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Originally posted by dd74
Z-Man - Boxsters aren't cheap. Solstice/Miatas are. And you could sell a hell of a lot more of those to people who can't put down the $50K for a Boxster, but would still like a sporty P-car.
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Problem is - Porsche doesn't want to sell such a 'cheap' car - don't forget, the profit margins are much greater on more expensive cars. And at the moment, I believe Porsche is the most profitable car company in the world. So they are doing something right...
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As far as downmarket - Porsche's already there. The Cayenne did that. If they wanted to stay upmarket and out of contention for market share, they wouldn't have produced the Cayenne, just as Ferrari, Jaguar and others haven't produced SUVs.
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Um no. The Cayenne costs $42k up to $110k for a Turbo S. That ain't small potatoes! It's definately not downmarket in terms of what most SUV buyers would consider an entry level truck. However, the Cayenne was a necessary evil that Porsche needed to make in order to keep afloat. And it worked - there is more enthusiasm for the 987 and 997 today than there was for the 986/996 a couple of years ago.
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I think Porsche's smart to get into this segment, just like they were with the Cayenne. I'd start the cars at $30K, around where a Z4 starts.
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While I would personally love to see a less expensive Porsche that would be in reach of my means, I believe it would ultimately hurt the company. Someone above mentioned Benz - well, you may know I work for Mercedes-Benz, USA, corporate HQ. The consensus around the home office is that the C-class coupe/hatch really didn't help the marque.
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The thing about Porsche is they're not the same car manufacturer we reminiscently know and love. For better or worse, they're a company now that needs to reach many more segments than just sporty cars.
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Or more effectively reach the segments they already own!
-Z.