Check out this month's Motor trend

[Perfectlap]

BruceLee you are very right! This Motor Trend article really is the first ripple.
Porsche has big problem, even if no one buys the Z06 the fact that it so convincinlgy trounces the CarreraS (flat out beats it at Laguna Seca ) in every aspect but braking really is NO GOOD for the cred of Porsche's flag ship car.
THe 911 engine's limitation to produce power is going to be too big a disadvantage with the Z06 in position to ONLY GET BETTER.

I can see an attitude developing of "Porsche? yeah good... **if **you get a turbo or GT3..otherwise its just living off past glory"

Motor Trend isn't exaclty a controversial car mag and they use some very spicy language against the 911 "The 911 is dead Long live the Cayman".
I guarantee you the boys in Stuggart are following this and the pandora's box they unleashed very closely.


said it before but Porsche's strategy about holding back the mid engine cars may no longer be entirely under their control. I can already see many running the CaymanS instead of 911 for racing.

btw, I sat in C5, C6 and it was crap interior. THe Z06 (according to the article) has much more expensive interior treatment which the Magazine points to higher base price partly accounting for Chevy putting it in the 911 $$$ territory. Not the bargain basement exotic it was before.

also interesting was that MotorTrend said it was too loud and feisty for daily use while EVO said it was the only one they compared (GT3, Lotus Exige, Noble) that was useful for daily use. I guess they are more hardcore in Europe.

[MNBoxster]

Hi,

It's all Ebb and Flow. A Company riding high never anticipates a time when their fortunes wane, all the while they become the Benchmark which their competitors shoot for.

Add to this that greater Public Ownership causes Management to adopt Short Term Thinking and Goals, loosing some semblence of the Broader Picture.

Porsche's 'Miraculous' rise had much more to do with the Cayenne than it did with either the Boxster or 911. Boxster Sales have never been truly remarkable and the 911's Sales were slipping until just 18 mos. ago.

IBM's problems really began in the early '80's when their Corporate-tainted vision prevented them from ever seeing the PC overshadow the Main Frame and Mini-Frame - IBM's Bread & Butter. I mean the ThinkPad wasn't even introduced until 1992!

By the time they came to their senses, the Competition had already left them in a hole so deep that they never truly recovered. Their PC Manufacturing Business was sold to Lenovo Group Limited, formerly known as Legend Group Ltd., in the PRC, further widening our Trade Deficits.

But, back on point, if Porsche doesn't lose that Inbred Mentality, they could go the way of the Snail Darter in a relatively few years.

As Bruce rightly points out, it's time to Wake Up to what the Competition is offering and what the Consumer Wants. IMHO, the Snooze Alarm has been hit too many times already...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[Brucelee]

Indeed! You have to wonder if these boys from Stuttgart ever drive their competitors cars or read any magazines other than Panorama?

[Jeph]

Am I the only one that thinks, generally, Porsche customers aren't Vette folk? And that the Z06 (leaf springs?) is more of a threat to the Viper?
Apples to apples? What’s your constant? Price? Performance? Prestige?

There is no doubt in my mind that the Chevrolet has the most impressive numbers-to-price ratio out there. And I also doubt Porsche is scrambling and worrying about sales plummeting because of that. What is BMW doing about the threat of the Accord?

I could be missing the boat on this one, but I have to think Porsche is doing what they need to be doing at the moment (regardless of what we forum users/magazines think).

[longislander1]

I tested the C6 before I bought my 987S. I was especially "impressed" with the crooked heads up display in the one I drove. That sent me a clear message about GM "quality." And the only thing you can do with 400hp or 505hp today is brag about it, unless you track the car. Each to his own, but I'll stick with Porsche, thank you.

[Brucelee]

"And the only thing you can do with 400hp or 505hp today is brag about it, unless you track the car. "

Huh? The same thing can be said for 258HP.

And we all love the Box. It is simply that Porsche should hear the footsteps coming.

And don't get us started on Porsche build quality, you see there are these RMS issues ..............................

[Jeph]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

It is simply that Porsche should hear the footsteps coming.

Because of the Z06?!?

[Perfectlap]

when the z06 trounces the 911 so bad it hurts the track cred of the brand as a whole. No debating that. They need to fix it quick.

the footsteps are also the CaymanS, the Hondas, and Audis who smell blood in the water.
How quickly things can change in only one model year.

[longislander1]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

"And the only thing you can do with 400hp or 505hp today is brag about it, unless you track the car. "

Huh? The same thing can be said for 258HP.

And we all love the Box. It is simply that Porsche should hear the footsteps coming.

And don't get us started on Porsche build quality, you see there are these RMS issues ..............................

Maybe I travel in different circles, but I don't see anyone bragging about horsepower in the 200s, nor would I want less than the 276 in the 987S. The horsepower race is getting out of hand and unless you live in Montana or track the car, anything in the 400-500 or more range is simply ridiculous, unless you get off boasting to other people that yours is bigger than theirs.

I think Porsche should be more worried at the bottom end than the top, because the Boxster and Cayenne are the volume cars that pay the bills. There are plenty of other carmakers capable of replicating the performance of both of these models for less money.

As far as RMS goes, I can't comment because I haven't had any such problems with the two that I've owned. I do think that Porsche stinks at addressing those issues and their dealer service is spotty at best. Again, that's going to hurt them more at the bottom end because that's where they get their newer customers -- the ones who may be surprised to learn that -- for the same or more money -- they're not treated as well as they were at Lexus, etc.

[Perfectlap]

I think Bruce's point is that it matters not how much HP a car has as long as its enough for its weight. Take a trip to your local track and you'll se a ton of 150 HP Miatas.
500 HP is just as practical for the track as it is for streets.
You are aware that the VAST majority of Porsche owners never go near a track with their 250-400 HP cars? For street use that's more than enough power.

So a free breathing Boxster/911 is just as impractical as z06.

even if it feels funny cruising on the highway in 2nd gear

Believe me if these cars didn't run a $3 a gallon 93 octane I'd drive one everyday to the 7-11 or Starbucks.