[jimmuller]

A day or so ago I received some marketing fluff email from Porsche entitled Porsche News. It announced what appears to be a new website named Home of GTS. Okay....

At the top of the email was a picture of a red Cayman and a green Boxster. Under that picture was a short paragraphs containing:
"Follow the exciting story of the Porsche 718: Evolving from modest beginnings in 1957 as a feisty racetrack prodigy to its current legendary status in the 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 and 718 Cayman GTS 4.0."

Okay. I can believe the feisty prodigy part though I wasn't paying attention in 1957. But the GTS 4.0 is legendary already? It hasn't been out long enough to become a legend! I think today I'll drive my Cayman to a home furnishings store to buy a new antique.

And they started out with a story on the 718. They never push the 718! Unless it was it customized based on my car ownership. Might someone else have been told about the legendary status of the Macan GTS instead?

FWIW, I went to that website, didn't see anything about any 718. But like the typical PorscheUSA website it had eight or ten pages with no obvious indication at the front end of what each contained. I have not yet spent time "exploring".

Did any of you receive this email? Just curious.

 

[MLJJ]

Yes I did. I promptly moved it to the Trash bin like Porsche has done to the T4 718 I guess.

 

[ArchiProf]

I receive it too. Interestingly, in the USA version, the Design heading reads Coming Soon. I randomly checked some other countries and found this under Design on the New Zealand site. From icon to iconic: the history of the 718

… Dominating motorsport in the late 50s and early 60s, the 718 proved a seminal vehicle for Porsche. It highlighted the power of efficiency and precision, demonstrating how the company’s flat-four race cars could keep up with much More powerful machinery fielded by competitors.

A (brief) pause
Known as a bit of a giant killer on the track, the 718 was perhaps overlooked once its heyday was done. Sandwiched between the legendary 550 and 911, the legacy of the 718 was consigned – for a time – to Porsche geek circles and vintage motorsport devotees. But you can’t keep a champ down for long, and so in 2016 Porsche revived the historic 718 moniker for a new generation of passionate drivers.

A modern classic
The 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 and the 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 take cues from their mid-century predecessor as a highly efficient two-door sports car. They’re compact and agile, with go-faster curves on the model line more than 60 years in the making.

If the 718 started life in a more humble fashion, it’s certainly made up for it by now. The car’s sense of efficiency, compactness, performance and practicality rings true in a 21st-century context – just as it did in the 1950s and 1960s. Channelling the spirit of mid-century motorsport with even more grace and power, the new 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 and 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 are already effortlessly iconic.

 

[JazzCatGab]

… Dominating motorsport in the late 50s and early 60s, the 718 proved a seminal vehicle for Porsche. It highlighted the power of efficiency and precision, demonstrating how the company’s flat-four race cars could keep up with much More powerful machinery fielded by competitors.

A (brief) pause
Known as a bit of a giant killer on the track, the 718 was perhaps overlooked once its heyday was done. Sandwiched between the legendary 550 and 911, the legacy of the 718 was consigned – for a time – to Porsche geek circles and vintage motorsport devotees. But you can’t keep a champ down for long, and so in 2016 Porsche revived the historic 718 moniker for a new generation of passionate drivers.

I like that part. I've seen or heard references to this discussing it kicking butt at Targa Florio in particular.

 

[roundtail]

No such email sent to me. Perhaps Porsche has correctly identified me as immune to the nonsense that a 6 cyl smog engine was "inspired" by a 50's race car, and reduced their carbon footprint by sparing the electricity needed to send it to me.

 

[HooosierDaddy]

I received it... and in my reply is as follows!

December 28, 2020

To the German Commander,

N U T S !

The American Consumer



An utter disgrace to the 718 Heritage you originally sold us consumers on, and as a current 718 owner, I take this message as your surrender to youtube personalities and comments. Sell out’s… the whole lot of you!

 

[HooosierDaddy]

I know it’s a mailing list and they’ll never read it, but it was fun to send!

 

[DriveInHouston]

I am not sure many here will understand/appreciate your McAuliffe twist but kudos to you!

