The point we' re making though is that there needs to be " clear water" between Porsche and the others.
They have been known as sporty and fast cars, at the top of automotive design, reliability, handling and performance. The desirability is influenced by this brand positioning, which keeps demand and residuals strong (or at least stronger than they would otherwise be). It also keeps the excitement to the brand.
If you can buy hot-hatches with the same power, exec cruisers with the same or better straightline performance, Japanese boxes with similar A-B abilities, all for half the price, then people start to question the value.
Although the UK is the most badge concious car market, that only carries so far.
Complacency and arrogance are disastrous for business - you cannot afford to wait until it starts to have a detrimental effect because you then have to play a game of catch-up, which is very hard and time consuming.
There is a power war going on, but this is not the whole story, since performance is about more than just power. Usability, flexibility, reliability and drivability under different conditions are all equally important, and as Pirelli say " Power is nothing without control" . Driving something that requires a computer to keep it on the road misses the point. However, it cannot be ignored.
If 30 bhp is added to the current position, then this is OK if the engine upgrades deliver more than the current 7-8% improvement. This would allow the status and polishing buyers the ability to have a fine car, but give the option of class leading performance for those that really seek it.
The shape needs to evolve, but has to still, in silhouette at least, look like a 911.
I would suggest that the key element to that is the rear window and the sloping bonnet.
I think by adding some flare to front arches and with the turbo rear arches, is a great start, to create the wasted look around the doors. The basic shell should be smaller though, since we do not want it to become large and bloated. Weight also has to be controlled.
I think the roof should be lower, as mentioned before. Personally I prefer not to have wings, or at least fixed ones, too Playstation, and with aerodymic advances these should not be necessary. I believe it should also be possible to get enough cooling without having the holes in the rear wings. I notice Gemballa do an air-to-water intercooler, which is a neater solution.
The headlights are a difficult one. The current fried egg ones are quite practical, since all the lights are in one unit for ease of assembly, and all the lights are out of the bumper which protects them from minor knocks. They are also aerodynamic. However, the round lights are part of the character of the older cars. Yet the Carrera GTs lights look good and are a modern design. I suppose a 993 style headlight is not so bad, if the other lights (indicators, sides, fogs) can be kept out of the bumper, since I like the simple look of the font. The light has to steeply angled for aerodynamic reasons.
I' d make the mirrors smaller as well.
As mentione before, cascading the ceramic clutch down from the Carrera GT, would allow the engine to sit lower, and lower the centre of gravity.
You could slant the windscreen a few degrees more as well.
Of course the more you give the 911, the more room there is to up the Boxsters game, which is what everyone seems to want.
]
