Carlos from Spain:
racerx:

Hopefully Piech will steer porsche away from 911 domination and branch out into a bmw/merc/audi diversified product line.

cough! steer away form the 911 Smiley Porsche IS the 911 and viceversa, racerx. Lots of models came and went, like the 928, but the 911 is the only constant in Porsche and what best describes Porsche, its only unique Porsche model (no other brand has such a platform or is able to make it), the model that got Porsche through the tough times, the model that got Porsche its fame and racing pedigree, the model that still today gets more attention and prestige and brand image to Porsche, the model that has more fans and lovers that span generations, etc, etc, etc. If Porsche has one thing that they are not going to give away its the 911.

 

Maybe to you.

That has been porsches problem for the last 14 years. Thats why Aston, ferrari and lambo have surpassed them in performance, looks, sound, tech, and desirability. With audi, maserati, bww, and merc being equal.

17 years, most of it as the number 1 production car available is what you call "came and went".  

 

This 911 stuff is nomenclature. The ferrari 8 cylinder "platform" could have been called the same name all these years because it has done the same even less change than the 911. Mid engine 8 cylinder coupe with engine upgrades. Didn't change from air cooling to water cooling. Remember Carlos, air cooling, the raison d'etre for 911's.

Boxster and cayenne + hedging got porsche thru the tough times. 911's didn't sell in the early 90's either.

Porsches average person fame came from the 928 and movies. Porsche's racing pedigree came from the 917, 956, and 962 at Lemans and endurance circuits. And from the TAG turbo domination in the mid 1980's. No one watches GT class races. No one cares about 911's running around sebring or whereever.

 

Look at sales totals for 911's. Porsche could not survive on those few sales. The cayenne and boxster kept Porsche afloat.

 

 

NOPE, hopefully Piech broadens the range and throws some effort into luxury and better design. Porsche racing died about the same time as Al Holbert. Porsche should become VW's answer to Merc's AMG line-up.