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PS Perfectlap, I tend to agree with you about pricing when one looks at the new 991. Especially when one considers various tests of the new Cayman S which suggest that it is a better all around driver's car than the 991, I wonder if Porsche will not once again find itself in a position where the sales of the Boxster/Cayman exceed that of the 911. Even if history does not repeat itself, at the very least I expect the gap in sales to narrow substantially. The result is that any sales of the Boxster/Cayman that have been bled from the 911 will surely have the effect of cutting into Porsche's all-important profit margins.
In any event, just as in comparisons between the 986 and the original 996, only time will tell whether Porsche has let the gap in appearance, performance, driving pleasure and quality between the two models become too small to justify the substantial difference in cost. If sales figures ultimately reflect that, I have little doubt that Porsche will make adjustments so as to improve the 991, or downgrade the 981 so as to accentuate the differences. Is it any wonder, then, that Porsche is apparently considering replacing the smooth and beautiful-sounding flat 6 in the Boxster/Cayman with a turbocharged 4 cylinder? So yes, Perfectlap, I share some of your cynicism when it comes to Porsche's decisions on product development. On the other hand, I understand the profit motive and I still love the cars. And I wouldn't trade my Boxster for a Corvette, even though it would likely be faster and cheaper to maintain.
Brad
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