I was wondering the same thing. I plan to order in late spring so it is not a big deal, but the unkown option cost is killing me!

Maybe they are waiting until LSD is available on the MT, so I hope it is a short wait.

 

the LSD will be an option with the PDK for $950

 

Option costs are included in the ordering guide, available on this site.

LSD should be available for June delivery. Will require 19" wheels.

 

Sorry but I have searched and cannot find it. Can you give me a link or something? Thanks.

 

Anybody know the logic behind a 19" wheel requirement??

 

Dont know the logic.. but i just ordered a c2 with a diff and I needed to spec 19s for it.

 

The logic is clear......Porsche wants you to spend $2-$3k for a set of 19"s in order to get a highly desireable option. Nothing else can explain it.....

 

I think if that is true, just another way to make us part from our hard earned dollars

 

Re: Standard Wheels

 

The configurator should have been updated on the day of the LA auto show. Just another example of poor marketing and attitude by the company.

 

Are the wheels shown on the red car the new standard wheels? If so, I absolutely think they're terrific. Nice and simple. By the looks of the tire it seems that they might be either 17" or 18" but it's difficult to tell. Anyone know for sure? Thanks.

 

From the height of the sidewall, I would guess that the red car's wheels are 17".

 

It is now 2009 and no car configuratory yet. I have a spot for a 2009 build in the spring but still waiting on the LSD option... Did porsche lay off all the computer guys???

 

I agree - frustrating. Can't figure out why Porsche wouldn't have it up on the configurator yet - I assumed they'd have it up on the first of the year. Maybe Monday?

 

I thought the answer was obvious. First the new 911 gets the updated configurator. (In fact, it's on the website now.) Then, even though the new Cayman configurator was probably done a long time ago, Porsche AG holds it back so more people will buy the 911 instead.

 

This would imply that Porsche is purely and solely motivated by profit. Say it ain't so!:banana:

 

I don't know about Germany but PCNA has been on holiday for awhile now and doesn't return until Monday.

 

And PCNA has not bothered to post any News Releases on the web site since June 30, 2008. Maybe they figure the big bosses in Germany can do a better job of keeping people informed?

 

I'm kind of wondering if they are reconsidering the LSD as a stand alone option? Who knows... but in this market they have to be worried about bringing in new sales rather than soaking people with expensive options that may turn them off from a purchase completely. Whether or not Porsche admits it they ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE MARKET!!! If there dealer network starts folding profits will fall like dominos.

 

I thought the launch of the new cars was this early this month for the US dealers.

 

If anyone is interested the nissan 370Z configurator is up and running. The touring edition in graphite with persimmon leather interior doesn't look too bad. Just passing the time until porsche updates their configurator.

 

Yeah, just took a look.....kudos to Nissan. The number of exterior and interior colors are really limited IMO.

Porsche has always been notoriously late with new models in the configurator.

 

Speaking of the 370Z it has AUTO BLIP FEATURE (for downshift) in the MANUAL!. Impressive!

 

WOW! Interesting to know.

 

I plan to order in spring or summer of 2009.

IF I wanted to buy now and I was wavering between a CS and some other brand who had their *^&@ together with an updated website, things like this would make me think. And, maybe push me the other way because this is inexcusable.

It makes one wonder how much quality they put into a vehicle when they don't even care to have a current configurator.

 

If I was buying a car again, the website is nice to fool around with to estimate pricing and see how your "optioned" vehicle would look like. I did this before buying my '08 CS.

But, if a manufacturer's website isn't updated I really don't give a rip. I don't buy my cars based on what a website looks like.

 

Maybe Porsche wants to sell a few more of the '08s before it lets the general public know how much better a '09 would be, and what it would cost.

Jeffrey

 

Maybe Porsche wants to sell a few more of the '08s before it lets the general public know how much better a '09 would be, and what it would cost.

I doubt it as there are blaring that NEW CAYMAN & BOXTER flash presentation across the website!

 

Interesting that the press package for the 2009 Cayman hasn't seen the light of day yet. Or any new brouchures....rumor has it that there were some brouchures at the L.A. Auto show, but not on the night the new car premiered. Funny way to do business...

 

I work for a German software company...we make an amazing software application, but are extremely poor at marketing and collateral. I get the sense that all the effort is put into the design/engineering/delivery of the product, and marketing is an afterthought. Appears to be that way at Porsche (no updated configurator, no brochures, missteps as new model is launched). At Porsche, communication of product info to the dealerships seems to be an issue, just like it is at my company (HQ to the various regional offices). My two cents for what its worth...

