RE: New '914' Mooted In VW-Porsche Plans

[artov60]

Why would they want to re-create the ugliest car to ever come out of Germany?

Choose another number and start over guys.

[renrut]

Make it on the same basis that Toyota made the original MR2. Lightweight, small revvy transverse mid engine borrowed from a mass produced FWD car. It has a boot and a roof which is cheaper than a soft top and more rigid. Practical enough for a weekend away even if its gonna rain and fun enough to take for a drive for the sake of it.

Using the borrowed engine from a mass market car saves a lot of cost as you're only developing the chassis not the engine. So what do VW have in the bag for that category? That new 1.4 super-turbo sounds like the right candidate although it needs to rev to be fun. Bear in mind the original MR2 only had 125bhp yet could embarass a lot of cars on the road due to very nimble handling and lightweight (~900kg). Its also aiming at being fun to drive not being lightning fast so shouldnt need to be comparable to the Boxster for performance. 0-62 of 8s would be fine as long as it can carry the speed in the corners.

I think something styled similar to an early 911 would be very popular indeed. The only competitor in the market for cheap mid engined is now the Elise since Toyota ended MR2 production in 2007 and MGTF is a design almost as old. So make it marginally more practical (roof and decent boot) than an Elise and price it at £20-25K and I'm sure they'd sell. A lot of people will pay £25K for a Porsche badge on a new car. If its a VW then maybe slightly cheaper at £18-23K.

[kambites]

300bhp/ton said:

kambites said:

Inflationally adjusted, the Mk1 Elise cost somewhere around 30-35k in today's money.

Edited by kambites on Friday 12th September 11:24

Really?

I'm surprised it's such a margin. BTW - what was the RRP no the Elise at launch?

I still think it's possible for Porsche though. The MX5/MGF are not that pricey. If Porsche sold a car of similar ilk but more akin to the Elise in ethos.

i.e. a simple interior, using aluminium sections. Keep the luxury and the electronic gubbins to a minimal.

I think the Elise was around 22k when it first came out. Even assuming 3% inflation (a pretty conservative estimate) you get around 50% over the 13 years since it first went on the market (giving you a cost of 30k). The real inflation figure is probably more like 3.5% (closer to 35k).

Edited by kambites on Friday 12th September 13:50

[300bhp/ton]

kambites said:

300bhp/ton said:

kambites said:

Inflationally adjusted, the Mk1 Elise cost somewhere around 30-35k in today's money.

Edited by kambites on Friday 12th September 11:24

Really?

I'm surprised it's such a margin. BTW - what was the RRP no the Elise at launch?

I still think it's possible for Porsche though. The MX5/MGF are not that pricey. If Porsche sold a car of similar ilk but more akin to the Elise in ethos.

i.e. a simple interior, using aluminium sections. Keep the luxury and the electronic gubbins to a minimal.

I think the Elise was around 22k when it first came out. Even assuming 3% inflation (a pretty conservative estimate) you get around 50% over the 13 years since it first went on the market (giving you a cost of 30k). The real inflation figure is probably more like 3.5% (closer to 35k).

Edited by kambites on Friday 12th September 13:50

But have car prices really risen by that much??

Not saying they haven't - I've never looked, but it seems to be a big increase.

[kambites]

That's a very hard thing to quantify because cars of the same model have got constantly better. The new price of cars does seem to have been dropping in real terms though, I'd agree.

[Strawman]

The cheapest new Elsie seems to be about £25k according to here
http://www.carpricechecker.co.uk/new/LOTUS/ELISE/p...

[V8Craig]

Just a general response to some of the views expressed, but I quite like the idea myself. But regardless of personal preferences, this really could be an issue about simple long term survival. With sales figures in the doldrums and massive pressure to get it's average emissions down (partly due to politicians siezing on the green agenda to create new taxes and especially the average CO2 euro tax that will fine Porsche if it doesn't dip under the threshold - which I beleive it can't do with the current range), Porsche is absolutely spot on to be looking at ways to get around these issues. if we aren't buying the kit at the top of the range, something more affordable will see the company through the hard times and keep it fit enough to continue developing the whole range. In addititon, blending it's range with lower emissions vehicles will help circumvent the taxes mentioned above (at least until the euro weenies move the goalposts again).

And small, lightweight, shared components, simple mechanicals - sounds like where the company came from with the 356 doesn't it? So how exactly does that dilute the brand?

[Insight]

mazda mx5 anyone?

[exocet ape]

MR2, MX5 target area? Remap of the old G40 engine?

[crap4brainz]

As an owner of 2 914's, I would love to see a small light mid engined targa. Subaru makes a great small 4 cyclinder boxer engine, I'd love to get one for one of my 914's. As it was the 914 would outrun the racing version of the dodge neon ACR (non-turbo) and was more fun. The chap I bought my 73 from said it would run with his 944 up to about 80KPH but would then start falling behind. Unless your on a track thats not bad. It also had oodles of torque in low gear. I'd love an updated one with better ventilation and brakes.

[leonski]

Haven't VW already made a 914-esque car!


http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/volkswagen-world/futur...

Edited by leonski on Sunday 14th September 19:46

[HundredthIdiot]

leonski said:

Haven't VW already made a 914-esque car!

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/volkswagen-world/futur...

Presumably the winner of a competition to produce a more complicated roof arrangement than the Elise.

[[AJ]]

turboman808 said:

So a Boxster mated with an old Civic Del Sol?!



I hope they keep the Porsche badge off this one. There's no reason not to have a VW badged Boxster with different lights and a Golf center console, but please don't make it a Porsche!

[BoRED S2upid]

I like the idea of this a VX220 or Elise rival, its been far too long for these two not to have any serious competitors and a VW / Porsche rival would be very popular.