Crown

ISUK:

As most of the specific car upgrades have been covered...

General Marketing

Add a section on the configurator for the Porsche Exclusive options with pricing. Reducing the complexity of the current ordering system (and lack of dealer sales staff knowledge) will boost your profit immensely as most people would choose at least some of these options to make their cars more individual.

Improve the choice of standard colours available on each model and stop charging silly money for "special order" colours which were once part of the standard range. Bring back more of the standard non metallic colours from the early seventies - signal orange, slate grey, chartreuse green, albert blue etc.

Make it easier to order contrast stitching for the entire car in a range of colours like Ferrari do instead of the stupid and complicated way you have to do it now by adding thicker steering wheel, aluminium handbrake etc.

Improve the bicolour options to allow the customer to choose which colours they want to combine instead of the current mandated options which are poor IMHO.

 

 

 

 Some great points....

Most of the Sales staff i have ever talked to have actively tried to talk me out of contrast stitching as unless you get all the order codes correct you will miss something. Also unless i am mistaken some items just cannot have contrasting stitching ?

intouch1:

a pure minimalistic 911. engine chassis and basic comfort options. no wings etc.

+1

1)  NO PASM or a way to dial in the stiffness without the system doing ANY guessing or adjustments once rolling.

2) More fuel capacity - 100 liters min. -

3) Less weight

4) Bring the old floor hinged  pedals back

5) Linear power assist steering / none if the weight could be controlled.

6) AIR COOLING!

7) A better DEALER IN Kansas City!  Are you listening Porsche?

8) Spare tire~~~ see 2) - has Porsche lost track of the long distance capabilities of these cars?

9) Options to delete items and actually lowering the price (AC, rear seats, sunroof, sound deading, radio, trim items etc.) creating unique low weight versions.

2800 lbs, 300 HP - 31 mpg on the HWY. 0-60 4 sec.  Should be easy to do.

cdixon:

 Some great points....

Most of the Sales staff i have ever talked to have actively tried to talk me out of contrast stitching as unless you get all the order codes correct you will miss something. Also unless i am mistaken some items just cannot have contrasting stitching ?

All parts of the interior can have contrast stitching but it's a royal PIA to organise it. You need to order the aluminium handbrake and thicker steering wheel to get the matching contrast stitch on those areas. There is also a special code for the small piece in front of the gear lever that butts onto the centre console. It's these three areas that usually get missed.

Whilst on the subject of the interior I'd ask Porsche to reintroduce the old 70's style cloth centre sections in the seats. Leather is old hat now and no longer denotes a luxury car. Go back to part cloth to bring back the sports car feel. These reproduction pre-'73 model seats will do nicely thanks

Over two years ago, as part of a small group to provide feedback on the MB SLS, they had as an option the cloth middle portion of the seat. I believe all eight of us felt it dressed down the interior and recommended against it.

Regarding the exhaust sound, I was thinking what would the attraction of the 918 be if it sounded like a base 911? I doubt many would be interested in the car.

Also, many want a minimalist approach to the 911 which in today's market isn't realistic. If you were selling less than 3000 cars then there would be a market. But selling over 50,000 requires a more expansive view of the car.

Option packages. There is a lot of gouging with Porsche. They should group more popular options into packs and price accordingly. All cars with PCM should come with bluetooth and iPod interfaces. Stop the nickel and diming.

nberry:

Over two years ago, as part of a small group to provide feedback on the MB SLS, they had as an option the cloth middle portion of the seat. I believe all eight of us felt it dressed down the interior and recommended against it.

FAO Porsche Marketing  ...... Please, please don't invite Nick and his 7 accomplices to your pre-launch product test clinics

Atzporsche:

GT3 motor in Boxster to make a mini CGT 

 +1

997.2 Carrera S in Carrara White. PASM-Sport Suspension (-20 mm), PSE.

987.1 Boxster S in Arctic Silver. OZ Racing Ultraleggera HLT Wheels, H&R Monotube Coil-Over Suspension, H&R Anti-Roll Bars, Sachs Racing Clutch, Single-Mass Flywheel, Recaro Pole Position Seats, PSE.

