Porsche going Al Gore

[Perfectlap]

Saw this in the International Auto Show pics from Christophorus, Hybrid engines on the way, They're serious about this. I wonder if the ALMS RS Spyder will be affected.

http://money.cnn.com/2007/08/09/autos/porsche_green_performance/index.htm?postversion=2007082311

[tboyer]

Hmmm mid-mounted electric M96(e) 0-60 in 3 seconds, can't wait to plug her in at night

[rick3000]

It is an interesting article but I don't see sports cars going anywhere, anytime soon. People will always want fast, light sports cars that have a manual, and the true sound of an engine. Even if manuals disappear (as they are right now), people will always want the sound, and a hybrid or other engine just won't cut it.

[djomlas]

"Porsche, on the other hand, has no economy cars in its fleet to compensate. Nor will it, because cars like that just aren't what Porsche is about and never will be, said Schwarzenbauer."

THANK YOU

[986speedster]

Well the TESLA sports car can do it. 100% electric, 0-60 in under 4 secs. 135 mpg equivalent-220 miles per charge+2 cents per mile.

[xxxalexxxx]

well i don't know about Porsche never going green, they probably wont in the next few yrs but in the next 50 yrs they probably will. electric cars are becoming more popular (not so much in the US yet) but I went to Ireland/England last yr and every other car is a hybrid.
electric cars can be good sports cars, my brother bought a Tesla when it came out, well it just got dilivered to him recently and its an amazing car, its FAST, handles great and its pretty comfy :-) the only downside i see with it is its about 100k ( but i guess most sports cars are expensive) and you have to plug it in to charge it. I think it takes an hr to charge the battery to be able to drive about 100miles.
point is electric cars can be great sports cars its just that most of us are very closed minded..maybe because when we think hybrid we dont think Tesla Motors, we think about the pirus or something else slow and ugly.

[rick3000]

^ They can be great except for the classic engine sound, and manual transmission.

I would like to see what happens, perhaps Ferrari, Porsche, Lotus, and other hi-end sports car companies will lobby for exemption, from the green laws because they make up such a small percentage of the auto industry.

[racer_d]

Originally Posted by rick3000

^ They can be great except for the classic engine sound, and manual transmission.

I would like to see what happens, perhaps Ferrari, Porsche, Lotus, and other hi-end sports car companies will lobby for exemption, from the green laws because they make up such a small percentage of the auto industry.

1) Ferrari is owned by Fiat.
2) Lotus is owned, iirc, by Proton, an Indonesian conglomerate
3) Porsche has a controlling interest of VW which DOES make Porsche a major automanufacturer

So none of these companies is, exactly, a "cottage" industry.

It will be interesting to see how/when/if Porsche lobbies the EU for any concessions. Right now, concessions are looking slim.

Porsche says they won't build diesels (which would be perfect for the Cayenne and Panamera) which then leaves them with "hybrids" to clean up their act, so to speak.

In europe, the big deal is your "carbon footprint" (as opposed to Fuel consumption).. that is a big problem for 400-500hp 6/8/10 cylinder motors to reduce.

Sure it will be tough times. Those who remember the 1970s recall how you went from 400hp Muscle cars one year to 150hp "muscle cars" the next. Their will always be changes.

* Full electric isn't the answer either.. how will you generate the electicity? nuclear, coal, natural gas? wind? solar? somewhere, somehow, you have to build that infrastructure to support "pluggin in" 20 million cars.

[geoff]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

Porsche going Al Gore

When I saw your title, my first thought was some Porsche analog to Al Gore inventing the Internet.

Actually, the original Dr P's first car design in in 1898, was the "System Lohner-Porsche", a carriage-like car driven by two electric motors, directly fitted to the front wheels, and powered by batteries. The problem was the weight of the batteries hindered performance. Porsche rethought the design and in 1901 introduced the 'Mixte' vehicle/transmission concept: instead of a massive battery-pack, an internal combustion engine was fitted to a generator to drive the electric hub motors and (for vehicle reliability) a small battery pack. This way Porsche had created the first petroleum electric hybrid vehicle on record. Not quite the same way Al Gore invented the Internet, but Porsche really did invent the hybrid car.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Porsche#Early_years for more details

[JAAY]

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/08/the_hybrid_mini.php

If this were a option for the boxster I would do it in a heartbeat.. Sub 4 second 0-60's, AWD, Still mid engine weighted. 640awhp. Now that would be a fun car to me.

[squeak]

Originally Posted by xxxalexxxx

I went to Ireland/England last yr and every other car is a hybrid

Where did you go in Ireland/England?? I'm from the UK originally, (Scotland) go back there at least twice a year...can't say I have seen THAT many hybrid's on the road...I've seen more over here in the states to be honest. The biggest difference in the UK when it comes to cars, is "normal joe's" look for an economical car, due to the high prices for petrol/gas.

Gord.

[Brucelee]

Originally Posted by 986speedster

Well the TESLA sports car can do it. 100% electric, 0-60 in under 4 secs. 135 mpg equivalent-220 miles per charge+2 cents per mile.

On paper. Notice we haven't actually seen any Tesla do anything.

[Brucelee]

It is a shame that AL Gore and Porsche are mentioned in the same ANYTHING>

[xxxalexxxx]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

On paper. Notice we haven't actually seen any Tesla do anything.

You should look into getting into a Tesla and taking it for a spin ( i know they dont have a lot of them out yet) but I saw about 4 in chicago/miami so far. When i was in the car we went from 0 to 60 in about 4 seconds i cant be exact though i was just looking at my stop watch lol....like i said he charges his car about an hr to go a little less then 100miles, the only drawback is the cars top speed is i think 125miles an hr but its a first gen what do we expect. I think people dont think much of the car because they haven't been in it, essentially they dont know anything about it. Also drawbacks are sound and no manual or anything but its still a fun unique "sports" car. True, I wouldn't trade any of the sports cars I had for it but i would if the gas prices were 10 dollars a gallon

Originally Posted by squeak

Where did you go in Ireland/England?? I'm from the UK originally, (Scotland) go back there at least twice a year...can't say I have seen THAT many hybrid's on the road...I've seen more over here in the states to be honest. The biggest difference in the UK when it comes to cars, is "normal joe's" look for an economical car, due to the high prices for petrol/gas.

Gord.

Dublin and on the outskirts is where I saw the most hybrids Ive ever seen in my life, and practically no SUV's. Maybe one? And im sure the increase in hybrids there is because of gas prices but if the prices of gas were 10 bux a gallon like i said before i probably wouldnt be driving my boxster and my audi s4 a lot, instead i would get a hybrid as a DD. And tesla is the only hybrid right now that looks like if it came to that point i could get it and not be disgusted looking at it lol

[Brucelee]

Just to be clear. I have no issue with hybrids nor electric cars.

I don't care for the Prius as I have driven one and found it not to my liking and because many of the owners are so pious.

How do I know? The bumper stickers they choose to put on the car.

Talk about a righteous group.

Anyway, I would love to see the experimental MINI hybrd come out. Four electric motors, one small gas engine. Fast, cheap to run etc.

Lastly, when I was in Paris recently, I did not see many hybrds, Tons of SMART cars, scooters, cycles and tiny tiny French cars.

Almost no SUVs to speak of.

Tons of diesels, which make the air not good, stings your eyes.

So much for the Green Party in Europe.