01-23-2006, 02:32 AM
I was musing today over the shakeups in the German carmakers over the past few years. . . the rise of Audi, BMW shooting themselves in the foot again and again with atrocious styling, Mercedes quality issues. . . and I was thinking about what Porsche could do to improve their brand and lineup:
1. Let the Cayman platform have its full head. Bugger the impact on 911 sales. Forget trying to stagger your product line just so. Just make the best car you possibly can and let the chips fall. Engineer the hell out of it and let's see where this car can take us.
2. the 911 should stay at the top of the lineup on its own merits, not because you deliberately detuned your other platforms to be less threatening. Consequently engineer the hell out of the 911 also (which of course you are already doing . . . 997. . . mmm *drool* . . .)
3. Give the Cayenne an Extreme Makeover: SUV Edition. More sporty and sleek. Less tugboat.
4. Issue a recall on all 996 headlights. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />
5. Keep a few 996's around with original headlights and watch them appreciate. Watch Boxster sales increase now that the headlights represent a nuance of the Boxster and not a bleedin cost-cutting measure. (who the hell wants cost cutting from Porsche??!!)
6. Hurry up already with this 4-door sedan idea, I'm salivating at the thought! Blow these cheeky Audis and the horrid-looking latest 7-series right out of the water. BMW deserves to be obliterated with what the've done to the 7-series and the M cars.
7. Finally -- and I am speaking COMPLETELY without bias here -- bring back a front-engine four-cylinder hatchback at the low $ end of the model line. (Wow-- what a thought!) Make it practical, *relatively* affordable, terrific handling and balance, good gas mileage, fun to drive. Call it the 969: next step from the 968 + a little nod to our favorite supercar of old.
heh heh, what do you guys think?
1. Let the Cayman platform have its full head. Bugger the impact on 911 sales. Forget trying to stagger your product line just so. Just make the best car you possibly can and let the chips fall. Engineer the hell out of it and let's see where this car can take us.
2. the 911 should stay at the top of the lineup on its own merits, not because you deliberately detuned your other platforms to be less threatening. Consequently engineer the hell out of the 911 also (which of course you are already doing . . . 997. . . mmm *drool* . . .)
3. Give the Cayenne an Extreme Makeover: SUV Edition. More sporty and sleek. Less tugboat.
4. Issue a recall on all 996 headlights. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />
5. Keep a few 996's around with original headlights and watch them appreciate. Watch Boxster sales increase now that the headlights represent a nuance of the Boxster and not a bleedin cost-cutting measure. (who the hell wants cost cutting from Porsche??!!)
6. Hurry up already with this 4-door sedan idea, I'm salivating at the thought! Blow these cheeky Audis and the horrid-looking latest 7-series right out of the water. BMW deserves to be obliterated with what the've done to the 7-series and the M cars.
7. Finally -- and I am speaking COMPLETELY without bias here -- bring back a front-engine four-cylinder hatchback at the low $ end of the model line. (Wow-- what a thought!) Make it practical, *relatively* affordable, terrific handling and balance, good gas mileage, fun to drive. Call it the 969: next step from the 968 + a little nod to our favorite supercar of old.
heh heh, what do you guys think?