I'd ask them to tone down on the marketing BS, with all the "special editions", "edtidion porsche design edition", "black edition", "not so special, but if you're silly enough to believe it, we'll slap on a badge and sell out our racing pedigree edition" , etc.

IMHO, Porsche is in the unique nich of useable (super)sportcars. Every little boy in the world dreams of either a Ferrari, a Porsche or a Lamborghini. Let's make sure that that stays the same, without diluting the brand name and image values.

Joost:

I'd ask them to tone down on the marketing BS, with all the "special editions", "edtidion porsche design edition", "black edition", "not so special, but if you're silly enough to believe it, we'll slap on a badge and sell out our racing pedigree edition" , etc.

A big + 1..

""IMHO, Porsche is in the unique nich of useable (super)sportcars. Every little boy in the world dreams of either a Ferrari, a Porsche or a Lamborghini. Let's make sure that that stays the same, without diluting the brand name and image values"".

I think the above is becoming too late, Joost, unfortunately....

--
 

throt

"I didn't do it"

ISUK:

nberry:

Over two years ago, as part of a small group to provide feedback on the MB SLS, they had as an option the cloth middle portion of the seat. I believe all eight of us felt it dressed down the interior and recommended against it.

 

FAO Porsche Marketing  ...... Please, please don't invite Nick and his 7 accomplices to your pre-launch product test clinics

 Iain, I am not sure they took our advice.

nberry:

ISUK:

nberry:

Over two years ago, as part of a small group to provide feedback on the MB SLS, they had as an option the cloth middle portion of the seat. I believe all eight of us felt it dressed down the interior and recommended against it.

 

FAO Porsche Marketing  ...... Please, please don't invite Nick and his 7 accomplices to your pre-launch product test clinics

 Iain, I am not sure they took our advice.

Nick, give yourself SOME credit, there is no cloth option in the SLS 

One more question, did you veto the helper strap for closing the door from the inside? 

Lars997:

I would ask to concentrate on luxury sport cars instead of being provider of budget sport cars as well as family sedans and SUVs!

I too would like to see Porsche do without the entry level and budget models. I don't like that Porsche is becoming a car priced for everyone, and I especially don't like the idea of "baby" models. 

As much as I love Porsche's, when it comes time to buy my next Porsche, I may hold out another year and save up for a Lambo....but will probably still end up in a GT3 or GT3RS 

 lower the prices , it is still a porsche !

Leawood911:

1)  NO PASM or a way to dial in the stiffness without the system doing ANY guessing or adjustments once rolling.

2) More fuel capacity - 100 liters min. -

3) Less weight

4) Bring the old floor hinged  pedals back

5) Linear power assist steering / none if the weight could be controlled.

6) AIR COOLING!

7) A better DEALER IN Kansas City!  Are you listening Porsche?

8) Spare tire~~~ see 2) - has Porsche lost track of the long distance capabilities of these cars?

9) Options to delete items and actually lowering the price (AC, rear seats, sunroof, sound deading, radio, trim items etc.) creating unique low weight versions.

Weight reduction comes at huge cost, Porsche needs to stay competitive and their products are already lighter than most of the competitor products(look at BMW M or Mercedes AMG for example).

1. PASM: Has huge advantages, the normal setting works great...on the track. Improvements are made all the time.

2. You ask for less weight but more fuel capacity? Doesn't make sense. 90 l fuel tank is available for certain models.

3. Hinged pedals don't have any advantage(on the contrary), maybe a "nostalgic" one. 

4. Air cooling? Why the heck would you ask for that? Liquid cooled engines have much more potential and of course there would be environmental issues too. Nostalgia again? Well... 

5. Spare tire? Not really necessary but I agree, in the US this could be a well needed feature because of the long distances. I wonder however how you would fit a GT2 RS wheel in the car? 

