[Nickshu]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Nice analysis. I like the theme but you also have to take into account the rest of VAG. A $40k Porsche would likely cost Audi sales of the TT. You also have to consider at what point they start diluting their position of Porsche as a premium brand, because status is a big factor for many new Porsche buyers.

Pretty much. VAG is now the General Motors of Europe. It's all about shared platforms now. Porsche knows they will sell many more cars to "lay people" if they make Porsche an upscale brand from Audi. I believe the future will basically be VW=Chevy, Audi=Buick, Porsche=Cadillac. Not that Chevy/Buick/Cadillac aren't building some good cars now, because they are...but the soul of anything unique has been gutted. Then Porsche will build the occasional limited production super-duper-hyper car to keep their technological edge and maintain their engineering dept, like the 918 and the GT, but these will be cars will be untouchable for even 99% of us old-school Porsche enthusiasts, or at the very least unobtainable.

Most people here don't want to hear this but it's inevitable. No niche automaker in the history of cars has ever stayed a niche automaker. They either flounder and die out, or grow into what purists wanted them to never become. Bummer.....being profitable is so overrated!