From what i can see in the sunday times - Every dealer has a few in stock and I have even seen a 997 S on ebay with a buy it now price $6k below MSRP.

If the car had a more agressive front end liek the photoshop RAY did and 400 HP (like it should) It would be selling like hotcakes.....

I think Porsche dropped the ball somewhat here

 

I do not doubt they have dropped the ball. I was astounded to see a sticker price of $100,000 for a S coupe. The base model 997 has 5 more hp than the 996 and it is heavier. Performance gain nil. Factor in 10 year old styling and the problem is apparent. Porsche can fool the buyers only for so long.

The 997 will continually be discounted. I saw two at a local dealership which have not been sold.

 

Darren.......I don't know why don't they just ask us about this stuff

 

When a car gets to be 100 grand, customers starting coming to their senses. Do they really need a new one?, etc..

A sales person at my dealer said they were surprised that there wasn't that much interesting in the 997 so far.

A nicely optioned coupe is getting to be a lot of money. Maybe people are waiting for cabs.

 

When the 997TT comes out everything will change.

 

I am inclined to agree because the 997 base model will be marketing disaster. They tried to retool the look of the 993 and not provide the 997 base model with an performance gains.

The 996 TT was a terrific car and I am sure from a performance standpoint the 997 TT will be one as well. However be prepared to pay dearly for a car that very much resembles a 993 and probably will perform on the level of the 996 TT with the X51 package.

Porsche does not give away anything.

 

I went for a drive yesterday to Sarasota, and saw a 997 at Suncoast Porsche. It was the base model, and I liked the styling. I think the interior will take a little more getting used to.

Porsche has really been on a line extension kick. Look at how many models of the 911 they've been marketing. What started as the X51 and X50 horsepower options has now evolved into different models, i.e. the Carrera and Carrera S, 911 Turbo and 911 Turbo S.

I have mixed feelings about how this will play out, because the 911 is a niche sports car, and I don't know if the market will really support so many different flavors of this car.

As a Porsche enthusiast I would rather see a modest price increase to go along with the new model introduction, but more power. (Or maybe a bump to 340-350 horsepower on the base model Carrera, and also a Carrera S with 380-400 NA horsepower.)

However, I can't say Porsche is doing the wrong thing. They're trying to increase revenue, increase margins, and increase their unit volume. They know how to offer more horsepower than they do, but they're in the business of selling cars this year, next year, the year after that, etc. They can't give it all away in one year.

But I have to wonder what a Carrera S Cabriolet will run nicely optioned. It seems this could easily top $115k, and that's a lot. Especially considering my 2000 Cab cost $82k.

 

[

However, I can't say Porsche is doing the wrong thing. They're trying to increase revenue, increase margins, and increase their unit volume. They know how to offer more horsepower than they do, but they're in the business of selling cars this year, next year, the year after that, etc. They can't give it all away in one year.

But I have to wonder what a Carrera S Cabriolet will run nicely optioned. It seems this could easily top $115k, and that's a lot. Especially considering my 2000 Cab cost $82k. [/B][/QUOTE]

Porsche announced they made over One Billion Euro's last year. Not bad for a small company. They are making a ton of money off of us.

 

I hope you are not running your PC on a MS Windows environment (MS is making USD 2 billions every quarter by selling defective and unsecure software...) Just joking

From what I heard here in Switzerland, the sales objectives for 2004 (about 100 Carrera S and 40 Carrera) will be reached without any problem.

However, a possible slow start may be due to the holiday period, the 997 was launched mid-July here where almost everyone was out of town.

Then, my dealer just told me that customers are more and more difficult with their choice, willing to carefully build their car with all the options they want (or do not want). And people is ready to wait, some even deliberately postponing the delivery date of their car to get a second production batch car.

This means that the first cars delivered to dealerships without a firm order from a customer simply do not sell.

