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SoCal Alan said:
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nberry said:
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Joost said:
LOL, it says that it is a negative point that you could mistake the 997 turbo for a standard Carrera... how dumb can one be?
1: The only ones making that mistake are people with no knowledge whatsoever of supercars... I don't value their opinions
2: I actually find it a pré that is not so flashy... in the end, YOU as an owner know what you drive and what it is capable off... if you drive a car to impress the neighbors... pitty you, you need counselling.
-Joost-
Joost, here in the US it is a valid criticism. Only knowledgeable car people can distinguish between Porsche's. The other day I witnessed a situation where a 997S was parked next to a 987 and the two owners were talking. A person walked up to them and commented about one as a convertible and the other a coupe. He then asked " what model year are they and which one is faster." I don't believe the 997S owner was very happy. 
BTW the 3.5 sec 0-60 for the 430 probably was a time from a Euro model with launch control. I very much doubt the US models would do that well without LC.
Nick, I wouldn't be surprised if 9 out of 10 people wouldn't be able to tell if the Ferrari passing by them is an F430 or a 360. In my discussion with colleagues, I'm often surprised to find that many of them don't even know what the latest entry model Ferrari is. So who cares whether one can tell the difference between a 997 versus a 996. Do you really care if someone who you don't know can't make that distinction? 
Good points but therein lies the problem. Seeing a Ferrari be it a 348, 335, 360 or 430 is an event. The brand is associated with speed, sexy stying, expensive and exclusive. It speaks a lot about the owner.
On the other hand, Porsche is associated with invert bathtub styling, an godly number of variations of models, speed, little product differention in styling, varying in price range between cheap and expensive and are massively produced. What does owning a Porsche say about an owner.
Using the Starbuck analogy, buying a Porsche is like paying for a latte but getting a one dollar cup of coffee.