 

[HooosierDaddy]

I am not sure many here will understand/appreciate your McAuliffe twist but kudos to you!

Would be funny if someone at Porsche actually read it and understood the point. But it's just a way for me to feel like "I told them".

 

[dpcompt]

I bought my 718C PDK because I enjoy driving it(my daily driver). It's the most recent of many Porsches that I have owned including 3 911s. To me their response to the slow sales of the 718s is appalling. I will drive my 718 to the ground, but things will have to change before I join PCA or buy another Porsche. Compared to the 70s and 80s, there are a lot of really, good alternatives to Porsche sports cars today in the 718's price range.
And I am trying to be as polite as I can be about the subject.

 

[dpcompt]

Another thought that has come to mind is that Porsche was an innovator in turbo charging auto race engines.( 917s as an example) Now, are they apologizing for this success? Come on. The 2.5T engine is detuned not to compete with the 911's performance. There's nothing holding them back from pumping the 2.5T to 400hp, cooling, transmission, handling, brakes, whatever. They blew it not supporting the 718 turbo engines. And, I think it has cost Porsche a lot of money. It's not like the engines that Porsche share's with Audi and Lambo. The 918 Lemans car has a 2 liter V4T with a conservative 500hp and can be driven full gas for 24 hrs.( additional hp from the electrics).

 

[cbarra]

I received it... and in my reply is as follows!

December 28, 2020

To the German Commander,

N U T S !

The American Consumer



An utter disgrace to the 718 Heritage you originally sold us consumers on, and as a current 718 owner, I take this message as your surrender to youtube personalities and comments. Sell out’s… the whole lot of you!

View attachment 25688

Love it. I’ve been contemplating writing a letter/email to Porsche about my thoughts on the matter. Can I quote yours??? LOL

 

[Chris NZ]

The 2.5T engine is detuned not to compete with the 911's performance. There's nothing holding them back from pumping the 2.5T to 400hp, cooling, transmission, handling, brakes, whatever.

All Porsche engines are 'de/tuned' to fit a model or price point - 718, 911, Base, S, GTS etc. In the 991.2 range the Base, S and GTS all effectively have the same engine in various states of tune from 365hp up to 450hp. There is nothing new in this, all manufacturers do it.

 

[HooosierDaddy]

Love it. I’ve been contemplating writing a letter/email to Porsche about my thoughts on the matter. Can I quote yours??? LOL

Quote away! ?

 

[roundtail]

All Porsche engines are 'de/tuned' to fit a model or price point - 718, 911, Base, S, GTS etc. In the 991.2 range the Base, S and GTS all effectively have the same engine in various states of tune from 365hp up to 450hp. There is nothing new in this, all manufacturers do it.

True, as is the process of jackbooting a model to “keep it in its place”. This is the fate of the 2.5 718. The example that always comes to mind is the Pontiac Fiero. No amount of chassis innovation dared threaten the vaunted ‘vette. A coincidence it was also a mid-engined 2-seater?

I saw a comparo recently where the driver drove the GT models, 2, 3, & 4. The 2 & 3 were RS versions. Of course, the GT4 couldn’t measure up to their chassis enhancements. But he drove it last, so the closing comment was “I can only imagine what this car would be like in an RS version...wow. Come on Porsche, make it happen”. I said to myself “Fat chance”.

 

[JakiChan]

I know it’s a mailing list and they’ll never read it, but it was fun to send!

May I suggest sending that to PCNA? It might have more impact.

 

[Chris NZ]

True, as is the process of jackbooting a model to “keep it in its place”. This is the fate of the 2.5 718. The example that always comes to mind is the Pontiac Fiero. No amount of chassis innovation dared threaten the vaunted ‘vette. A coincidence it was also a mid-engined 2-seater?

I saw a comparo recently where the driver drove the GT models, 2, 3, & 4. The 2 & 3 were RS versions. Of course, the GT4 couldn’t measure up to their chassis enhancements. But he drove it last, so the closing comment was “I can only imagine what this car would be like in an RS version...wow. Come on Porsche, make it happen”. I said to myself “Fat chance”.

