997 life cycle

[targa]

What would be the normal life cycle for 997. I think 996 sterted in 1998 and the last models rolled out in 2004-5 - so a 6-7 year cycle. Would therefore 997 should go on till year 2011-12? But I think all the 997 models are rolled out faster than 996 indicating a shorter cycle of 3-4 years and than making way for 998. Any one with the know how - please comment!

>> Edited by targa on Thursday 9th March 22:41

[flemke]

targa said:

What would be the normal life cycle for 997. I think 996 sterted in 1998 and the last models rolled out in 2004-5 - so a 6-7 year cycle. Would therefore 997 should go on till year 2011-12? But I think all the 997 models are rolled out faster than 996 indicating a shorter cycle of 3-4 years and than making way for 998. Any one with the know how - please comment!

More than anything else it depends on how well a model sells. If it's still selling well, with good profit margins, there's less pressure to replace it. If it's not selling, the replacement cycle depends on how long it will take to develop a successor, the manufacturer's resources, and complementarity of the product mix.
The 993 was in production for <5 years.

[wrn]

The 997 is not the leap from the 996 that the 996 was from the 993 and it is likely to have a shortly PLC - Porsche dealers are the first to agree with this.

The Ferrari F430 will have a relatively short lifecycle - giving way to an all new model in surprisingly short timelines (with a 355 to 360 level step change - rather than 360 to 430). Ferrari dealers acknowledge this.

Manufacturers tend to remain roughly in line with one another and the last couple of years has seen gentle evolution in sports/super-cars, with the next change set to be more dramatic.

[lsp]

flemke said:

targa said: What would be the normal life cycle for 997. I think 996 sterted in 1998 and the last models rolled out in 2004-5 - so a 6-7 year cycle. Would therefore 997 should go on till year 2011-12? But I think all the 997 models are rolled out faster than 996 indicating a shorter cycle of 3-4 years and than making way for 998. Any one with the know how - please comment! More than anything else it depends on how well a model sells. If it's still selling well, with good profit margins, there's less pressure to replace it. If it's not selling, the replacement cycle depends on how long it will take to develop a successor, the manufacturer's resources, and complementarity of the product mix. The 993 was in production for <5 years.

Authoratative and eloquent as ever Flemke, but in this instance incorrect.
Porsche announced soon after the 993 was introduced that a water cooled car would follow within 5 years, a process driven by noise and emmision legislation.

>> Edited by lsp on Friday 10th March 08:01