Porsche News

[stradale]

Doesn't working in the automobile industry hugely mess up your sense of time? When you work on a new car you're basically years ahead on developments than the world around you. New cars that come out must already feel dated. New designs and technology are known to you years before they are known to the public. Don't you ever feel like you live in two different time zones, st-anger?

[st-anger]

well, it`s not that serious for myself...
but to give you an example, i loved Bangles cars from day one, guess why...
about the tech stuff, you`re 100% right, nowadays technology is already "old" as we speak, again to give you an example, developement for the 998 has already begun...

[st-anger]

Porsche Carrera GT Christophorus Pdf

[SFDMALEX]

Originally Posted by st-anger - Porsche 997 C2 - it´s from the latest AMS: more infos about the 997 in the next few days when i start working

In my opinoin it looks ok, but it just isnt agressive enough. It's to subtle, it looks to peaceful.

[Johns]

I think they should make the 997 more beastly lookin!! but I will still take it anyday, performance speaks for itself 0X

[st-anger]

hi folks

today`d been my first day at the EZW but mainly business/office stuff but as I already know the procedure we made good progress and after lunch my first project was presented to me and as some of you guessed quite well it´s about the 955 Cayenne; not just to improve it, it´s about to make it even faster, the factory tuning kit. the TT`ll have ~500hp then and i´m PA ( project assistant ) on the driveline sector, which is probably one of the best jobs there, because whenever you develop something you have to test it as well…on the track
there`d be so much more to tell, but i´m afraid I don`t have the time right now to tell you all the details…
I know you guys want to see some pics from some “erlkönige� or inside the factory, but this is more or less all top secrtet stuff, and even for employees there are very, very strict rules about that issue, so it`s impossible to get a camera inside and when you get caught with official material or something like that ( you know what I mean…) you`ll be kicked out immediately and after that you´ll need a good lawyer, so I think all of you`ll understand that I won´t even try it, i´ll do my best to provide you with all the infos that can be published here on the net on JW…
greetings from the best place to work at...

btw, i´m looking forward to your questions if there are any…

[TT]

and i´m PA ( project assistant ) on the driveline sector, which is probably one of the best jobs there, because whenever you develop something you have to test it as well…on the track

That sound extremely fun and interesting! To trash a 500 hp Cayenne on track.. WOW!!!!

[1zippo1]

Originally Posted by st-anger ....... it´s about the 955 Cayenne; not just to improve it, it´s about to make it even faster, the factory tuning kit. the TT`ll have ~500hp then....

A tuning kit, something like the X50 package for the 911TT I suppose. And can you perhaps tell us what modifications will be made to the Cayenne Turbo? Only engine tuning or how?

By the way, glad to hear they've assigned you to such an interesting project! Best of luck with it!

[jon_s]

Originally Posted by Johns I think they should make the 997 more beastly lookin!! but I will still take it anyday, performance speaks for itself 0X

I would have thought that the 'aggressive' looking 997 will come in the form of a turbo /gt3 I don't think the current 996 is all that aggressive

[Johns]

dammmn thats a monster. are they going to change the wheels?

[st-anger]

Originally Posted by 1zippo1 Originally Posted by st-anger ....... it´s about the 955 Cayenne; not just to improve it, it´s about to make it even faster, the factory tuning kit. the TT`ll have ~500hp then.... A tuning kit, something like the X50 package for the 911TT I suppose. And can you perhaps tell us what modifications will be made to the Cayenne Turbo? Only engine tuning or how? By the way, glad to hear they've assigned you to such an interesting project! Best of luck with it!

exactely, something like the X50/X74...
in developement there`re several things, not just like a simple engine tuning kit, exhaust and suspension as well, also a face lift, but that´s not my area, in the end it`s all about the marketing dep. which items will appear, so i can`t tell you any details now...

there`d be even more interesting projects but who knows, time will tell

[st-anger]

i´ve posted some hints some time ago, and here`s the latest official info:

