Check out this month's Motor trend - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

blinkwatt · 03-10-2006, 12:33 AM

Alot dont take the idea of a base 911 versus the best OEM Corvette available. Lets run a 911 Turbo or GT3 against a Z06.

luxury1 · 03-10-2006, 06:52 AM

I obviously love Porsche but I have to say that I like the fact that an American car finally wins something and gets some respect. Plus, this is going to make Porsche work that much harder to make sure that they don't get beat again resulting in better cars for us all!

Brucelee · 03-10-2006, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blinkwatt

Alot dont take the idea of a base 911 versus the best OEM Corvette available. Lets run a 911 Turbo or GT3 against a Z06.

I can buy 2 zo6s for the price of one 911 Turbo. Apples to oranges.

Face it, Porsche has a problem on its hands. Performance per dollar, the zo6 is a ton of car.

Regarding the issue of the C6 interior, it is candidly, much nicer than my 911s (IMHO).

As far as creaks and rattles, I will take you out in my '04 911 and you can enjoy quite a concert.

C'mon, lets give credit where it is due.

Oh, and I will be happy to take on any stock boxster with a stock c6. Sorry, but that would be a serious butt whipping on any but the shorter and twistiest course.

I think we can love our Boxsters without making them what they are not.

Now, if Porsche would simply give us a 300HP Boxster S, I for one would believe they are listening to us.

BuffaloBoxster · 03-10-2006, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brucelee

Face it, Porsche has a problem on its hands. Performance per dollar, the zo6 is a ton of car.

That's true. There are a bunch of cheaper cars that can meet or beat it's performance numbers, and nearly all of it's prestige brand rivals are faster (albeit more expensive).

Boxster has the same problem - the S2000 is a hell of a car, and around $20k cheaper, and performance in the base box no better compared to BMW and Mercedes oferings.

The solution seems simple, no? A 300-hp base Boxster and a 400-hp base 911

Brucelee · 03-10-2006, 07:49 AM

"The solution seems simple, no? A 300-hp base Boxster and a 400-hp base 911"

I agree and I don't see the problem here, other than economics. I really believe that Porsche sits there and tries to figure out exactly how much $ they can extract per HP.

Hence, the myriad of models on the 911, an S, a 4, a 4S, a TURBO, a GT3, etc, etc.

Same goes for the options and models, ie, a coupe, a cab, a targa. Whats next, a coupe/targa combined?

After a while, it wears thin, at least to me.

Let us have a 300HP Boxster S for say $50K and I think the world will continue to beat a path to the Porsche door. Man, I woud really love to drive a 300 HP Box S with a 6 speed manual!

If I was buying a new 911, for my $75K, I would DEMAND a 400 HP base coupe, normally aspiriated.

Where is the issue here?

Ronzi · 03-10-2006, 09:36 AM

In accordance with their slogan "There is no substitute", Porsche has sought to manage their product line to maximize investment return, and minimize internal competition between models. Of secondary importance, apparently, is competition with other brands.
This is much like the IBM marketing philosopy in the '80s, when they would never even mention or admit that there was any other computer manufacturer, and therefore never compared their products with others, at least in front of their customers.
Not a bad strategy if there is in fact "no substitute", but ultimately there were a lot of substitutes for IBM, and there are more and more for Porsche as well.

Brucelee · 03-10-2006, 10:14 AM

I think the term arrogant signified the IBM culture of the 80s. I think the same term could be applied to Porsche managment.

Pride goeth before a fall?

BuffaloBoxster · 03-10-2006, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronzi

Not a bad strategy if there is in fact "no substitute", but ultimately there were a lot of substitutes for IBM, and there are more and more for Porsche as well.

I might point outthat IBM no longer manufactures PCs...

denverpete · 03-10-2006, 11:07 AM

It was truly a fascinating series of articles. 911 versus Z06, 911 versus Cayman, and 911 versus Vanquish. The 911 versus Cayman article was pretty interesting. The cornering ability of the Cayman damn near got it the win on the track. It's really only a few ponies behind spanking the 911 on the twisties.

I also agree on the Z06 - it's a hell of a car! World class performance at a "reasonable" price. One thing to note is that every review I've read (including the Motor Trend comparo) mentions that the Z06 isn't necessarily ideal as a daily driver.

Hoosier · 03-10-2006, 11:35 AM

But both IBM and Porsche made huge turnarounds. In the mid 90's Lou Gertsner the new CEO came in from American Express Travel Corp and turned them around. He took IBM from a company that wasted money on high rent downtown offices housing overpaid salespeople, and sent them home with a laptop and created a low expense environment of customer satisfaction, services and products the customers wanted.

In 1993 Porsche was at one of it's lowest points as well. After suffering through the 924/944/968/914 and the 928, which incidentally was supposed to replace the 911, Wendelin Wiedeking, Porsche CEO looked to the Boxster and 911, those two only to turn them around. The critical point being the 1993 Detroit Auto Show that debuted the all new prototype Boxster. The car was an extreme hit and the rest is history when it hit the US in '97. In Wendelin's own words, "I think the decision process for Porsche in the future is more based on the brand than on the real product. And anybody who knows sports cars knows Porsche. So we will keep the tradition alive."

I now ask: Is this a philosophy that will assure future chapters for Porsche history?...Not by the tone of this thread.