I'm not entirely sure how your description of keeping the 2.5 718 in it's place is any different from what I have described. This is exactly what I am referring to, all models have their place in a car's line up, the 2.5 718 is no different. This is also why i'm confident in predicting the performance of the GTS 4.0 vs the GTS 2.5 - they are both 718 GTS models and that is the level of performance they will achieve, one is never going to be allowed to significantly outperform the other.

Comparing non-RS vs RS versions of GT cars makes little sense, especially as the GT4 will always sit below the standard GT3, so not sure what the reviewer was trying to achieve. In many ways I think the GT3 is the most important car in the 911 range in that it is the bridge between the standard Carrera models and the more track focused RS models. It is for many (and I include myself in this) the ultimate 911 and, irrespective of the strengths of the Cayman and Boxster chassis, the 911 is the hero model in the Porsche range. Porsche tried to kill it off once before but it didn't work - it is the single most important component of Porsche DNA and always will be.

There is talk of an RS version of the GT4, but there was also talk of one last time around. This time though Porsche might be more motivated to make one, although I think it would be seriously expensive and many would simply opt for a 911 instead.

 

[roundtail]

I'm not entirely sure how your description of keeping the 2.5 718 in it's place is any different from what I have described. This is exactly what I am referring to, all models have their place in a car's line up, the 2.5 718 is no different. This is also why i'm confident in predicting the performance of the GTS 4.0 vs the GTS 2.5 - they are both 718 GTS models and that is the level of performance they will achieve, one is never going to be allowed to significantly outperform the other.

Comparing non-RS vs RS versions of GT cars makes little sense, especially as the GT4 will always sit below the standard GT3, so not sure what the reviewer was trying to achieve. In many ways I think the GT3 is the most important car in the 911 range in that it is the bridge between the standard Carrera models and the more track focused RS models. It is for many (and I include myself in this) the ultimate 911 and, irrespective of the strengths of the Cayman and Boxster chassis, the 911 is the hero model in the Porsche range. Porsche tried to kill it off once before but it didn't work - it is the single most important component of Porsche DNA and always will be.

There is talk of an RS version of the GT4, but there was also talk of one last time around. This time though Porsche might be more motivated to make one, although I think it would be seriously expensive and many would simply opt for a 911 instead.

I was not disagreeing with you, I was adding to your point. There is no model of 911 that is not allowed to outperform another. Conversely, every model of 718 is not allowed to outperform an otherwise comparable 911. Porsche has no desire to produce a maximum performance car that does not say “911” for the general Porsche consumer. The level of performance that exceeds the 911 line is reserved for exorbitant hypercars. I don’t think it’s as much a model line strategy as it is an effort to protect an aged design. The original Boxster was considered underpowered, so it was never a threat to the monster Turbo models of 911. That is no longer true.

The problem with comparing Porsche sports cars to other manufacturers’ model strategy is that Porsche does not market average cars. Everything they sell is marketed as The Best. They try to have it both ways. They make the best 911. They do not make the best 718.

It could also be argued that the motivation behind the 4.0 GTS was less about sound, and more about deciding not to unleash the 2.5. Marketing sells what senior management decided to make, not the other way around.

 

[jimmuller]

Porsche has been known to make marketing and technical mistakes before. The decision to go away from a flat 6 to an inline water-cooled 4, for example. Managers make decision about what to build, engineers give their input, manufacturing engineers and money counters decide what it will cost and what they have to charge. The lack of a GTS T4 on the configurator just makes everyone's current GTS's more valuable!

 

[DriveInHouston]

Asked about the scope of the company’s electrification efforts, Blume had this to say:

“Around 50 percent of all Porsche vehicles could be sold with an electric or hybrid drive by 2025. However, Porsche will always offer combustion engines, particularly in the 911. But we can’t stop the onward march of electromobility.”

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/porsche-911-will-always-be-ice-powered-says-ceo-oliver-blume-141556.html

Now which one? NA-6, Twin turbo six? How about a F4T?