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Originally Posted by Ronzi
My comments won't have anything to do with the statistical comparison between the Porsche and the 'Vette. Others have done a good job of that.
Rather, I would urge you to take into consideration what a Porsche IS.
The history of the Boxster can be traced in a straight line to a lumber shed in Austria in 1947, to a company founded by Ferry Porsche, son of arguably the greatest automotive designer that ever lived, Ferdinand Porsche.
When you buy a Porsche, part of what you are buying is that lineage, that history, that place in development of the automobile.
If you research the history of the development of Porsche cars, you cannot help but be struck by one fact. The Porsche sports cars of today look remarkably like the original design laid down by Ferdinand Porsche in the 1930's.
The man was a genius. The first four-wheel drive car. The first mid-engine Grand Prix car. The first HYBRID car for pete's sake.
How many independent low-volume automobile manufacturers are there left in the world? No more than a handful, surely. Yet Porsche manages to maintain their position as manufacturer of the pre-eminent cars in their market segment. The one their competitor's use as the benchmark, the standard for all the others.
Porsche. There is no substitute.
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Hi,
Unquestionably, Porsche has had a great lineage. But, much of it came from when the Company was Family Owned and Run, when Profit was
Secondary to Quality and Performance. Much has changed since that time.
I totally disagree that one is buying this Provenance when buying a Modern Porsche. To follow this Logic would dictate that we all drive either Mercedes or Fords as their's is the greatest Provenance of all.
But, as I stated, Porsche does have a great Provenance, but maybe not as great as you seem to think, you have a few
Facts mixed up... The Czech Company
Tatra manufactured the 1st 4-wheel Drive Truck in
1898 -
Porsche's 4X4 Truck was built by
Jacob Lohner, AG in
1900 and is a
contested 4-wheel drive design - no patent was ever awarded. The 1st 4-wheel drive
car was the Dutch 1902
Spyker 60 HP. The first 4-wheel drive Race Cars were the
Bugatti Type 53 (1932) and the
Miller Indy Racers (1932), the 1st Gran Prix Mid-Engine Car was the
Auto Union V16 Type C and the V12 Type D (1937) driven at the Nurburgring by Tazio Nuvolari, the 1st Mid-engine Formula 1 Car was the
Lotus Type 25 (1962).
But, back on point, when you buy a Car, any Car,
you are buying the Car you're in, not the Ones that were, or Those to come.
It's been my fortune to own some of the most distinguished Sports Cars in History including a Jaguar E-Type, Alpha Duetto Spyder, TVR Griffin, Austin Healey 100/M, Lotus Elan, Lotus Europa, Lotus Esprit, Porsche 912, Datsun 240Z. These are recognized by most as some of the best Cars to come along, but because of the
Drive they offered, not because of the
Badge they sported.
I love my Boxster, but not because it's a Porsche. I love it for it's Looks, Feel and Performance - I don't Buy Labels. Take this Car and slap a Mazda, Ford or even Yugo Badge on the Hood and it's still a great Car. To me at least, slapping a Porsche Badge on it does not make it a
Better Car. One should never buy a Car because of it's Label...
Happy Motoring!... Jim'99