The Boxster isn't a bad car and it has sold pretty well, but it's too expensive to be an entry level Porsche still. A base Boxster today is still well north of $50k. I'm talking about something that is smaller, tighter, lighter, more agile, etc. Just like the 914 was. And call me a heretic but I actually find the 356 to be ungainly looking and ugly. Not much more attractive than the 914, frankly. Yes, I can appreciate a nice 356 for the role it played in forming the company and for its racing heritage, but they're just not very pretty.

none of this will matter if vw 'reliability' spills over into Porsche.

2016, lol. We might all be dead by then.

Or all commuting by bicycle.

ClubSport Caymen. Call it the 914 edition, give it a targa top, and strip it of the luxury items and some weight. The engine is fine the way it is, as is the suspension and braking.

It'd still come in about $30,000 over the intended target price though.

No, Lotii are more than $35k.

However, Toyota did that with their MR2's. :)

-Z-man.

a targa top cayman......that sounds pretty cool to me!

+1000

True. The MR2 actually is a pretty neat little car. I considered one for a track toy a while back, but the suspensions and engine power have a lot to be desired. If Porsche could bring their engineering to bear on something similar though, I bet it'd sell very well - think an MR2 with an engine that performs like a Subie or S2000 and with a good suspension. I bet they could do it for around $35k too.

Exactly. It would be cheaper if everything wasn't wrapped in leather and Alcantera

Time to bring back a true driver's car....300hp, mid engine, light weight, and without all the power gizmos and leather-clad bobbles. Porsche should make a sub-$40k car and target it towards the younger crowd because when they get older, they'll be able to afford the Carrera line. Just my 2 cents....

If they made a good car for sub 40k it would be my first act upon graduation. I swear.

There are al sorts of sub $40k Porsches out there. ...just not new.

For new, buy a speedster replica. --has all the sparseness of the older stuff because it is old design made as new.

Ah - but it did perform like a Subie or S2000 - you're forgetting the MKII MR2 Turob.

In stock form, the MKII MR2 turbo put down 200hp from it's 2.0 liter turbo 4-banger. With some simply bolt-ins (wastegate, chips, intake/exhaust), the motor could make close to 300hp safely and reliably. (Side note: the same 3S-GTE motor produced 261hp in Japan)

As for the suspension - in late 1993, they modified the rear trailing arms (IIRC), which greatly improved the handling capabilities of the car, and eliminated the 'snap oversteer' tendancies of the mid-engined car.

With a curb weight of around 3,000lbs, it's not really a light-weight. However, its weight can be brought down by a couple of hundred pounds by gutting the interior....etc.

-Z-man.

The miata turbo, pontiac solstice turbo and saturn sky are all in the niche that you guys are talking about.

And Zef will be pleased to know that 2 of them are GM's. ;)

Toyota is going to bring back a sports car. Maybe a new MR2.

I think they are great cars & newer technology allows more advanced performance...

Compared to many cars out there today, 911s are still pretty light. GT3 curb weight is 3075 lbs. That's only ~275 lbs more than my '84 Carrera, but the GT3 has more than double the power.

Have you looked up the weights of other cars recently? The lightest BMW is something like 3250lbs with 255hp. The M3 is 3700lbs(!) these days.

Thank you, I say, thank you, thank you, thank you Jesus..........

Chunk that those two P.O.S. P-cars on the trash/recycle heap and to hell with waiting so long, kick them both to the curb NOW.

I will be the first one down at Brumos for the new "Polf" (Golf running gear and frame with 356 bodywork)..................lol

todd :)

There ya go- A Cayman with the S suspension (or stiffer), no radio, a plastic/fiberglass dash, cheap cloth sport seats, no carpets, no options. They would save a good amount of money by just throwing in cheap seats, no nice interior bits, and not sound system. Maybe sacrifice some of the nicer components for cheaper to makes ones, and sell it for a Lotus-killing $37,500.