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    Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    Herewith link to Autocar's video of the driver's car of the year 2006 where the Porsche Cayman S is quoted as being the best driver's car, even better than the awesome 997 turbo, which came 3rd. It does beg the question how good could Porsche make a mid-engined car if it didn't feel the need to limit the mid engined car's performance purely to keep it a "poor relation" to the 997 range. The result would be outstanding, surely. The Carrera GT had the engine midships, rather than being located at the rear. The logical conclusion is, therefore why continue with the rear engine layout for any reason other than tradition? Before I get flamed here, I would add that I have a huge respect for the abilities of the 997's.

    Discuss!!
    http://www.autocar.co.uk/popups/video.asp?ar=222412

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    I think the C2S would have beat the TT and probably the Lizard too...they seemed to prefer feel over power.

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    IMO P will stay with tradition. It seems like journalists like to stir things up suggesting that they need to get away from it. The 911 is still a strong seller.

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    ... and the small matter of rear seats?

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    I think it's a matter of time to get rid of these rear seats and put the engine in front of the rear axle. May be once four seater Pamanera arrives

    So boring!

    This has been done to death over the last 20 years and Porsche keep improving the engineering to make that an irrelevance.

    This is the usual magazine crap - they do want to sell advertising space remember - since people like Steve Cropley, Chris Harris, and Colin Goodwin either own or have owned 911's it doesn't take a f*ckwit to figure out what the game is.

    Porsche make sh*t loads more money out of a car that's outmoded in terms of on paper dynamics, and far more than they could if it was called Gayman and was mid-engined. So if you were Porsche wouldn't you keep the 911 alive and make obscene profits out of it rather than improve the performance of the Gayman and make less money?

    Seems obvious to me...

    Re: So boring!

    well said Chef.

    rear engined Porsches are no more doomed than petrol engined cars.

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    Popycock! The 911 architecture is a "tour-de-force," timeless classic, long time-tested. Like it? buy it. Question it? move on to other pastures.

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    Not hardly! For too many people around the world the 997 in all its variations is what defines Porsche. The better question would be: will the Cayman become the factories main point of emphasis in international sports car competition?

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    the rear-engined 911 is Porsche's icon - it's not going anywhere...

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    Quote:
    fxhomie said:
    the rear-engined 911 is Porsche's icon - it's not going anywhere...



    I guess if you drive a rear-engined Porsche you'd hope its not going anywhere!

    Dreamcar - I think it was perdictable you were going to get smoked for posting the mid-engined victory. I admire your bravery though.

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    Porsche will always keep the 911 until the sales plumet and lose money until then we will see 911 icon around, luckily!!

    However, that doesn't mean that they won't develop a mid engine platform as well. If their mid engine car look good and perform good it will sell good without a doubt if the price is competitive...

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    Watch the topgear episode where the underpowerd 997 is 5 secs quicker than the Aston Vantage and BMW M6 up the isle of man track. Porsche should stick to what they are doing .. because they are doing it right.

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    I'm soon going to post photos and a review of my good friend's Cayman S project recently completed. He just completed a transplant of new from Porsche X-51 997 3.8 with custom, headers, exhaust, PSS9. Dyno/ECU tuning in the next week or so. The car is an absolute monster and the sound...unbelieveable. The PSS9's transformed the handling of an already great setup to something so many levels more it's truly hard to beleive. Too bad the factory will never allow this setup. http://www.mindovermotorsports.com/

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    that's the 911's worst nightmare come to life...

    sounds off the hook...

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    Ferdinand is a little pissed off
    Aahhh NO, the rear engine is here to stay like in 4 ever!!


    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    There's nothing wrong that the Cayman develops a following. It is a great car! Porsche had most of the time a mid-engine roadster or coupe - nothing new. So more power to its fans!

    However... PAG always had an all-in-the-rear too, and the 911 is that and it has a long faithful following. To raise the Cayman one does not need to kill the 911 - that philosophy of the king is dead, long live the [new] king, is very old hat.

