[wildcat]

Seems to me this is an obvious topic but which hasn't been addressed, and in the interest of future Porsche development, should they once again see the wisdom of their development of the 924-944-968 genre, I'm addressing this post.

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[Rap]

Not likely given the probability of cannabalizing of Cayman/Boxster/Maycan sales.

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[94SilverCab]

As much as I love the front engine and 50/50 weight balance, the mid-engine configuration is probably superior as a platform.



JMHO,



Jay

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[Cloud9...68]

Yeah, the 924/944/968/928 configuration for Porsche has a lot in common with the dodo bird and T-Rex. While cars like the Corvette have had great success with the high polar moment of inertia front/mid engine/rear transaxle layout, I can't see Porsche resurrecting it to go along with their existing rear engine/mid engine platforms.

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[az968]

The 2014 Cayman is finally catching up with the 968 in terms of leg room and storage. I have long legs and could never get comfortable in a Boxster/Cayman for any length of time as my legs were cramped and wrapped around the steering wheel. With the longer wheelbase of the 2014 I can actually sit in one. The hatch area has almost as much room as the 968 but not quite. Forutnately the Cayman is $80k so I get to keep my 968 for many more years.:-). But driving one is a whole lot of fun.

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[wildcat]

I think the front engine / rear transmission arrangement has yet to be fully realized. With computer design a rear transmission / rear axle unit could be fully exploited and the engine bay still has room. I agree on the mid engine arrangement in terms of balance but the safety aspect of having the engine in the front is not something car designers are going to ignore... FWIW

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[Cloud9...68]

I'm not following. How is having the engine in the front, to where it could potentially end up in your lap in a front end collision, a safety asset? I'm not saying having the engine behind you is any safer, just that I doubt it matters one way or the other. I think the fact the the Corvette is the only production car with this arrangement (that I'm aware of, anyway) speaks volumes to the fact that designers have all but completely abandoned it. In this age of standardization of practically everything, it's very hard to introduce (or reintroduce, in this case) a different way of doing something, unless the advantages are absolutely overwhelming.

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[Peter B]

Pros (coupe):

Hatchback: with enough room for skis, luggage, 4 tires, golf clubs.

Balanced: Comes in handy when pushing it.

Maintenance: Can find the engine easily

Fun to drive

Can get 30 MPG on roadtrips (Steady 75 - 80mph).

Can upgrade to be faster than 911 (of the day).

Designed to resist pin-wheeling if the car does break loose.

Front of car likes to stay in front if the car does break loose.

Won't be called "Coxster"

Can buy with an <acronym title='Limited Slip Differential'>LSD</acronym>.



Cons:

Can make the 911 look bad with enough HP.

Won't be a nimble as boxster/cayman at < 35MPH.

higher weight

Can't make as much money on maintanence

Doesn't look like a Ferrari or Lambo or other super cars. Looks like American cars.

944 had target on it for over 10 years; copied and targeted by many companies.

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[bombfactory]

Does the Panamera use a rear transaxle arrangement? I wonder with the popularity and sales success of that car if Porsche will consider developing other front engined vehicles to complement its rear and mid engine offerings. Something smaller, with two doors maybe?

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[94SilverCab]

It has been discussed in the press...



http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2012-po...8-car-news

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[Cloud9...68]

Come to think of it, I believe Aston Martin uses a front engine/rear transaxle arrangement in some of its models, but I'm not certain. Don't know if the Panamera does, though.



Personally, I think things like engine/transmission placement are over-rated. Suspension tuning can easily counteract the tendencies of just about any layout - over the years, I've read several road tests of 911 variants complaining of excessive understeer! But as far as passenger and luggage space, that's a different matter, where a mid-engine layout in particular creates an inherent compromise. I'm sure Porsche will do whatever their market research dictates, so who knows what may be coming down the pike?

