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MikeN said:
According to Porsche's president the Boxster Coupe will *not* undercut the present Boxster roadster, but could very well be a higher priced / higher performance stepping stone to the 911. I don't think it will hurt the roadster at all.
There still remains the question of the day: WHO will buy the Boxster Coupe, especially if it's gonna be more expensive than the Boxster Roadster?
Of course there are Boxster addicts who don't need (or want?) the four seats of the 911 and who don't need (or want) the retractable soft top. But I'm afraid that all hopes of a much better performance of the Boxster Coupe vs. the Boxster Roadster are pure illusion. Even if the Boxster Coupe gets a 300 HP engine or even slightly more, it still won't be a direct competitor to the 911. And for almost the same price, some people will ask themselves: "do I get a 911 instead with less options?"
It is no secret that the Boxster doesn't have a very good reputation among Porsche "tradionalists" or "hardcore fans".
They view it as a women's Porsche, an entry level Porsche.
Personally, and I consider myself to be a hardcore fan, I like the Boxster a lot, especially the new one. I wouldn't buy one beause I'm still a rear engine design addict and I love the 911 but there is no reason to bash the Boxster. Of course the Boxster is an entry level Porsche and Porsche would probably love to see every Boxster owner to upgrade to the more expensive 911 sooner or later. Sometimes this happens and sometimes not.
But the Boxster is an excellent sports car and in the right hands, it can be as fast as some of the 911 models out there. And to the surprise of you all: the 987 and 997 Carrera share around 50% of parts, depending on options.
In today's production strategy, this isn't much. Just take Audi, VW and Skoda or even other car manufacturers. You would be surprised to see how many parts some cars have in common under their body.
I think the Boxster Coupe might sell in the beginning because a lot of people will see it as a 911 with two seats.
But I'm not sure this marketing strategy will work out, it remains to be seen. I'm curious, honestly.