Porsche - No Longer a Sports Car Maker
Discussion
A view many of us are aware of but an interesting synopsis from WSJ if you haven't seen it.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014241278873238...
The most interesting part of the article was this:
'it also plans to build a more powerful and lightweight version of its Cayman, called the GT3, he said.'
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014241278873238...
The most interesting part of the article was this:
'it also plans to build a more powerful and lightweight version of its Cayman, called the GT3, he said.'
There will be as many opinions on this point as there are posters. Personally I was brought up in the days when sports cars were all open 2 seaters ( a coupe was a grand tourer) and a significant proportion were still cars that you might use during the week and race at the weekend. Porsche are a long way from that now in the eyes of most of its customers. For them the 911 is hardly a track day car. Too big, too fast, too complicated. So is Porsche a sports car maker when in my eyes it doesnt sell ( its racing specials and GT3s apart) real sports cars any longer?
But thats me. A guy 30 years younger might well class the M3 as a sports car rather than a souped up saloon I describe it as. One thing is for sure though - a sports car is about ethos not absolute performance.
In the end you buy a car you like for the purpose you want sio what does it matter what type of car you say it is. Only fools and the insecure buy brands IMO.
P.S. Is Ferrari no longer a sports car maker since its just a branch now of FIAT, a family car maker. And whats the difference between a VW group SUV labelled a Porker and the same car labelled an AUDI OR A vw?
But thats me. A guy 30 years younger might well class the M3 as a sports car rather than a souped up saloon I describe it as. One thing is for sure though - a sports car is about ethos not absolute performance.
In the end you buy a car you like for the purpose you want sio what does it matter what type of car you say it is. Only fools and the insecure buy brands IMO.
P.S. Is Ferrari no longer a sports car maker since its just a branch now of FIAT, a family car maker. And whats the difference between a VW group SUV labelled a Porker and the same car labelled an AUDI OR A vw?
Edited by bordseye on Wednesday 29th May 14:39
I was in tesco the other day, haven't been for years, did you know you can buy telly's, clothes,garden furniture etc as well as other assorted non grocery products? The things modern companies will do to turn a profit. Still, if it means they sell a better class of turnip I'm all for it.
Craigybaby69 said:
I was in tesco the other day, haven't been for years, did you know you can buy telly's, clothes,garden furniture etc as well as other assorted non grocery products? The things modern companies will do to turn a profit. Still, if it means they sell a better class of turnip I'm all for it.
The old maxim 'Jack of all trades master of none' comes to mind. I only posted the article as a succinct summary that showed current sales figures.
I'm just hoping there is truth in the Cayman GT3 concept and that it's not a throw away comment.
If SUVs fund R&D and I get a Cayman GT3. No complaints. Mind you, I'm down for a Macan so I guess I'm part of the 'problem'.
I do find it surprising that a lot of people have no sense of brand heritage.
When you step back and look at VAG, there is a car for every niche and there are micro variants of everything and derivatives of those micro variants ranging from entry level to hyper car.
I'm just hoping there is truth in the Cayman GT3 concept and that it's not a throw away comment.
If SUVs fund R&D and I get a Cayman GT3. No complaints. Mind you, I'm down for a Macan so I guess I'm part of the 'problem'.
I do find it surprising that a lot of people have no sense of brand heritage.
When you step back and look at VAG, there is a car for every niche and there are micro variants of everything and derivatives of those micro variants ranging from entry level to hyper car.
I don't and never have thought of Porsche speifically as a sports car manufacturer.
I see them more as a maker of preision tools. Every Porsche I've ever driven has offered something different.
The 928 was a classic big, comfortable GT. Now I guess the Panamera wears those shoes. The other front engined stuff (924/944/968 etc) offered a mixed bag of cheap(ish!) sports cars, some flawed and some beautifully poised and balanced.
The 911 is an odd one. I've owned a 996 Turbo and it was, in my opinion, a GT/sports hybrid. Great to take down to Antibes, equally good on a hoon. Perhaps a little numb due to the 4WD.
Anyway, that's just my take. Porsche, like a Savile Row tailor or fine kitchen maker deliver astonishingly well made products to suit a relatively wide audience.
I see them more as a maker of preision tools. Every Porsche I've ever driven has offered something different.
The 928 was a classic big, comfortable GT. Now I guess the Panamera wears those shoes. The other front engined stuff (924/944/968 etc) offered a mixed bag of cheap(ish!) sports cars, some flawed and some beautifully poised and balanced.
The 911 is an odd one. I've owned a 996 Turbo and it was, in my opinion, a GT/sports hybrid. Great to take down to Antibes, equally good on a hoon. Perhaps a little numb due to the 4WD.
Anyway, that's just my take. Porsche, like a Savile Row tailor or fine kitchen maker deliver astonishingly well made products to suit a relatively wide audience.
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