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[wildcat]

I'm not an engineer but my understanding is that the engine is a structural element in a crash designed to absorb the shock of a front end collision. As a structural member it absorbs a lot of shock and is a more cost effective method than a mid-engine car which has to have a more complex structural design to absorb the same amount of impact. One of the reasons supposedly that mid-engine cars are so much more expensive than the conventional front engine. The one exception I know to this theory is the Fiero, which was built somewhat like a space-frame uni-body. I've seen a picture of one which went off the rail on an over pass and into a house. The driver walked away. But that was not a head on collision...

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[wildcat]

P.S. Volkswagen has seen the wisdom in this... they now produce a Beetle with a 200 hp engine called the "Fender". (That in itself might not be viewed as endorsement but it does make a point.) And then there's the Ralph Nader classic... "Unsafe at any Speed" about the Corvair. I use the word "theory" because it comes down to design, a poorly designed car is just that.

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[wildcat]

No comment... O.K. then there was the "Fast and Furious" Johnny Walker and his "professional" drive that ended in a fireball after hitting a lamp post, Porsche's latest entry in the supercar class...



But on to the original topic...



A front engine Porsche with an integrated transmission differential in spite of Global homogenization.



Pros: Good arrangement for balance and safety. Cons: Needs work.

Functional interior design and layout. Heater doesn't work so well in the foot well. (Maybe because the computer is there...)

Modular taillight arrangement

Mercedes auto transmission sturdy Plumbing for the transmission is on the absurd side.

With all the torque of the 968 do you really need "D" and 3 other lower gears???



That's a start...

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[Cloud9...68]

I just don't see Porsche resurrecting a layout they abandoned nearly 20 years ago, when they're doing so well with the models they're building now.



As far as any safety advantages associated with having the engine up front, I've never heard this being discussed, nor have I ever seen any studies having been done on it. Since the vast majority of cars have the engine up front, and the only ones with engines behind the driver are exotics or near-exotics, it would be difficult to compare similar cars with the two configurations, which is what any reliable study would have to do. I'm pretty sure, though, that crash-worthiness is dominated by the structure the manufacturer uses for the chassis. If anything, I would think that if a manufacturer's No. 1 goal would be to have bragging rights to the safest car on the planet in a front-end collision, he would put the engine somewhere behind the driver, and go nuts with reinforcing the chassis in the area normally occupied by the engine. But that's just an opinion.

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[jfrahm]

[quote name='wildcat' timestamp='1394651758' post='155924']

Heater doesn't work so well in the foot well. (Maybe because the computer is there...)

[/quote]



You probably have perished insulation in your center vent. If you pull it out you can put a strip of tape insulation on to replace the crumbled OEM stuff. Just a few phillips screws and insulation tape from the hardware store.

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[wildcat]

You could be right but I noticed the foot well vents are smaller aperture and I don't think that's the problem. I have a Cab and compared with other cars where the heat typically comes in at the footwell, the emphasis in the 968 seems to be the center and side vents. I've pulled the instrument / vent facade out and I don't see any obstruction. Thanks for the input.



As far as the safety question goes and studies to that effect, the insurance industry is a better source.



I always appreciate considered opinions, even if I don't agree. As for a company revitalizing an old idea with newer technology, it happens all the time. So I wouldn't rule out the possibility.

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[Cloud9...68]

[quote name='wildcat' timestamp='1394664309' post='155930']

As for a company revitalizing an old idea with newer technology, it happens all the time. So I wouldn't rule out the possibility.

[/quote]

That's true - as evidenced by cars like the new Beetle and the Dodge Challenger. So I agree - you never know. But usually when a company brings back an old design or concept, there's typically some nostalgia wrapped around it. As much as we love them, I doubt Porsche gets a very strong nostalgic vibe from the car that almost put them out of business!

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[Rap]

Now Cloud, executive decisions almost put Porsche out of business not the 968.

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[Bulti]

True, you can't blame our poor baby for almost toppling Ferdinand's empire :-)



I sure hope some people at Porsche still love our cars.

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