[southernstar]

Interesting analysis and you may be right. On the other hand, I still believe that many purchasers of the 986 Boxster did so not just because it was a Porsche and a roadster (there were also Miatas and BMW's and by 2000, Honda roadsters), but because it was a mid-engined Porsche roadster with styling cues that referred back to the great mid-engined racing Porsches of the 50's; and. because it was very close in appearance and performance to the pre-2002 996. If it was merely a matter of merging the desire for a Porsche and a roadster, then one would have expected the 944 S2 roadster to have sold in much larger numbers than it did. Yes, I know that the 944 was originally released as a hardtop, but does anyone really believe that most customers care whether a particular roadster was designed that way from the outset?

I tend to agree that some of the people who purchase roadsters are not really 'roadster' people. More commonly, however, we see people who have a change in circumstance over time that makes them no longer interested in/capable of owning a roadster (children, relocation to a cold climate, spouses who do not enjoy top-down motoring, etc.). It is not that they weren't 'roadster' people, but rather that a change in circumstance rendered them unable to continue owning one. I was one such person.

In my late teens through early thirties I owned a seiries of sports cars including, in no particular order, a Fiat 850 Spyder, two Fiat X-19's, a Porsche 356B, a Porsche 944 and two Datsun Z's - a 240 and a 260. I loved owning and driving sports cars and having owned both roadsters and hardtops, I can say that I preferred open-air motoring. Please understand that at no time did I lose the desire to own such a car (in fact, I seriously lusted after the 986 upon its introduction); however, circumstances meant that until my children were grown, I was unable to justify the expense of owning one.

Now that my children are grown (essentially - a couple still return home to live from time to time - lol) I was able to justify buying a Boxster as my own toy. I know of many similar stories - of people in their 40's, 50's and 60's who are finally able to either satisfy an urge that they were unable to fulfill when younger, or to buy their first roadster/2 seat hardtop sportscar in many years. So yes, I believe that many who do not/cannot replace a roadster/2 seat sports car with another, will eventually do so down the road. I also believe that the number of people who actually want to buy such a car remains relatively constant.

If I am right and the improvements to the 981 Boxster and Cayman siphon off some sales from the 991, then we should see that reflected in sales over the next couple of years. If you are right, then the relative proportion of sales as between the new Boxster/Cayman and the new 911 should remain roughly constant. Regardless of who turns out to be right, a fun discussion! Thanks.


Brad