Re: The Worst Review of any Porsche I've read
Will the 718 sell well? No, I don't believe it will. But I don't think Porsche really cares. I believe Porsche executives made a conscious decision to protect the identity of their one and only Holy Grail sports car, the 911, and see the 718 as... somewhat of a low-volume, necessary annoyance. The 718, with a downsized engine that, on paper at least, provides terrific fuel mileage and helps Porsche meet their overall fleet fuel savings targets. And the 718 provides a lower cost entry point to hook new buyers into the Porsche sports car family. Meaningfully increasing sales of the 718 isn't particularly important to them. That's the job of the 911.
I believe Porsche will continue to pour their resources into the 911 model line-up and will offer even more variants, all offered at exquisitely profitable price points (I believe the current 911 line-up covers more than 20 separate models, right?) They see the 911 as both the beating heart of the Porsche brand and a symbol that gives them a license to print money. And they are right, of course, because it is both of these things. And they've made sure to protect it. Would consumers be willing to pay such price premiums for their Cayennes and Macans if these SUVs weren't tied to the iconic Porsche 911's pedigree? I doubt it.
And your point about the 911 Turbo versus the GT3 is spot on. Two amazing 911s, but each delivers a very different driving experience and aimed at two different kinds of enthusiasts.
The CAFE point is extremely valid here. But I also believe having a lower model sports car hedges against economic downturns. Porsche may have learned from the '80s and '90s.
And precisely because Porsche sells everything a-la-carte (go build a Mustang Shelby GT350. See how many options there are), even their lowly sports car is profitable. Imagine the gross margins on carbon fiber trim, a red seat belt for $350, or navigation software for $2000.
I think most people would put Mercedes-Benz in the same category as Porsche in terms of brand equity and sophistication. Look how many lower level models they've crapped out lately. The C-class is glamorous compared to the GLA, CLA, and the upcoming B class. And the CLA is an awful car. But Mercedes is happy to sell them alongside $220k S-class cabriolets.
Are Porsche buyers slightly more discerning and sophisticated?
Maybe once upon a time. But with so many Macans and Cayennes, Porsche is now serving a completely different customer. The 718 seems to suit that change in sales philosophy.
So my prediction is that despite our grumblings, the 718 will increase sales by quite a bit for the segment. It's still the only rear-mid-engine sports car one can buy under $75k along with the impossibly-difficult-to-live-with Alfa 4C. And the power increases will appeal to a new kind of buyer that can now legitimately see it as a Corvette alternative with a better nameplate.
Chinese sales of Porsche have grown 24% from 2014-2015. European sales are just a few thousand vehicles behind US sales. Do either of those two markets care about the 4-cylinder? I don't know the answer. Europeans practically invented the downsizing craze and fuel is prohibitively expensive there.
All this is to say that this move is going to work for Porsche. As always, the purists get the shaft. Our only recourse is to put our money elsewhere. Porsche will sell more cars. They'll lower CAFE. They'll charge more money. They'll create hardcore variants like the GTS or "RS 60". They'll tell people how fast it is around the Nordschleife. They'll sell hats and merchandise. They'll get pats on the back for pioneering such a paradigm shift (even though Alfa beat them to it).
And for us, we are doomed to wander, deciding if we should board the train or not to our inevitable fates.
For me, I'm not boarding that train. I would give a 911 Turbo or GT3 a go, but I'm more inclined to go for a Jaguar F-Type SVR, Z06, or Viper (if it lasts another year). That's sad, because I truly adore Porsche and everything for which the company stands.
This is one of the reasons few people shart on the 911 Turbo or GT2. Sure, they're turbo motors, but they're so damn powerful that we accept the exchange. Though for years, automotive journalists and owners alike have been dismayed at the 911 Turbo's lack of driving character compared to similarly priced vehicles and its younger brother, the GT3.
Actually I believe the primary reason is that not many people have $200K - $300K for a car, especially one that is a two seater.
Probably, but even on popular forums like 6speedonline, there's universal praise for the cars seen as the pinnacle of the Porsche tree of offerings. Never driven a Turbo. Have you?
Well, that would price it below a (loaded) Miata. I test drove the new Miata, the fit and finish is well below any Porsche.
Without the "Porsche" name, I'd expect the 718 to start at $45k. The base price isn't what gets me, it's the escalation that happens when you add in all the features that come standard on any Civic.
$45k doesn't get you much either. A Ford Focus RS will ring in just under that. A BMW Z4 with the 240 HP motor is $50,000. And an Audi TT roadster with the base motor is $46,000. So I think $50-55k is a fair starting price, but we know with options it will swell to $75-80. That's the worst part.
??? What does this mean. the 3.4, 3.6, and 3.8 NA engines are far from linear in acceleration. Rather, they are the opposite as acceleration follows the torque curve, they are the opposite of linear. The come as a rush of acceleration over 5500. OTH, the turbo engines torque curves are flat as a tabletop, resulting in completely linear acceleration.
Not sure what you are saying here.
I guess it's fair to say the power delivery is more predictable even if it's not linear. We know what happens after 5500 or below it.