6. Deleting standard options is a good idea but free of cost? I doubt it. The problem is logistics and planning. It is cheaper to produce a car which already has certain features installed if the majority of buyers actually want these features.

Regarding weight: You should get yourself a Boxster Spyder, could be the perfect car for you.   

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 997 Turbo, BMW X5 M, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S JCW

 Bring back Polar Silver as a standard metallic colour.

 If I had to choose the "one" thing it would be:

Never forget your roots. The spirit of the people giving the company its name.

This is not saying being nostalgic or backward oriented - Very much to the opposite -. The founders had a set of simple and clear values that could not be more up to date. I do understand that commercial rational is needed for survival. However I think the soul of Porsche is its foundation and its people.

my more details list

Motorsport:
(1) Race LeMans LP1 again
(2) prove your 4WD competency in rally racing (preferable long distance)

Production cars:
(1) make the Turbo the game changing technology challenger again (GT2 RS was close to that)
(2) provide a 550 successor (small, agile, no electronics, no comfort accessories, no roof top, manual only, pure drivers car)
(3) provide a bare bone natural aspirated version of the 911 (GT3 minus wings and spoilers, minus AC, minus radio, .... drive train, chassis, body work and ONE seat only)
(4) provide the "free of charge" deletion option of standard equipment (Porsche Consulting is regards one of the best addresses when it come to supply chain management and production process engineering. I sure they find a way)

Customer relations:
(1) be consistent in your customer treatment across borders and dealerships
(2) offer the same Motorsport School offers for all core markets (why a driving centre at Silverstone and none at the Nordschleife?)
(3) communicate with us (not just you tube marketing, nice brochures and fancy fair stands ... wouldn't it be great if Zuffenhausen would show up (officially) in forms like this one in a while?)

Now I stop rambling. 

 I noticed that several posters have expressed a desire to eliminate the wings and spoilers. I thought these were necessary items for maximum performance and safety. Am I mistaken? 

--

nberry:

 I noticed that several posters have expressed a desire to eliminate the wings and spoilers. I thought these were necessary items for maximum performance and safety. Am I mistaken? 

--

 

You are not mistaken.

Maybe some drivers don't anticipate ever using anything like maximum performance. 

fritz

If the Panamera can stay planted on the road with a movable aero device, why not the 911 Turbo

The one thing I like about the Carrera as opposed to the Turbo is its minimalist unadorned shape.

--

"Form follows function"

fritz:

nberry:

 I noticed that several posters have expressed a desire to eliminate the wings and spoilers. I thought these were necessary items for maximum performance and safety. Am I mistaken? 

--

 

You are not mistaken.

Maybe some drivers don't anticipate ever using anything like maximum performance. 

This is why I mentioned active aerodynamics.  

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 997 Turbo, BMW X5 M, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S JCW

 I would like to have more  individualized program settings for the throttle ,PASM , PDK  and have it on the steering wheel !

So I could set exactly what I want /need at the tip of my fingers while driving. ( Kind of similar of some of the functions on an F1 steering wheel ) 

 997.2 C2S, PDK, -20mm

Get back into the top levels of Le Mans type racing. That means LMP1 and GT2 ( bring back the turbo 911 race car!).

Make it easier and cheaper to paint in back catalogue colours. Also open the colour palette up a bit, 1990's jelly bean colours, 1970's orange's, browns & blues and some of the most beautiful colours of all the 1950's historical colours (both metallic & not).

Get a little more adventurous with interior leather colours. Not over the top so much, but sand, grey and black get boring. Cocoa was a good 1st step, but keep going. A true Saddle colour as well as Ruf/Alpina green and the return of Lipstick would be great!

Build 500 Boxter Spider-esque Caymans with a GT3 engine & suspension. Do all the goodies inclusing GT2 RS style carbon hood and M3/6 style carbon roof. The great press and aclaim you get will more than make up for the probably 350 less 911's you sell because of doing it.

Start selling 911's in North America without sunroofs. Who actually uses those little postage stamp sized things. They're heavy and useless.