- the 4th Porsche -

German sports car maker Porsche is close to building a new four-seater coupe or sports sedan to jump start its profits as its business begins to stall after nine record years, industry experts said on Tuesday.
The world's most profitable car maker, which built its reputation on race-winning sports cars, branched out into a new niche a year ago with a two-tonne sports utility vehicle (SUV), the Cayenne, a strategy which helped maintain growth as demand for its traditional 911 and Boxster cars waned.
But as its sports car sales continue to slide and the initial impact of the Cayenne subsides, the company has said profits could be flat this year, disappointing investors who were hoping for a 10th straight record year.
"There is a good chance that a fourth model announcement could encourage the idea that Porsche is once again a growth story," Goldman Sachs analysts said in a recent note.
"We believe Porsche's fourth model plans are already advanced, with the car's development underway, suppliers closely involved and, according to our sources, prototypes now testing on private tracks."
The maker of some of the world's most desirable cars has long been expected to decide on a fourth model, but has left enthusiasts salivating for more detail.
Porsche, which will be grilled on its plans at its annual press conference in Stuttgart on Wednesday, is now expected to make a decision early next year, with the car not expected to hit the market until 2006 or 2007.
Chief Executive Wendelin Wiedeking has merely hinted that the vehicle could take Porsche into a new niche and attack rivals where they don't expect it, telling a German newspaper recently: "We'll have even fewer friends in the car industry."
Speculation has been rife about what the model could be -- ranging from a baby SUV to a luxury executive saloon -- but the clear favourite is a four-seat sports coupe or sedan.
The new model is likely to use parts from the Cayenne, developed with Europe's biggest car maker Volkswagen <VOWG.DE>, and could be based either on an entirely new platform or on another base shared with VW, experts say.
"As an engineering base it's a toss up between two options," said Mark Fulthorpe of industry research group CSM Worldwide.
"One could be the current base that they share with VW for the Cayenne. The other is to get a similar agreement with VW to utilise the platform which VW will use for vehicles like the Audi A8 and the Phaeton."
Such a move could also benefit VW, allowing it to get more volume from a luxury car platform which has proved costly.
VW company expects to take a hit of several hundred million euros to write off some of the capitalised research and development costs this year, suggesting hundreds of million euros of investment will never generate a return.
VW has said it is working on a platform for a new mid-sized luxury model which industry experts say could also be used by Italian sportscar maker Maserati, and form an ideal base for Porsche's new car. VW declined to comment.
But other analysts said that Porsche, which made 933 million euros ($1.12 billion) before tax in its last business year to the end of July, has enough cash to develop a new platform on its own and note its high levels of capital expenditure this year.
"We still cannot figure out how Porsche spent 500 million euros in 02/03 unless it is ramping up engine capacity to allow supply for the fourth model, paying for supplier tooling and investing in stamping tooling for a new platform," Goldman said.
Industry experts also question the logic of rivals helping Porsche develop a car which will ultimately attack them on what they might long have thought of as safe territory.
"Porsche has historically relied on the generosity of the German industry, like developing the Cayenne with VW. If they're going to take the industry on in such a lucrative sector why would anyone help them out," one industry watcher said.

Copyright 2003, Reuters News Service

[st-anger]

- Sportiest Cars of 2003 -

“sport auto� Readers Cast their Votes

This year too, readers of the German car magazine “sport auto� were invited to choose their sportiest cars. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, carried off two of the much sought-after trophies – namely for the Carrera GT and the 911 GT3 RS, both receiving the most votes in their respective categories.

This vote by “sport auto� readers is another prestigious international prize for the Porsche Carrera GT, which is being built at Porsche’s Leipzig plant and will shortly be delivered to the first customers. In the “Production Cars above 125,000 Euro� category, 25.2 percent of participants voted for this 612-hp Porsche high-performance sports car. The Ferrari Enzo came in second with 17.3 percent, ahead of the Ford GT (9.2 percent) and the Mercedes SLR McLaren (8.8 percent).

The success of the 911 GT3 RS in the “Production Cars from 75,000 to 125,000 Euro� category was equally clear-cut. 26.3 percent of readers voted for it, putting it ahead of a direct competitor, the BMW M3 CSL, which received 20.1 percent of the votes.

On Thursday, Roland Kussmaul, the Carrera GT's technical project manager, and Hartmut Kristen, overall GT3 project manager and head of the Porsche private owners' competition division, accepted the trophies on behalf of Porsche AG during the award presentation ceremony at the Essen Motor Show.

Porsche Head of Development Wolfgang Dürheimer comments: “These awards are impressive proof that with its two new models Porsche has again set the standards in sports car manufacturing.�

...CONGRTATULATION

[st-anger]

After the first week at the EZW i`m more than exhausted because I nearly worked 60 hours that week, and now i´m so glad to be at home again with my wife…
don`t get me wrong, loved every single minute of working, it`s just so interesting and diversified, right now we`re working on some new parts for the AWD system, as well as some tests at the engine test bench. it`s amazing how upradeable that marvellous V8 is…
some time next week i´ll fly to Leipzig for some “tech-talk� with some of their engineers and to learn even more about the Cayenne at the assembly line, and hopefully i`ll have some time to visit the CGT production again and maybe there`s a chance to attend a running-in session, would be nice to hear the V10 again…
it`s just amazing what i´ve experienced in that single week, there`d be so much to tell, but as you`ll understand i´m not really allowed to talk about everything i´ve seen and heared. i´m sure everybody of you´d seen the 997 crash pics of that yellow 997 convertible prototype. as you might now, the EZW is running their own crash test center and the picture shows the area right next to the main building where the crashed car`s, and stuff like that are stored… the oval headlights, new sportseats, longer and thinner rear lights, 3rd brake light… can be seen.
so the 997 series have been finished for a long time now, i´ve already seen some 997 inside the facility that are completely finished, but there are quite some differences and it´s up to the marketing dep. which combinations will come out. so I think everybody knows how the 997 will look like and i´ll keep the details so that there`ll be a little surprise left
i´m sorry, but we aren`t allowed to talk about ANY tech. details including engine specs and stuff like that, but don`t expect too much…
I´m afraid you guys´ll have to wait untill fall`04, spring`05 when it`ll hit the road…

[fedezyl]

Nice to hear everything is going well for you at Weissach, I always wanted to see an engine being tested in a bench test, can you tell us any details about that bench test or is that also Top Secret??

Oh by the way, i'm becoming a BMW fan like you in about 2 weeks, i'm going to buy myself a BMW 2002,, I just need to look for one in a decent condition!