Why are Porsches expensive?

In news: snipped-for-privacy@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com, Craig J. decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

Because once you've driven a 911, nothing else will do.

Marketing aside :), Porsches are expensive because of several factors: a) The technology they use isn't cheap. b) They're built for the track (whether you take them there or not is entirely up to you). c) The handling of a Porsche is like nothing else.

However, the total sum (even if you ignore all of the above) is that Porsche prices their car at a point that allows them to maximize their profits.

...because they can get away with it, Porsche is THE most profitable car company. BTW Porsches (and cars generally) are lot more expensive in UK , Europe and RoW. Regards, Martin

May I also throw in...there ain't many of them. Which also factors into cost...

Keep this in mind when talking about Porsches.

There are more Corvettes alone than there have been Porsches built from day one. Combine every model, 356, 911, 924/944/968, 928, Boxster, Cayanne, and there still are more Corvettes.

This is probably the main reason - economies of scale. Porsche makes about 50,000 911s and Boxsters annually now, and about another 50,000 Cayennes. BMW makes about 1,000,000 cars annually........

Here are the prices in Norway, in Norwegian Kroners. The exchange-rate is about 6.2 per 1 dollar, so the base 911 is about 193 000 US Dollars... You lucky ba*******

Simple supply and demand. And, compared to other "exotics" they are a bargain. You can put a Turbo up against cars that cost twice as much.

The only car that even comes close is the new Corvette, IMHO. It looks great, has lots of power, is fun to drive, but still ain't a Porsche. Many of us have Porsches that are getting up in years, but the cars are still tight, work very well, and hold their value. My 79 SC is tighter than many new cars I've driven, and is a blast to drive. They are truly race cars that can be driven on the street.

Again, some of you guys are not going to like this,(and I am a Porsche owner and fan), but it costs a lot of engineering bucks to make as fine a car as Porsche does because they are constantly improving a well-engineered car that started with a not-so-good engineering idea.....rear engine.

OK let's hear the rebuttals'

Thanks, Joe

In news:huC9e.85923$f% snipped-for-privacy@bignews1.bellsouth.net, snipped-for-privacy@bellsouth.net decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

Heh, I was happy with the early 80's 911. I think they stopped making them more fun with the death of the air cooled 911, and they're only just getting back to making them real again now.

No arguments here. I enjoy the battle of driving a hammer flying backwards.

Don't most real sports/race cars have rear/mid engine designs? :)

Most exotics are rear engine (Ferrari/Lamborghini/Porsche/Pagani etc).

Actually, Porsche tried the front engine design, and it just didn't seem that the Porsche fans were too interested.

No. Ferrari has mid and front engines. Lambo and most others are mid. Porsche has rear (911 et. al.) and mid (Boxster). Other than the DeLoren, almost no other cars than 911 use rear. For that matter, most front-engine performance cars can be termed mid-engine, since the engine is (almost always) behind the front axle: Corvette, Ferrari, Jaguar.

IIRC, the 924/944 was the best seller for Porsche for many years.

Floyd

The Boxster is not rear engined, nor is the Cayenne, and they account for well over half of Porsche's total annual production. The soon-to-be introduced Cayman is a Boxster coupe.

Porsche produces relatively few vehicles annually and the R&D, labor, materials and other costs of production, plus a profit, have to be realized from this small pool of products. That's what makes them expensive, not the design of the company's flagship. A design, by the way, that has proven itself in competition and in the marketplace for decades.

What Porsche do you own? I have a 2002 996 and my experience has been that most folks who knock the 911 haven't lived with one.

My guess is that a Porsche is designed by engineers, not accountants like some other automobile manufacturers.

Yup, you're right. My bad. I lumped in mid (in front of the rear wheels) and rear engine vehicles together.

Sure but neither was designed to replace the 911 (that's what the 928 was for, and it did relatively poorly).

Phil:

It was true until Wiedeking, an accountant, took over, the Boxster was designed and build to a price point, similarly the 996 was cheaper to build then the 993. It's only recently that the engineers have been able to improve the Boxster and the 911 / 997, but the quality and customer service is still far from the first class we would expect. Regards, Martin

Actually, all those you mentioned, except Porsche 911 are mid-engined........as are most formula cars, dragsters, etc

Although a fine Porsche, not considered THE Porsche....... Front engine, rear tranny, used by some great marques!

Have owned a '63 356B S90, T6, '87 928S4, '91 964 coupe, '98 Boxster, and

Joe