Porsche Announces new car today!

[Don Plumley]

From the Porsche website:

Stuttgart. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany today announced production plans for a new passenger car. The new car will be called the Kartoffel. The Kartoffel is a mid-size, eight passenger mini-van based upon the Cayenne platform. Built in cooperation with Daimler-Chrysler, it will share basic structural components with the successful Chrysler Voyager but retain the performance and styling synonymous with Porsche.

Porsche's President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Wendelin Wiedeking commented, “We were overwhelmed by the positive reception the new Cayenne received in the United States. Combined with the current shift from large SUV’s to more fuel-efficient mid-size vehicles, we at Porsche are compelled to meet market trends and produce the vehicle our new customers are demanding.” He further remarked, “Enthusiasts derided the introduction of the Cayenne. But one ride in the Cayenne Turbo around Zuffenhausen convinced me that there was room for a high-performance vehicle that could seat more than two adults comfortably.” Dr. Wiedeking continued, “So in keeping with our racing heritage, we will produce a limited number of specially equipped high performance versions called the SuessKartoffel. When our financial department showed me the margins we will be making on the S version, I exclaimed ‘Suess!’ and the name stuck.”

The SuessKartoffel will have a 4.5-liter V8 producing 450 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. Also from the Cayenne, it will have the same self-leveling air suspension with ride height control. The Kartoffel is expected to have at least twelve cupholders in the base configuration.

For further information, please visit the Porsche website at www.porsche.com/aprilfools.

GO/April 01, 2003
No. 0401/03

[ZAMIRZ]

Damn you Sloof Lirpa!

[johncj8989]

FRICK!!!! I was about to puke!

[jazzbass]

Very funny. You had me until mini-van. Euros don't like the mini van - if you'd said "Estate wagon" I'd probably be canceling my PCA membership right now.

[Hetmann]

I believe that Kartoffel is the German word for potatoe.

[Langers]

ahahaha didn't fool me... my dad's meeting Dr. Wiedeking today in Australia

[boyo]

I want a 450hp minivan... I'm sure somehow that could be made to be pretty cool. Maybe throw on one of those "If this van's a-rockin'..." bumper stickers, and a shag carpet in the back.

It'd have to be an air-cooled rear engine though!

-Boyo

[nostatic]

in a related note I saw my first Cayenne on the road yesterday. It looks like an SUV. I guess that's becuase it is an SUV, but I was hoping for some sort of miracle "it's better in person" transformation. No such luck.

[bell]

you got me...........i was abusing the april 1st thing ALL DAY and just got home and forgot about it ROTMFF

[Jack Olsen]

It's not April 1 in Germany anymore.

[HarryD]

Hey guys, you might think it's a joke but here is where they did the testing.

http://www.turbovan.net/van.html

[Don Plumley]

Didn't anyone catch what "Suess" means in German?

[boyo]

Sweet potato? That's funny!

-Boyo