Riggs

playdoh43

You are certainly correct about that. But Porsche are known for being a stubborn and somewhat dare I say "arrogant" company.

Too many old die hard 911 purists that would storm HQ if Porsche went mid-engine with the 911, even though like you quite rightly say, it is the FAR superior platform.

Interesting times for Porsche as a company. The next 3-5 years will be interesting. They may have shot themselves in the foot somewhat with the release of the Cayman.

Riggs

Chris,

I believe the installation of the LSD is around $3K but I might be off so don't quote me on that.

04 996S and it was very reliable. Great car overall.

Chris_Bangle

iTrader: (2)

^
How many of those are left after the 996. I was quite surprised to learn that the next 911 is still rear-engined, I think that's going to be the last one.

They company is doing great, they have an SUV, the cayman, up coming big coupe, and sedan (if I remember correctly) so the transition is going to be smoother than people expect.

Riggs

Yeah Porsche are the most profitable company in the industry, so I guess you could say they are doing great financially.

What I meant was that the release of the Cayman S and the way it has been received - basically winning every single award on the planet - has meant that Porsche have put themselves in somewhat of an awkward position when it comes to their product strategy, platform engineering, and product line-up.

As every enthusiast knows, mid engine RWD is the best platform for a true sports car. But Porsche's "halo" car just happens to be rear-engine and just happens to have a huge cult-like following, and fair enough it deserves it.

But what does Porsche do from here? They are already "holding back" the Cayman S and a possible Cayman GT so as not to upset every single 911 owner, and so they don't go and supplant their 'halo' car as the "big dog" in the Pcar lineup (not including the CGT of course).

The enthusiasts realize this and are voting with their wallets by not buying the Cayman's. They have sold well, but I don't think they are selling as well as Porsche had forecast, and that is their own fault.

On top of this the Cayman S goes on to win every single award and comparison it is entered in, and wins the prestigious Sports Car of the Year award, and Performance Car of the Year award, in Europe. Further stoking the fires.

Porsche has some big decisions they have to make in the not so distant future.

Do they transform the 911 into a heavier, more luxurious GT car (which it is slowly becoming)? Do they push the Cayman as the company race car worldwide and develop the platform with more power? Do they step up and give the Cayman the power it deserves and "needs"? Do they sweep the Cayman under the mat and move the focus away from the best car Porsche has ever built (platform wise and not including the CGT of course)? How do they handle the 911 backlash if the Cayman surpasses the 911 as Porsche's "pure performance" models? Will the 911 finally move to mid-engine? etc etc etc.

Interesting times for Pcar enthusiasts I guess....

playdoh43

damn this is a m3 thread lol

Riggs

Sorry man! I apologize.

Detrich

what's the difference between a porsche & a porcupine?

RX-Hachi

3200 lbs for the RX-8? Nope, only with a really heavy driver in it. Base or Sports package RX-8s are just a tad over 2900 lbs (according to owners that have weighed them) and GTs are around 3020 lbs.

Back to the new M3, I kind of like it, but not over the moon. And I agree that the back-end is just way too busy looking.

I passed on the E46 M3 because it felt just too heavy compared to my E36 M3. This new one is gonna be a pig, probably will feel heavier than my wife's 5 series. The RX-8 has spoiled me. My next car must be just as light or lighter on its feet, no matter how much HP its got.

lesper4

iTrader: (3)

i like the side mirrors and i have to hope that the interior looks better then in past years they didnt have much design in them.

Detrich

well, the m3 has never been an over-the-top stunning car- namely because it's still the outline of a 3-series sedan/ coupe. that said, what makes it fun & special are the subtle details AND the over-the-top performance it embodies.

i've driven the e36 m3 and thought it was a lot of fun. that was only around 240 horses, and yes it did feel lighter than the e46. but, for the same weight of an e46, i can only begin to imagine what 420 horses must feel like. my e46 3-series also weighs 3500lbs & only outputs around 170 or so horses, but german horses, mind you. it's very responsive when i push it. and, even if i shift around 4k or 5k rpm, i can still get 300 miles per tank.

my problem with the m3 has always been pricing. each m3 is almost equivalent to buying 2 nicely-equipped rx-8's... <lol> and, for everyday people, if u compare the cars side-by-side, the 8 is definitely more bang for the buck & the better overall value- because unless u are hardcore tracking, u will not be able to see or appreciate just how good the m3 truly is. (it's the fastest, best-performing car in its class for a reason afterall.)

i think what we all really want to see is for mazda get off its *** and deliver a 2009 rx-8 or rx-7, or rx-9 etc. that truly stands up to the competition in hp, handling, and weight- all the while maintaining their price range. (it also wouldn't hurt if they did a better job at customer service and post-purchase customer care. there's a LOT they can learn from bmw in that area.)

Riggs

That's the BMW joke jackass!

Riggs

And there we have it ladies and gentlemen!

Detrich

i was just offering my point of view... no need to get all hostile.

Riggs

Detrich

I am just messing with you man!

x-ped

Sounds like a corvette, very yummy. I think the rear end doesn't flow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv-F8PnaJf4

Design1stCode2nd

Looks great too me but too bad I'd have to win lotto to own one. And they don't depreciate worth a damn either. An 03 still costs 32-36k depending on mileage and options. Here is hoping teh regular 335i will depreciate like normal.

playdoh43

well that just means if you buy it new, you wont loose much money when you are ready to sell it.

RENESIS_NEENJA

Not feeling it...... :/

RX-Hachi

Best time to pick up a used E46 M3 will be about a year after the new M3 is out. They will take a big hit in depreciation once the new car is widely available, and there should be a wide selection as owners trade up.

I just hope they have a better looking yellow this time. I loved the Dakar Yellow on my E36 M3, but hated the Phoenix Yellow on the E46 M3. It looked like a metallic musturd mixed in with a wasabe green.

globi

Cell phone pics from the car show:

SoFL_RX8

thats it? I was expecting something much more stunning.

globi

Actually they put together a nice show with lots of flashing, swishing, rumbling and screaming - it felt like visiting a ferocious dragon in a dungeon hiding the unillumined princess in a mini-skirt or something.

Tanaka826

i like it... it looks aggressive