Quote:
fritz said:
Do you, as a Porsche fan, think it is really such a bad thing that people who could not appreciate a Porsche's qualities do not buy one?
fritz
To be honest: I wish only real enthusiasts would buy a Porsche and those posers, wannabees, etc. would buy something else. But of course this isn't possible.
Porsche has to stay alive and they need to earn money. The Cayenne is a first step in the right direction and I bought one because it is a very nice product (but of course no sports car). I'm just afraid that a lot of people out there don't care about how a car feels but how it looks and how much power it has. Porsche has a certain reputation, this is why people buy a Porsche, not necessarily that they believe it is the best sports car in the world. Look at the Lamborghini Gallardo: as much as I hate to admit it but if I had to choose between the Gallardo and the current 996 Turbo, I'd go for the Lamborghini.
But maybe this is a bad example because the Gallardo is really a good sports car and very fast.
And what Fanch said about the SL might be true...or not. I know several people who bought a SL (SL500 and SL55) and they didn't buy a Porsche for three reasons: a Porsche is too "flashy", too stiff and hasn't enough power (SL55 buyers).
Well, I can't say I don't agree but the bottom line is: what customers does Porsche want? Right, ALL customers because they want to earn money. So the only choice to attract all kind of customers is to build something for the posers, wannabees but something for the real Porsche enthusiasts too. And not every Porsche enthusiast can afford buying a GT2 or even the Carrera GT.
So my point is: Porsche should put as much power into their cars as technically possible without making them really dangerous or undriveable. Then, they should offer different versions of their cars, the rumored 997 "S" version is a good start if it really is sportier and more powerful than the base model. Finally, HP figures sell much better than weight/ratio figures (honestly: what specs do you look up first on a sports car?) and Porsche HAS to learn that.
Look at the new BMW M5. From 0-125 mph, it easily outruns the 996 Turbo. So if the M5 is faster than the traditional 911 (type 997) sports car, where does Porsche's reputation go to? Right, right down the drain.
I don't expect Porsche to build a 997 which does 0-125 mph in 10 seconds but at least to be able to cope with sporty limousines like the M5 and E55. Of course we might get a speed limit sooner or later in Germany and maybe top speeds and 0-125 mph acceleration times count less than now.
But I can't help it: if a limousine is faster than a sports car, it is somehow not right, no matter if the sports car beats the limousine in the next curve.
And last but not least: Porsche's most important market is the US. In the US, power figures sell, much more than in any other country. Americans are used to high power engines, in the 80s when our sports cars drove around with 250 HP, some of their "muscle cars" had much more than 300 HP. I don't say that HP figures are the most important thing but they sell cars. The Boxster lost a lot of support in the US because it is underpowered and people probably had the feeling that they're not getting enought for their money. They expected a little 911, not an entry level Porsche.
When my wife wanted to buy a new car and we had to decide between the SLK 32 AMG and the Boxster S, I was surprised to learn that the Boxster S was almost the same money as the SLK 32 AMG. Especially since my Porsche dealer doesn't want to give rebate and my Mercedes dealer gave me 9%.
Now let's compare the straight line acceleration and the retractable hard top and honestly, I think the SLK 32 is the better value. Of course Porsche is also about emotions and passion but where the hell is the passion in an underpowered car if any limousine outruns you? I haven't been to the track for a long time and with the exception of the Leipzig event, I usually drive on the Autobahn or some country roads.
Yes, the Boxster S is more fun than the SLK 32 but is it enough to overlook the "weak" engine?
I bet the new Boxster will have a tough time versus the new SLK, especially since the SLK 350 has almost 280 HP (ring any bells why...?). Not to speak about the SLK 55.
Porsche shouldn't say I didn't warn them: if they loose a reputation and a market (especially the US market), it is very difficult to gain trust (and customers) again.
The new Boxster and the 997 will decide Porsche's fate in the future because it can't go on like that with the Cayenne forever. As soon as the new ML and the new X5 show up, Cayenne sales will drop. This is nothing special, it is pretty normal. And I'm not sure if the 4th model will be able to "compensate" for possible Cayenne, Boxster and 911 losses.
Porsche has to take a decision for the future: YES, we build THE sports car icon, the 911. YES, we give customers what they want. YES, the Boxster isn't only an entry level Porsche for "poor" people but a real Porsche with real power.
I hope I'm wrong but I think the next 3-5 years will be a tough time for Porsche. Especially since I can't hide the feeling that Mercedes started to target Porsche's main competition fields. It is no secret that the CL65 AMG has 612 HP for one reason and it is no secret that Mercedes has the technical capability to put a lot of pressure on Porsche.
I'm also afraid that BMW tries to conquer Porsche's traditional product segment by building some highly interesting sports cars in the future.
I wish Porsche well and after the Leipzig event I'm sure they have the potential to survive the competition but it needs more than an image or 280 HP on a Boxster.
Give people what they want and everybody is happy.