Porsche is plotting the launch of a “purist” version of the Porsche 911 that will be available as a regular production model and not just a limited special like the 911 R.
Porsche reveals 911 GT3 "Touring Pack" at Frankfurt Motor Show
Speaking to Autocar at the launch of the new Porsche Cayenne, Porsche R&D boss Michael Steiner said the firm sees “potential for more purist versions of sports cars with no limitation” on production numbers.
Last year’s 911 R was created as the ultimate 911 for the road, much as the GT3 is considered the same for the track. It focused on simple driving pleasure rather than top speeds or lap times.
Steiner said it is important for Porsche to have 911s that are “fun on the road, not just on the track”. On the 911 R, he said: “What we learned is that there are more and more customers who enjoy pure, fun-to-drive sports cars. Porsche always has some limited as well as unlimited sports cars. For pure sports cars, there’s no need for limitation.”
Steiner wouldn’t confirm if the new simplified version of the 911 would be added to the range in this generation or the next, but with the all-new car at least two years away, the model is more likely to be destined for the current generation of the 911.
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Would it sell though?
I'd love to see a N/A 6 pot 911 with poverty spec trim and skinnier wheels, and it'd be ace to drive. But would it sell? I must be one of the three people in the country who bought the poverty spec Toyota GT86 they tried selling for a couple of years. No toys - bargain (and these things are relative - still has music and aircon) It was as popular as syphilis, whereas people buy the top spec models with added wings and things (but no more power) like hot cakes.
Fingers crossed it's a new base model
Top of Porsche's list for this project should be for this so-called purist car to be at the very bottom of the 911 range. Less power & torque, ideally a non-turbo version of the current 3.0 engine. Smaller wheels & skinnier tyres. Keep it simple. Make it the cheapest new version on sale, with almost no standard equipment. Perfect.
Agree. The simpler the better
No turbos, a manual box, and certainly nothing electronically adjustable in the suspension.
A car that finds the answers through mechanical rather than electrical engineering.
Who cares about people who
Who cares about people who bought the R?
This is - without question in the context of 911s - a good thing. How can it not be?
A road car being developed to be enjoyed on the road should not be a revalation.
Sadly it is, and Autocar is much to blame for that.
Who cares about people, Certainly not Porsche
I have to say that I agreee with most of what has been siad on this topic. I simpler lighter more fun 911 would be a great thing but Porsches makes gazillions from it's extras list and the dealers are to blame. They stand over the customers as they go through the configurator and drop little comments about how a manual box will deminish the resale, how you must have a PDK and PDC and carbon brakes and this and that and before the customer knows what has happened they have added £20k to the lst price. So lets nbot be fooled by he Posche bollocks about undrstanding their customers. Don;t forget this is the company that said that their customers preferred buttons on the steering wheel to paddles for the first gen PDK, this also the company that said that most of their customers no longer wanted a manual gearbox and withdrew it from the options list on the 991 GT3 and GT3RS. The UK dealers have run a black market on GT cars for years and now they are back peddling like hell because customers are fed up and Buying Aston Martin and Lotus
Autocar to blame, sorry you are very worng!