Z4 M vs Boxster S vs SLK 55

"Dori A Schmetterling" > wrote in message
...
> Which one was the hairdressers' car?
>
> DAS

That would be all those three-pointed star cars that can't even surpass
Chevrolet and Ford on the JD Power Initial Quality and Reliability
surveys..................

Agreed. I think that was the reason Porsche wanted to ditch the 911,
knowing very well the limitations of the rear engine. But they have done
well with it, as you say.

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling
---

"Filmophile" > wrote in message
ups.com...
[...]
> superior to that of the 911, which although amazing in it's
> capabilitites will always be limited by it's rear engined design.
[...]

> forward, not backward. The rear-engined revolution was well fought, but
> destined to end. We've proven our point - the layout can work, and work
> well, even in race cars. All hail the 911, but the 911 is nearly ready
[...]>

"Filmophile" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> The company needs to grow beyond pandering to enthusiasts who want to
> keep the marque locked into the past. They need to be able to look
> forward, not backward. The rear-engined revolution was well fought, but
> destined to end. We've proven our point - the layout can work, and work
> well, even in race cars. All hail the 911, but the 911 is nearly ready
> to die.

Porsche makes several variants of an SUV, soft and hardtop mid-engined
two-seaters and is designing a four door front-engined sedan for
introduction in 2009 or so. How is this pandering to enthusiasts who want to
keep the marque locked into the past?

The 911 is still a formidable vehicle no matter where the engine resides,
and market demand is strong. Porsche doesn't lose money on the 911 - its not
like they keep it around out of sentiment. I don't think it goes away until
market demand goes away,

"Jim Keenan" > wrote
> Porsche makes several variants of an SUV,

Sadly, on my way back from Hood River, OR to Seattle last week,
I saw a small camp trailer (caravan for you EU guys) being hauled
by a Cayenne. ;-( The horror, the horror.

FloydR

On 12 Jul 2006 21:15:31 -0700, "Filmophile" >
wrote:
>The only time Porsche executives ever gave serious consideration to
>discontinuing the 911 was when they were developing the 928, thinking
>that it would eventually replace the Carrera. Unfortunately for
>Porsche, the 928 never sold real well, partly the by product of it's
>high price. During the 1980s when the company was nearing bankruptcy,
>the 911 was the only thing keeping them alive, and it stuck around for
>a few more years. Enthusiasts certainly love it, but profitability is
>what;s kept the 911 in the lineup, not demand. Keep in mind that there
>are many Porsche lovers out there, but only so many who can continue to
>buy new vehicles for such high cost.

I'm okay with most of what you wrote, but it wasn't the 911 that
kept Porsche alive during the 80s - it was the 944. The 944 was the
Boxster of its day - an "entry level" Porsche with moderate power - by
Porsche standards - and phenomenal handling that sold by the
bucket-load. (And if you read the old articles, writers often said
that the 944 would outperform the 911 if only it had as much power,
the same thing we hear about the Boxster and Cayman today).
The 911 was out-selling the 928, but both models combined wouldn't
have kept Porsche afloat. Even now, I think I read Porsche sells fewer
than 3000 911s a year. The company learned its lesson a decade ago -
they can't make a living selling 911s. Accepting this is why they
branched out to all the different model lines.
But the 911's value goes beyond sales - every model variant
generates pages and pages of free publicity in every car magazine on
the planet, it's the benchmark car in every comparison road test, and
its shape remains the first thing in most people's mind's-eye when
they heard the word Porsche. The Cayenne and Cayman don't come close
to generating the same ink. Until *that* stops, they'd be crazy to
stop producing the 911, despite being able to make something better in
their sleep.
epbrown
--
"Everybody wants a normal life and a cool car;
most people will settle for the car." Chris Titus
2003 BMW 325i Black/Black, 2003 BMW Z4 Black/Black

In article . com>,
Filmophile > wrote:
>dead. Nonetheless, 52 years is a long lifespan, and Porsche is facing
>increasingly stiff competition. The Corvette crawls ever closer in
>terms of performance and agility to the 911, and although the Porsche
>will always win for build quality and prestige, that's not always
>enough.

You might be horrified to look up the correct meaning of the word
"prestigue". I do not disgaree with the rest of your post but this
was an unfortunate choice of words.

--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

In article <Nm%sg.37829$AB3.22509@fed1read02>,
Jim Keenan > wrote:
>
>"Richard Sexton" > wrote in message
...
>> In article >,
>> Dori A Schmetterling > wrote:
>>>Journalists' opinion is that Boxster drivers have it as a consolation
>>>prize
>>>as they would rather be driving a 911...
>>
>> Shades of the 914-6. Cool car, but for not much more you can get a real
>> Porshe. (a 911).
>
>Right. That's like saying the only real Mercedes has gull wing doors.

You say that like it's a negative thing. You're referring to the
4 rotor C111, right?



--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

Dodge Neon or no car due to DUI. Maybe I need to know better hairdressers.

In article >,
Dori A Schmetterling > wrote:
>Which one was the hairdressers' car?
>
>DAS
>
>For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling
>---
>
>"Richard Sexton" > wrote in message
...
>[...]
>>
>> There is one school of thought that says it (and the lessor SLKs)
>> are "secretaries cars". Snicker.
--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

In article <LHgtg.37914$AB3.36681@fed1read02>,
Jim Keenan > wrote:
>
>"Dori A Schmetterling" > wrote in message
...
>> Which one was the hairdressers' car?
>>
>> DAS
>
>That would be all those three-pointed star cars that can't even surpass
>Chevrolet and Ford on the JD Power Initial Quality and Reliability
>surveys..................

Yeah. Chicks dig that ****.


--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

In article >,
dizzy > wrote:
>Richard Sexton wrote:
>
>>In article <J3%rg.10587$Nv.8919@fed1read10>,
>>Lawrence Lugar > wrote:
>>>the mercedes is a sissy status-seeking sport's car,
>>
>>The 6's were. The 55 will out-evrything the Prosche.
>
>Oh? How's the manual gearbox?

Not available, but you already knew that. Not really relevant either
and you knew that too.


--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net