Quote:
Originally posted by jmshepard
In my mind, cool R&D would be vehicles that could compete with the Audi R8 at LeMans
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Completely agreed, but I wonder how much easier it is for Audi to justify such costs with the financial backing of VAG.
I'm as horrified as the next guy at the idea of a Porsche minivan--and was nearly as horrified by the idea of the Cayenne back when it was first announced--but I wonder if Porsche management isn't in fact just plain smart for realizing that the only real way to remain independent and competitive is to extend the brand. And if that means temporarily halting racing R&D, then perhaps that's okay.
As an example of purity at the expense of independence, look at Ferrari, wihch is majority owned by much bigger companies. Ferrari can afford to remain "pure" and continue to field its racing program when over 50% of it is subsidized by Fiat, and another substantial chunk by an Italian bank. Porsche doesn't have that, and I can't fault them for not wanting that. Personally, inasmuch as the sentimentality of a company's history might matter to anyone, there's some small, vague extra bit of ownership satisfaction to be had in owning something that's not a subsidiary brand of GM, Ford, or Fiat.
Err...although I'd gladly take an F430 off anyone's hands if they think it's a handful!
