I wasn't even looking for car stuff today, I was looking for something to put on my blog. However I found a nice little tidbit on a new Porsche setup. It seems that after putting out the 4-door Panamera they wanted to get back to a purist driving machine.

Anyway, it's one of the few newer Porsche's I'd actually want in my driveway (or more to the point, to drive on a canyon road). Since I didn't see it posted yet I figured I'd add it.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/12/a-porsche-for-purists/

Its not bad and is actually semi realistic

Too much money for what it is.

umm this is my car when i get a garage...frakking awesome.

That Boxster is showing up at the LA show. Not my thing though.

Kuddos to Porsche! Has to be one of the best ideas they've had in a while. Not everyone's cup of tea, but they had the balls to take a good (open top) sports car, cut the weight, up the power, lower it, and leave it at a decent price (for a Porsche). Can't fault that. Handling AND power in spades.

For 9krpmrx8 - Yes, 62K is a bit much for a bare bones car. However you do pay for the name. Even a 914 charged a good penny when they were new and they were the "poor man's Porsche". Then again even if they put on a VW badge (it really is the same comapany) a 2800lb roadster pulling that hp/tq and the handling we'd expect from the name should command more than say a Honda S2000. Just like the Lotus...it's all in what you're looking for in the car.

To Spin9k - Exactly what I thought. Get rid of all the plush creature comforts so many demand and make a car that is just built to be driven. It's one of the things I love about Lotus, when you see one you know the owner wants to DRIVE (or they had no clue what they were buying lol).

Only 2800 eh? Seems like this will be very popular, especially in Solo.

Not everyone's cup of tea, but they had the balls to take a good sports car, cut the weight, up the power, lower it, and leave it at a decent price (for a Porsche). Can't fault that. Handling AND power in spades.

Hear that Mazda???

Hear that Mazda???

if you want to be technical the nc miata had ac as optional for a while, dont see many of the 5 speed no ac miata running around though ^_^ then again this is texas and that doesnt sell well down here

Hear that Mazda???

LOL too true... it's not like they'll hurt their market share on the RX8 by going to this rule. Sadly they want to take the more conservative approach and make a compromise between pure sports car and family sports sedan.

Hopefully they will branch out with the next RX to include both (one pure drive and one compromise). but that may be a bit much to ask...so go for drive first please.

Not bad for a boxster

Hear that Mazda???

Pssh, Porsche got that from Mazda. Every option in a Miata is an option, you can get a bare track ready Miata for 18grand new with nothing in it, not even AC. Only thing I don't like is at that point you are forced to get a 5 speed, which wont matter on a track anyway.

But I think you were getting at this is what they should do with an 8 or future 7. In which case I agree. I honestly thought thats what the damn R3 would have been. I was only half right.

Pssh, Porsche got that from Mazda. Every option in a Miata is an option, you can get a bare track ready Miata for 18grand new with nothing in it, not even AC. Only thing I don't like is at that point you are forced to get a 5 speed, which wont matter on a track anyway.

But I think you were getting at this is what they should do with an 8 or future 7. In which case I agree. I honestly thought thats what the damn R3 would have been. I was only half right.

NO, Porsche did not get that from Mazda. They have been building Club Sport 911's for over twenty years. They even removed the passenger sunvisor to reduce weight.

I was yet again considering an FI setup for my '8 and you throw a new Porsche at me. Oh the decisions, decisons.... ;)

wow, as a true weekender/track car, this thing would be perfect.

i'm shocked by the weight though...all those weight saving measures and it STILL weighs 2800 lbs?? Am i missing something?? Don't our base model 8's weigh in just under 3000? And that's without super light wheels, cf roof, etc. I know the 8 weighs less than most...but you think porsche could have gotten this down closer to 2500-2600 lbs.

anyway...i like this idea. i think they'll sell plenty to make it worthwhile.

porsche really could have dropped more weight. power windows? those motors are heavy. if it doesnt have a door handle it really shouldnt have those heavy power window motors. and it better not have power seats either.

and 22lb rims? they really could have gone with 15-16lb 18s. not some huge 19s, there is still space around the brake rotors. definitely could have gone with 18s.

they could have EASILY stripped another 100lbs out of this car. 200lbs with a little more effort. this car is self indulgent. its not hard enough.

NO, Porsche did not get that from Mazda. They have been building Club Sport 911's for over twenty years. They even removed the passenger sunvisor to reduce weight.

And Mazda has been building Miatas for over 20 years... but at the end of the day, they are all copying off the Lotus Elan.

And Mazda has been building Miatas for over 20 years... but at the end of the day, they are all copying off the Lotus Elan.

Well you got that part 1/2 right. The Original Miata was a copy of the Elan, I just don't see where Porsche copied the Elan. Two totally different car companies.

As we know, the Porsche has been a steady evolution from the VW bug, with a number of side excursion branches (their current "family tree" TV ad pretty well pictorially says it all).

The Miata design rather is unabashedly based on the Lotus Elan.

Just another Porsche ..... Not a big fan of them unless we are talking Carrera GT ..........

A ragtop that doesn't weathertight seal and is 'only good at preventing sunburns.' But then, I don't even drive my '8 that much in the rain, so ... ;)

porsche really could have dropped more weight. power windows? those motors are heavy. if it doesnt have a door handle it really shouldnt have those heavy power window motors. and it better not have power seats either.

and 22lb rims? they really could have gone with 15-16lb 18s. not some huge 19s, there is still space around the brake rotors. definitely could have gone with 18s.

they could have EASILY stripped another 100lbs out of this car. 200lbs with a little more effort. this car is self indulgent. its not hard enough.

German cars have a way of disappointing me. A boxster is fucking tiny!! in person they look about the same size as a current miata. I think the wheelbase on the boxster is only a few inches longer, and with triple the cost, you would imagine the materials would be much lighter, especially on a car like this that's specifically supposed to be light. The miata curbs at 400 pounds lighter!! Seriously wtf. the porsche should weigh 2500 at the absolute most. with 320 bhp, it might be able to then get 0-60 in less than 4....

Pssh, Porsche got that from Mazda. Every option in a Miata is an option, you can get a bare track ready Miata for 18grand new with nothing in it, not even AC. Only thing I don't like is at that point you are forced to get a 5 speed, which wont matter on a track anyway.

But I think you were getting at this is what they should do with an 8 or future 7. In which case I agree. I honestly thought thats what the damn R3 would have been. I was only half right.


Yup...I was getting at the future8/7 and not actually the MX-5. I don't know how much various parts weigh but for the R3, losing the power windows and maybe even the disc changer could have saved a few lbs. and I could easily live with that. I agree that the R3 could have been a little more hard core than it is. I'd really like to drive and feel what the Renesis is like in a 2500lb car or even better in something like an Elise which I believe checks in at 19xx for a bare bones model.

porsche will sell a lot of these if it's less than the cayman s. apparently this is due to hit the showroom floor in feb.

at 61k its right around the same point.

^ Yep; I'd rather have a Cayman S. But in a dry area I can see the 'simplicity' appeal of the Spyder.

Porsche took a page right out of Lotus' book on this one.

^ Indeed. If you don't want to incur the expense of increasing power, then decrease the weight. An even larger profit margin for Porsche.

I really wish I could drive that car.
very cool, kudos porsche.

Sweet car. Definitely a refreshing change.