Cheers and sorry for my bad English

 

Sold = 0
Not sold = 4

The main thrust of the 997 appears to be the retro-styling and nobody but 993 owners really care (although not enough to cough up $80-100K for a new car). IMHO, the positive reviews of the auto magazines are thinly veiled efforts to suck up to Porsche to get test cars in the future before their competitive automotive rag counterparts (and how many cars do the magazines buy ?).

To make matters worse, IMHO the styling of the 987 and 996 (particularily the wide-body 996 models) are fresher looking than the 997 and, with the exception of the Turbo, are less money. On the other side, $55K will get you the classic styling of a real 993 C4S or C2S.

A $100K GT3, perhaps. A $100K 997, no thanks.

 

No one is going to pay $101k for an "S"....

At least no one with a brain.

 

Also, with the GT3 being basically called perfect, then they drop an all new model. The GT3 is what 95k list. Maybe 110k with dealer markup.

Funny but for all the complaints of the 996 fried eggs (which I love) and interior (which looked Porsche to me) it was a tremendous success. Not sure why they listened to the people who probably DIDN'T buy the car. lol

And the 911 whoring has been mentioned in more than 1 mag. Lord knows don't ask Jeremy Clarkson about it.

Porsche does have the brand and panache and performance to demand such prices though. And will get them.

 

You know, I 've heard this before.........and though it would seem to be what you'd assume, (ie. that the retro would appeal to the 993 croud) I don't think it's necessarily true.
The 993 headlamp 'worked' on the 993 body. 993 fans & owners know this...... and some I've talked to, actually resent the marketing move to place that part (of a very good car) on this, very different, body.

Kind-of a strange twist if it actually has that reverse affect on some.

 

HEY!

I resemble that remark!

 

The 997 is not what I expected. I'm still a lot happier with it than the out-going wet 911.

Perhaps there's very few people (in terms of prospective buyers) who have seen the new 911 and found it an immediately compelling proposition. I think it's hilarious that Porsche spent time and money in focus groups -- Porsche can "focus group" their features and accessories or their design trade-offs, but I really don't think (at least I hope) that Porsche spends too much time asking its customers how to build great sports cars.

I think the 997S is a formidable instance of the 911 lineage.

Forget price for a second. It's a production Carrera capable of coming within seconds of the out-going Turbo and GT3 in terms of lap times at the Nurburgring. Mind boggling.

Take price into consideration. From the 996, the price has gone up no more than cost of an expensive ski weekend.

That said, I think the 996 pricing had already moved so far north of 993 pricing, Porsche was showing how difficult it is for a small maker to differentiate (not a real word) an entry level model so close to the core product and keep competitive pricing.

Porsche is set to make some risky moves. A sports sedan *** four door coupe. A coupe Boxster. Variants of its flagship US$400K super-car. Variants on the Cayenne. Porsche technology and design visible in other products and "behind" other brands. It seems incredible that Porsche is taking a successful model line-up (the end of seems

Given the 'ho hum' of the 997 and the fact Porsche has no surprises up its sleeve -- we already know the sedan, the Boxster coupe etc. etc. -- does Porsche have a viable strategy for the next decade?

Personally, I just don't see how we can reasonably expect to see Porsche remain independent. It used to be just an interesting brand. It used to be just a niche technology and design source. Now, it's all those things, plus it's making money. No price would be too much. I have to expect to see Porsche owned by a cash rich auto industry giant willing to break a few eggs to make their motorsports omelette. I could envisage Kia (or the like) owning Porsche. Perhaps. Toyota? There are no rules. But I seriously doubt that Porsche can withstand offers for too many more years. Look at the shock from Ford in the F1 business -- to state the patently obvious, big business makes decisions on money, not emotion. Personally, if I knew some hugely wealthy friend, I'd ask them to invite Porsche to engage in a trust capable of "buying" the decision for Porsche to remain a private, independent company for, say, the next 100 years.

Cheers,