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    Remember the 924/944/968? They were called the best handling porsches ever.
    Remember the 928? DESIGNED to replace the 911.

    Now, which one is still around?

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    Can you spell "Cash Cow?"

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    Born to survive, that should sum it all up. The 911 will stay as it is. The 911 lovers love the car and stay loyal to it regardless. It has always been an Icon and will always continue be one. I don't care what some punk a$$ from a magazine say. A one year old Cayman all of sudden became the P-car to buy, even better than the legendry 911 which the only car anyone ever pictures when the name Porsche comes up. Cayman is a gr8 car, the looks does not do much for me but it's still a gr8 car. Nevertheless I highly doubt if Porsche will ever build a car to over shadow the 911!

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    Guess they figure they'd lose more customers than they'd gain from mid-engine & removing the rear seat. I know I'd be one of them.

    The 911 never gets the props it's deserves in the press for having the 2+2 config. There's no other car 2+2 or 4 seater in the world that can do what the 911 does. Make it strictly a 2 seater however and it's a whole nother story.

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    Interesting thread. It shows the difference between the men and the boys, err... the true 911 fans and the passersby.

    Re: Are the days of the rear engined Porsche numbered?

    Dear 911-lovers...please take the time to peruse this thread at your own leisure. Love, JYH....

    http://www.rennteam.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=270872&page=0&fpart=all&vc=1

    Yes, the days are numbered, the number is just very large

    and yes, the mid-engined set-up is better. It has been like that since late 1965 when the 911 was first introduced. However, the 911's practicality, its shape and its entertaining handling have ensured its survival so far. Chances are that with better technology (tires, lightweight materials, etc.) and moving the engine forward just a little bit, the 911 will be around for years to come.

    Re: Yes, the days are numbered, the number is just very large

    Pepe I agree

    Re: Yes, the days are numbered, the number is just very large

    Quote:
    PePe said:
    and yes, the mid-engined set-up is better. It has been like that since late 1965 when the 911 was first introduced.


    The rear engined layout has been around as long as the Porsche company (way before 1965) with the 356...

    Re: Yes, the days are numbered, the number is just very larg

    Given the choice between a 2+2 rear-engine versus a 2 mid-engine with better cargo capacity, optional luggage safety partition and the fact that years ago I read about rear passengers dying in an M3 California accident, the Cayman sounds more appealing.

    Re: Yes, the days are numbered, the number is just very larg

    Meow Meow rear engine

    Re: Yes, the days are numbered, the number is just very larg

    If Porsche would just develop the Cayman to its potential, then we could see which car would be better for them in the long run. As it stands though, it is a foregone conclusion because Porsche will not allow it to happen.

    It is interesting that even the Porsche-specific press (Panorama) is talking about how Porsche should race the Cayman in order to keep up with Panoz and Ferrari.

    I say race them both and let the best car win! If the Cayman starts winning races and bringing home the trophies, I bet many of the insecure "Gayman" types would suddenly be considering a change of heart. (Sorry, but anytime someone uses a meaningless grade school-level insult, it just annoys.) Nothing sells like success.

    The sad part is the reason Porsche does NOT develop the Cayman fully is because so many Porsche buyers are motivated by image and status instead of capabilities. If most Porsche buyers were really enthusiasts, they would want the best Porsche they could get, whatever model that may be. I realize some are also motivated by a sense of history, but is that really a valid rationale for not developing a future?

    Re: Yes, the days are numbered, the number is just very larg

    Quote:
    MAVERICK said:
    Given the choice between a 2+2 rear-engine versus a 2 mid-engine with better cargo capacity, optional luggage safety partition and the fact that years ago I read about rear passengers dying in an M3 California accident, the Cayman sounds more appealing.



    Well, extra luggage can always be thrown in the +2 back seat of a 911, but extra passengers cannot necessarily be thrown into the caymans better cargo space or over the optional luggage safety partition...

    meanwhile, people die in all sorts of cars but i'd suggest that both porsche & bmw are up there at the forefront of world class passenger safety.

     
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