Make the online configuator work right and have the functionality of the German one regardless of country or language. Better yet, scrap the whole thing and build one that is as good as Ferrari.

Make a Panamera Couple (928)

Mithras:

Get back into the top levels of Le Mans type racing. That means LMP1 and GT2 ( bring back the turbo 911 race car!).

 

Current rules do not favor Turbo's.

I bet they will soon enough with recent developments on the industry regarding reducing emissions...

indeed shifting is ancient technology - so is a fuel burning engine..  I happen to like both :) 

I would like the modern 911 instrument cluster configured similarly to the aircooled 911, a much larger 5 gauge cluster.  For me the traditional cluster is the sine qua non of the 911 interior, something that  immediately informs me this is a 911.  I also would like to see the cars become smaller not larger, but that is not likely to happen. I never use the NAV or even the radio.  I would favor an available minimalist option for the audio/communications. I would have ordered the Sport PASM for my cab, so I agree w/ that sentiment.  I do appreciate the ability to customize one's Porsche and although the pricing can be exorbitant I accept that as the price of individuality.

"Don't worry about avoiding temptation, as you grow older it will avoid you"  Churchill

1. Stop the cheesy limited edition models.  It undermines brand value.

2. Introduce the Turbo S models (911, Panamera, Cayenne) earlier.

Jean:

1. Stop the cheesy limited edition models.  It undermines brand value.

2. Introduce the Turbo S models (911, Panamera, Cayenne) earlier.

1. Limited edition models are end-of-lifecycle products, they don't undermine the brand value but help save sales until the new model starts(which is pretty important for Porsche since they start a "mixed" production with the "old" and new model).

The many special editions may have made some people angry but they were actually well received by customers. The GTS and even the Black Edition keep the 911 production alive. Without these two editions, the 911 production would probably sit dead in the water for some while before the new production starts.

The Speedster is a different story, a very special(and in my opinion too expensive) and exclusive model. The Sport Classic is a rip-off in my opinion but to each his own I guess.

2. Introducing the Turbo S models earlier would rob Porsche of a very important marketing tool. When sales of the top model slow down, give customers something "on top" of it. This is a well considered sales strategy and it always worked, even if potential Turbo S customers may be disappointed. Don't forget that Porsche is a company, not a charity.

Btw: GTS owners are a very happy crowd and they actually have a reason for that, they got the hell of a deal from Porsche. This is a very special car at a good price and if the dealer provided some rebate on top of it...well...sweet deal.  

The 918 Spyder special edition 997 Turbo S model is a different story but since it costs the same as the regular model and since it is available only to 918 Spyder customers, no real damage done here. Maybe Porsche should have upped the 918 Sypder price tag to 900000 EUR and give a 997 Turbo S Special Edition away for free for those who ordered one...  but hey, to each his own. Right?!

--

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 997 Turbo, BMW X5 M, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S JCW

RC:

Jean:

1. Stop the cheesy limited edition models.  It undermines brand value.

2. Introduce the Turbo S models (911, Panamera, Cayenne) earlier.

 

1. Limited edition models are end-of-lifecycle products, they don't undermine the brand value but help save sales until the new model starts(which is pretty important for Porsche since they start a "mixed" production with the "old" and new model).

In fact, special edition models which offer the buyer good value help maintain residual values for existing owners of the model which is being wound down, since the alternative would be to discount the cars during the last months just to keep the production line running.

The knowledge that a brand discounts heavily undermines brand value. 

fritz

fritz:

In fact, special edition models which offer the buyer good value help maintain residual values for existing owners of the model which is being wound down, since the alternative would be to discount the cars during the last months just to keep the production line running.

The knowledge that a brand discounts heavily undermines brand value. 

Very true. 

I still consider the Sport Classic a rip-off and I wish Porsche would offer buyers some sort of special deal or "compensation" but maybe I'm thinking different than marketing departments. 

The truth is: I really love the GTS and believe it or not, I'm actually seriously considering it.

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 997 Turbo, BMW X5 M, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S JCW