I am curious to know what the target market is for the 2005
If this is the target market, does anyone see any problem with this strategy? I do.
Jan 5, 2005 2:57:42 AM
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nberry said:
Boxster. When the car was initially introduced it was to attract first time buyers (age group?) who did not want to pay the cost of a 911. I assume those buyers have bought.
Jan 5, 2005 7:12:31 AM
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JimFlat6 said:
Boxster: Avg age of 49,male, 100K income
911 : Avg age of 55,male, 200k income
Most first time Porsche buyers buy used.
Most new Porsche buyers buy trucks!
Porsches fourth model will be a sedan.
Big as hell they are after the three car household market.
Sedan, Suv, Sportscar.
Porsche will not let premium segment shoppers walk off the lot without buying something!
Hope this helps.
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ISUK said:
However I am more than delighted to be buying a new 997 Carrera and will enjoy it every bit as much.
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vtrader said:
How times have changed. When I bought my first Porsche at 18, I could have afford a new 911 with no problem. Yearly salary was way more than the cost of the car. An 18 year old today is not so lucky.
Jan 5, 2005 3:56:57 PM
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nberry said:
Boxster. When the car was initially introduced it was to attract first time buyers (age group?) who did not want to pay the cost of a 911. I assume those buyers have bought. Is the market now for repeat buyers, attract new buyers as originally intended or both?
If this is the target market, does anyone see any problem with this strategy? I do.
Jan 5, 2005 4:01:39 PM
Jan 5, 2005 4:03:02 PM
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senra said:
1 - I do agree that Porsche's marketing strategy is not clear regarding the Boxster.
2 - I do feel that the Boxster is a great looking roadster with outstanding performance in its segment, most people recognise the Boxster as the best roadster in the market. I am not comparing the Boxster to the 911 or the F430, last time I checked prices were quite different. I would love to have a F430 as long as I have a 911TT 1st!
3 - I don't think I would agree with your perception about the Boxster and lack of speed. The Boxster is a fast car in its segment, plus there are many more reasons why people buy a Boxster, a 911 or a sport car in general. I bought a Boxster instead of a 911 because I love convertibles and I never liked the 911 cabrio, except the 996TT or 4S, which is a lot more expensive than a 986 S, I always felt the back of the 911 cabrio looks weird, and the Boxster looks great. When I test drove the 986 I loved it, great fun and the faster you go, the more fun it is. Since I cannot afford a Boxster and a 911 I bought the Boxster. However I can tell you of many people who buy a sports car just because of the status factor with no interest in performance . A guy I know very well is in the process of buying his wife a F430 just because she wants to have a Ferrari to go to the gym and drive around town, he has a Continental GT. In London where I live I see many people cruising around Kings Road up and down with expensive Sports cars and probably don't even know where the engine is.
3 - The roadster market is cyclical and the world economy too. We are not in the same market cycle as in the late 90s when equity markets were booming. We are in a period of slow economic growth, relative high unemployment and high energy prices. I am not surprised sales are down both in 911 and Boxster, the growth was above trend and need to go back hopefully to equilibrium levels. Sales increase should be picked up by a new model, like the Boxster Coupe or a sedan if they did one.
Jan 5, 2005 7:58:37 PM
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nberry said:
There is a disconnect between the Boxster and Porsche perception. Thus, when it was first introduced, many people bought with this perception in mind. After a few years of ownership,though a quality car, many come to realize that it does not meet their perception of Porsche.
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In the past few years I understand that Boxster has become more of a female Porsche driver car but coupe will fill the gap for those whom wanted a Boxster but didn't want to associate themselves with chicks car per se and at the same time 911 was too much money for them. judt my 2 cents.
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Correct, I agree.
The B-Coupe will be the perfect car also for guys who want to drive a female car but haven't dared so far.
Ron, get your cheque book!
Jan 6, 2005 11:13:17 AM
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Eurospeed said:
Please...This is too funny. I think some of you guys have image problems. One must show how much of a man they are . I see just as many female drivers in the 996 as the 986. And some may be able to out drive you as well. Stop fooling yourselves. I figured the mentality of Porsche drivers would be higher, but ignorance seems to flow in all segments of life.
