Upgrade... or is it?

[10/10ths]

So this evolution into appliances is not a Porsche only issue. ALL of the cars have evolved into boring, but extremely competent vehicles.

It’s like the difference between shooting with an old Nikon F or using your iPhone as your camera.

Sure, the iPhone is easier and gives nice photos super fast, but the ART and FUN and SKILL is lost.

PDK and seventeen drive modes just dumbs down the car for the greater masses.

Will a new 718 absolutely spank my 2004 Boxster S “50 Years of the 550 Spyder” Edition six-Speed manual 986? Of course it will.

Do I care? Would I have more fun in the new car?

I’ve driven a 718.

No thanks.

I will keep my old analog car because I’m actually DRIVING her. And driving is a lot more fun than being a passenger.

The same is true for Ferrari, BMW et al.

I have no desire to drive any automatic Ferrari.

Anything designed after about 1995 has lost something. Government regulations have destroyed the fun.

It’s like the Rush song “Red Barchetta” has come true.

Look at London, it will cost you $4,000 a year to drive a 986 in Downton London every year starting next April because they are not Euro 4 compliant.

I’m so glad I’m old and live in the country.

[MWS]

Originally Posted by 10/10ths

So this evolution into appliances is not a Porsche only issue. ALL of the cars have evolved into boring, but extremely competent vehicles.

It’s like the difference between shooting with an old Nikon F or using your iPhone as your camera.

Sure, the iPhone is easier and gives nice photos super fast, but the ART and FUN and SKILL is lost.

PDK and seventeen drive modes just dumbs down the car for the greater masses.

Will a new 718 absolutely spank my 2004 Boxster S “50 Years of the 550 Spyder” Edition six-Speed manual 986? Of course it will.

Do I care? Would I have more fun in the new car?

I’ve driven a 718.

No thanks.

I will keep my old analog car because I’m actually DRIVING her. And driving is a lot more fun than being a passenger.

The same is true for Ferrari, BMW et al.

I have no desire to drive any automatic Ferrari.

Anything designed after about 1995 has lost something. Government regulations have destroyed the fun.

It’s like the Rush song “Red Barchetta” has come true.

Look at London, it will cost you $4,000 a year to drive a 986 in Downton London every year starting next April because they are not Euro 4 compliant.

I’m so glad I’m old and live in the country.

YES!!! Nice rant, completely sums up my view of what has happend to cars...akin to toasting a marshmallow over a campfire vs buying a machine to toast one while you set on your couch watching a nature show....but I guess that's where we're heading. Sigh...

[rexcramer]

+1 and eight more characters to make the machine happy.

Originally Posted by 10/10ths

I’m so glad I’m old and live in the (almost) country.

[10/10ths]

.....The Elise was high on my list.

But.

I've been driving a Miata for the past 25 years and the Elise was even more hard core than that fine machine.

I LOVE them, but I needed a sports car that was just slightly more of a GT car for cross-country vacation driving and the Elise would not work for THAT application.

The Boxster is THE perfect compromise sports car for me that is a "pure" mid-engined two seat convertible, yet is JUST big and cushy enough for my spouse and I to drive from coast-to-coast in.

S2000's are nice, too.