The Gmund Porsche 356-001

[craigyirush]

LAT article on Porsche DNA:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-neil29-2008aug29,0,6658035.story

[Wil Ferch]

Except Porsche has lost the weight-is-religion gene in the latest cars......there is no longer a fetish about light weight as once was.... this is a bit of marketing buffoonery in the article.

[Flieger]

Porsches are still "light" when compared to BMW M3, Nissan GTR, other performance GT cars. That said, all new cars are overweight. Lose the GPS, leather, and airbags.

[dlague]

I saw this car a couple of times in Carmel.. Thursday on Ocean Ave, and at the Concours.....gorgeous.....I will try to dig up some photos.

[Wil Ferch]

The fact that various iterations of the 911 weigh more than the Corvette...is an abomination....

With all the hype and such of the CGT and it's carbon-fiber chassis and alloys, etc..., even it doesn't compare well with he more mundane Corvette,as far as weight is concerned. For a real example of proper size/weight of a more modern-day hyper-car, look no further than a McLaren F1....as "old" as it is.

[ianc]

From the article:

The ignition lock, on the left of the steering column, is there because, originally in the 001, it was cheaper than locating it in the conventional place to the right. "It saved a little bit of wire, a little bit of money," says Bischof, "and maybe 200 grams." This bit of thrift has become Porsche tradition.

I always thought the ignition was located on the left so that in the famous Lemans running starts, the driver could shift to neutral with the right hand while starting the engine with the left to save that fraction of second.

Not sure which is true, but I like the Lemans story better...

ianc

[Flieger]

Originally Posted by ianc

I Always Thought The Ignition Was Located On The Left So That In The Famous Lemans Running Starts, The Driver Could Shift To Neutral With The Right Hand While Starting The Engine With The Left To Save That Fraction Of Second.

Not Sure Which Is True, But I Like The Lemans Story Better...

Ianc

+1

[dentist90]

Originally Posted by ianc

From the article:
I always thought the ignition was located on the left so that in the famous Lemans running starts, the driver could shift to neutral with the right hand while starting the engine with the left to save that fraction of second.

ianc

...and I thought it was because when the engineers made their final decision the coin landed 'tails".