 

But are you a consumer company? That is, does your software company sell directly to the consumer?

Are you a premium brand company that charges a higher price for the same product?

Porsche is both of these things, so it has no excuses for flubbing the marketing of its new Cayman product line.

 

I'd rather they spend their time and money on engineering and development. While their car configurator is well done and a ton of fun, I'm willing to wait if it means they're thin on marketing and IT personnel at the sacrifice of employing an abundance of engineers to make a great product. However if they are overstaffed and this is a laziness thing, I'd be mad. But I couldn't criticize unless I worked there, and neither can anyone, really. Speculate all you want, but you really haven't a clue what's going on unless you work there or know someone very well that does.

 

But I couldn't criticize unless I worked there, and neither can anyone, really. Speculate all you want, but you really haven't a clue what's going on unless you work there or know someone very well that does.

Can't criticize? Really? They have a world premier of the new Cayman, and there is no printed matter at the unveiling, and PCNA personal can't answer simple questions about the car...I don't know what you do for a living, but if I functioned like that @ my job, I wouldn't have one!
Don't have a clue what's going on? Uh...yes I do. They released a new car without any info! If anybody doesn't have a clue what is going on, it would be PCNA marketing.
Funny, but it seems this lack of prep on PCNA's part wasn't an issue on the recent 997 release.

 

I feel your pain DaveCS2009.

I work for the American division of a large German manufacturing conglomerate and find the direction that this thread has taken to be most interesting. We also manufacture a consumer product that is sold at a premium price and have been doing so in the USA for 30+ years. There seem to be some similarities between my employer and Porsche as far as marketing is concerned.

Among them:
1) Reliance (over-reliance?) on reputation as a marketing tool.
2) Reliance on engineering and technical prowess that is indeed built into the product, but not clearly communicated to to customers (Example: we had to fight like hell to have pictures of the products in our sales information for the USA, and not just line drawings and pure technical specs).
3) An engineering-centric organization. Our buildings in Europe are not airconditioned; however, the engineering departments have had AC added. They are the only ones except for the server rooms to get AC. Unofficial motto: "engineering designs it, marketing figures out how to sell it." Addendum to motto: "production does not really communicate with other org units unless there is a problem for them."
4) A bit of a disconnect between marketing and production / internal sales (dealer sales). Marketing is always the last to know in my company, and it looks like it's the case at Porsche also. I bet there was a call to marketing to remove the "Black and White" clip shortly after it went up, but by then it was too late. I bet the configurator is ready to roll, but that they have excess production slots for type 1.0 that they need to produce first.

I could go on, but the new 370Z commercial just came on to distract me. I'm a Porsche guy, don't get me wrong, but I somehow think that they are getting too far away from their core business (which to me is designing, building, and selling sports cars with a good dose of racing on the side).

Do any of the Porsche dealers that monitor this site know anything about the arrival of the new cars?

 

Wasn't speculating, just making an observation that the German company I work for gets "dinged" by its buying base for the same things: poor marketing, poor communication, poor product releases, etc. Our software is used by Porsche and I've been to Stuttgart (as well as visits to a number of Porsche suppliers) and know a number of Porsche employees very well. Although they would never acknowledge a lack of marketing focus, they do pride themselves on engineering, product design, etc. above all else. And isn't that all that really matters? I'm about to own a Porsche for the 1st time, and even though I couldn't build the car online, had to help the dealer make sure he had the right option codes (thanks to the buying guide on this site!), couldn't get a straight answer on the xenon light package, etc. it didn't stop me from slapping down $70K for what I consider the best looking/driving car money can buy. There is a reason why Ferdinand Porsche's heirs are billionaires, why the company had the ability to acquire VW, why people on this forum/other forums are so passionate about their cars, etc...and it isn't because the car configurator was working prior to the 2009 build or the collateral was in dealerships ready to be handed out.

My German friend based here in the states (who works for Porsche NA and worked for BMW in the past) said it best: BMW does a better job at marketing their cars...online, advertising, etc. But who wants to own a BMW??

 

Badge snob.

 

Please note that name calling is not allowed, any further instances will result in a ban from the site.

 

How many sales are lost by Porsche due to absent literature and tardy configurator updates? What percentage of virtual configurator "builds" actually translate into sales? Anybody care to speculate?