Jan 6, 2005 3:51:36 PM
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Martin Tyler said:Quote:
nberry said:
There is a disconnect between the Boxster and Porsche perception. Thus, when it was first introduced, many people bought with this perception in mind. After a few years of ownership,though a quality car, many come to realize that it does not meet their perception of Porsche.
I'm sure I read in another thread that you were going to stop talking like this? or was that just for the 911, moved on to the Boxster now?
You really are living in a dream world if you think Porsche managed to sell all those boxsters in the first few years to people thinking it was faster than it was. 'enthusiasts' know better, as you said, but straight line speed is one of the few things that nearly everyone buying what they think is a fast car knows before they buy it - everyone quotes the 0-60, 0-100 and vmax, so I dont know how you can claim this is the thing people were somehow cheated on.
I would have thought it was all the people buying the other roadsters that quoted equal or better 0-60 figures that were cheated when they found out it didnt drive as well as a Boxster.
The 'female car' comment may have been a bit of a joke, from whoever said it, but i'll respond anyway - I have seen very few women driving Boxsters in the UK.
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DrPhil said:
"It was never meant to be fast"....
OK, you seem to live on a different planet than me
Last time I checked, a 0-100 time of 5,5 secs was fast, and definately fast enough for the Boxster to be called a Porsche.
According to your theory, none of the Cayennes are real Porsches either.
Even the Cayenne Turbo "only" manages 0-100 in 5.6 secs, and 266 kph v-max - and the Cayenne S does 0-100 in 6.8 secs.
Both must be totally underpowered in your world then.
The fact that someone even has to choose between the Cayenne and the Boxster is more a testament to the fact that your wife perhaps had no idea what kind of car she wanted, than it is a proof that "the Cayenne is better than the Porsche" like she said.
If she said the Boxster S had no power and went on to choose the Cayenne S (which is more than one second slower 0-100 than the Boxster) it can be one of two things:
1) The cayenne FEELS faster
2) She really needs to learn how to drive.
Listening to a woman saying the Boxster S is underpowered is...well, it's just damn funny.
Unless your wife is a professional sportscar driver, I would think 260 and 280 bhp (986S and 987S respectively) should be more that sufficient power for her.
Has she tried taking the gears past 4000 rpm? LOL!
Man this is some funny shiit. A girl that thinks the Boxster S is underpowered...hihihi.
But youre right about one thing: The Boxster is not made to be a speedmachine. Its'made to be a fun driving machine. The first Boxster was not slow, but at 200 bhp it was definately not overpowered either.
With 280bhp and 0-100 in 5.5 in the new 987, you'd have to be a decadent and spoiled rich man's brat to claim it is underpowered.
Sure, the 911's are faster, but marginally so, and if you want a REALLY fast car (0-100 in 4.5 and less) you have to pay waaaay more than you do for a Boxster.
Nberry. Just one question:
If 0-100 in 5.5 secs and 270 kmh vmax is SLOW, then what -in your world - is the limit between fast and slow?
In other words: What constitutes a fast car (spec-wise) in your opinion?
0-100 in 4 secs? 3 secs?
Jan 6, 2005 5:25:57 PM
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nberry said:This is by no means a negative post. I happen to believe the Boxster is one great car.
Jan 6, 2005 6:05:39 PM
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DrPhil said:
Nberry:
"She was test driving the 2004 Boxster. Her experience was driving a 996 Cab. (which she traded in) thus she felt the Boxster was underpowered (which it is) and acknowledged by every auto magazine on the planet. "
You previously wrote she tested the 987 Boxster S, and if she came from a 996 Cabrio, she must be some kinda expert to feel the 0.3 sec difference in 0-100 times those two cars have, let alone claim that the Boxster is slower than the 911 Cab when cornering etc.
I suggest you use some other reference than your wife next time you review a car. If she even drove the Boxster 987 S (and didnt mistake it for an MR2 or something) she obviously doenst have a clue.
Or did you simply use her as an excuse to tell Boxster owners, that "the Boxster is so slow, even girls think it's slow"?
The part about every car mag saying the Boxster S is underpowered is nice science fiction. Please back that up with facts if you can.
And last but not least: It'd be nice if you answered THIS question:
If 0-100 in 5.5 secs and 270 kmh vmax is SLOW, then what -in your world - is the limit between fast and slow?
In other words: What constitutes a fast car (spec-wise) in your opinion?
0-100 in 4 secs? 3 secs?