Ciao everybody!
There has been a lot going on in my absence!!Almost a civil war... <img src="http://www.rennteam.com/w3timages/icons/laugh.gif" alt="" />
I couldn't agree more with the theory being brought out by RC and others that Porsche is not building true sport cars anymore.
I've been saying this since a long time, but if you exclude the GT3 no model of the 996 generation is really a true sports car.
I've had a reminder of what defines a true sport car when I changed my GT2 with the 360 Modena.
Even though the GT2 was considerably quicker in the Modena you feel more in a race bread car than in the GT2, I think that what we seek on our performance road cars above all is enjoyment, a sports car is meant to set your pulse racing and give you an adrenalin rush every time you hit the throttle, you want to know that you are sitting on something special, that not anybody could master.
Porsche built its legend on cars that were special, crude, raw, difficult to drive fast, but they had the most important ingredient: they had SOUL!
You can't build a legend out of perfection.
Yes, safety requirements, emission regulations and noise restrictions, have undoubtedly made modern cars heavier, more efficient and less audible, but this is only an excuse, because you still can make cars that have tons of character.Look at Lamborghini with the Murci, or the Modena, or the upcoming TVR Tuscan R.
Just an example: the 360 Modena's chassis is entirely made of aluminum, Ferrari was able to produce a car of 4.5 mt. in length and 1.93 in width with all the necessary luxurys like climate ctr. power windows, leather etc. which is comfortably under 1400 kg.All this without increasing the price over the previous model significantly.
If Porsche had done the same thing, we would have had a 911 Turbo with all the luxurys you want weighing less than 1300 kg!And believe me: no Merc S- class even with 550 hp could touch a Turbo weighing less than 1300 kg.
I don't want this post to seem like a Ferrari is way better than Porsche sort of thing, I think that Ferrari is making mistakes also: the Maranello is too GT oriented, and the 575 even more so.But overall they are keeping focus on who they are and what they want to do.