestyle brand. I'm not sure if the current stratospheric prices of 90's Porsches reflect that - are people taking the last chance to own a 'proper' Porsche? To me it smells like a bubble.Though it doesn't help Lotus directly, it's noticeable that articles like this are increasingly hunting round for an alternative. It says a lot that the Exige and Evora are being mentioned without qualification. The huge gamble for Porsche is trying to retain their reputation as an unassailable brand.
Excellent stuff, this should slow the depreciation of my 987.2 Cayman S!
I wasn't a fan of the way the 981 Generation looked, particularly from the back but this is just horrible. It looks like a cheap copy of a 981 and in profile worryingly like a VW Beetle.
The interior is the only thing that has improved but lets face it nobody buys a Porsche on the strength of its interior design.
I wasn't a fan of the way the 981 Generation looked, particularly from the back but this is just horrible. It looks like a cheap copy of a 981 and in profile worryingly like a VW Beetle.
The interior is the only thing that has improved but lets face it nobody buys a Porsche on the strength of its interior design.
DonkeyApple said:
I don't see anyone actually turning down a Porsche on the grounds that the engine is low rent and then opting for a car that has an engine from a Toyota executive minicab?
I suppose that depends on whether complaints about the new Porsche engine are explicit dislike of four-pots and/or turbo-charging, or are just generic "this engine isn't good enough" type snobbery. DonkeyApple said:
kambites said:
I'd love to think Lotus will pick up a whole load of Exige and Evora sales due to Porsche going down this path but most potential Boxster/Cayman buyers probably don't even realise Lotus still make cars.
Neither group are buying a car, they are buying a lifestyle. Two very different lifestyles. People will just keep buying the Porsche and use the conversation queues given to them by the company to explain why they bought the 4 cylinder poverty spec edition. Plus, now it's a 4 pot turbo you'll get all the demand from the ricer end of the market as you'll be able to tune up the second hand ones to be faster than 911's etc. I don't see anyone actually turning down a Porsche on the grounds that the engine is low rent and then opting for a car that has an engine from a Toyota executive minicab?
Very sadly, I can't see this helping Lotus but the way things are slowly moving at Lotus if like to think that they don't need the sloppy seconds of a fashion retailer.
I'm not buying a 'lifestyle', I know what a Lotus is, know Porsche's didn't always come with flay sixes, and that you only find a conversation 'queue' in the post office.
SS7
I don't really see the problem with it;
in fact, I think it's a shrewd move from Porsche.
I think the 4 pot engine differentiates it even further from the 911 range
I'll reserve judgement on the drive until I've actually spent some time behind the wheel.
Price wise, they seem to have hit a sweet spot;
I know it's not the same type of car but a bloody golf now costs nearly £34K !
Lets hope the handling lives up to the promise
in fact, I think it's a shrewd move from Porsche.
I think the 4 pot engine differentiates it even further from the 911 range
I'll reserve judgement on the drive until I've actually spent some time behind the wheel.
Price wise, they seem to have hit a sweet spot;
I know it's not the same type of car but a bloody golf now costs nearly £34K !
Lets hope the handling lives up to the promise
dlockhart said:
red997 said:
Lets hope the handling lives up to the promise
The 981 Cayman was probably the best handling car Porsche has ever made. If they have sharpened up the suspension this should be electric to drive.The latest EVO mag described it (Cayman GT4) as one of the best handling cars available today.
However I would be happier with the normally aspirated six cylinder engine than the turbo 4, but that would just be my personal preference.
Don't see that many Caymans (old or new) on the roads, compared to Boxsters and even more so Audi TT`s, so they do seem to be a bit rarer out of the three.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff