Porker Hot hatch ????
- Thread starter Suffolk944
- Start date
Neil Haughey
New member
Doesn't surprise me. Porsche compete with BMW and MB for sales so a something to compete with the 1 series seems about right. Doesn't mean I agree with it though.
Suffolk944
Moderator
Seems an odd concept I must admit. Would hope it would at least be 4WD rather than FWD if its going to be based on the next generation Golf...
Did have to double check it wasnt an old leftover story from 1st April. [8|]
Did have to double check it wasnt an old leftover story from 1st April. [8|]
Wigeon Incognito
New member
Now that they have the controlling share of VAG I don't understand why they can't stick to sportscars. They can make this kind of money using the other brands.
A Porsche developed A3 based hot hatch in a similar vein to the RS2 would be very interesting though.
A Porsche developed A3 based hot hatch in a similar vein to the RS2 would be very interesting though.
A Hot Hatch which has been helped along the way by Porsche would be great......wouldn't want to see it badged as a Porsche though.......VW Golf RS as developed by Porsche Engineers, interesting. Porsche 4 Door RS mmmmmm......hope not.
That pic looks like a Fiat Punto too me.....must be a prank anyway[
]
That pic looks like a Fiat Punto too me.....must be a prank anyway[
]
Alpine
New member
has anyone seen the new VW Scirocco ?
http://www.businesscar.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&theme=0&storycode=2614
a sports car based on that would make more sense (although I suspect that the Scirocco has Golf underpinnings as all VWs seem to be based on that car....)
http://www.businesscar.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&theme=0&storycode=2614
a sports car based on that would make more sense (although I suspect that the Scirocco has Golf underpinnings as all VWs seem to be based on that car....)
Wigeon Incognito
New member
Yes it does, it's just a Golf GTi in drag. Odd drag too considering it's supposed to be a Coupe and they already sell a 3 door Golf GTi!
pauljmcnulty
Active member
I think we're forgetting something here.
Let's suggest, hypotheticaly, that Porsche built a small, light, cheap and reliable hatchback, using many VW parts to acheive that low cost and high reliability....
How would that differ from the last time they did exactly the same thing? I think we need to get over the fact that we like our sports cars to look a certain way and realise that the world market is bigger than the UK. Porsche won't be building 2+2 coupes in the future unless they are selling tens of thousands of 4x4s and, possibly, hatchbacks in the larger, and expanding, markets.
Let's suggest, hypotheticaly, that Porsche built a small, light, cheap and reliable hatchback, using many VW parts to acheive that low cost and high reliability....
How would that differ from the last time they did exactly the same thing? I think we need to get over the fact that we like our sports cars to look a certain way and realise that the world market is bigger than the UK. Porsche won't be building 2+2 coupes in the future unless they are selling tens of thousands of 4x4s and, possibly, hatchbacks in the larger, and expanding, markets.
Neil Haughey
New member
Don't agree Paul, you seem to be saying that Porsche needs to sell this stuff in order to make the sports cars economically viable. In fact the opposite seems to be true. Porsche is the most profitable car company in the world. A Porsche hatchback only makes sense because Porsche failed to get control over VW recently. Personally I feel something really clever like a very small rear engined eco hatchback would widen Porsches appeal (this is where things are going btw, turbo petrol hot hatches like the golf gti et al are old hat). A golf derivative just panders to the ppl that already want a Porsche, its not convincing in the same way the 1 series isn't. After all surely Porsche is all about world beating engineering.
pauljmcnulty
Active member
Hmmm....
I see your point, Neil, but you're falling into the same trap. People moan about the Cayenne, as it's largely irrelevant in the UK, and probably most of Europe. It is, however, soon going to be the biggest seller in the range if the global market continues to change the way it is at the moment. As belts tighten I can see the market for expensive coupes will shrink, and profitability will depend on a more diverse range.
Yes, in urban Europe small, efficient city cars are the future. I can't see Porsche as the new Smart, but I don't see why there isn't a worldwide niche for a new 924? I don't see Russian billionaires snubbing the Cayenne because it's a tarted-up Touareg, and i can't see young Russian or Chinese businessmen caring that the great chassis and reliable parts come from a Golf!
nicholaswgmay
New member
A four wheel drive, a hot hatch what next a tractor??
Neil Haughey
New member
I always believed this about the US and elsewhere but I read the other day the GM have put Hummer up for sale to get rid. Perhaps america is changing, after all I remember someone telling me several years ago that the number one selling car in the US was the Honda accord.
What you say about the 924 is spot on btw. Our MX-5 is a lovely car and you soon forget and forgive the 'only' 163 bhp 2 litre engine, since these days on public roads you really don't need anymore if the weight is kept down to 1100Kg or so. The same thing with a decent boot like a 924/944 may have a pretty wide appeal. More and more I see the case for a low power, reliable cheap to run nice to drive sports car that is useable for all sorts of driving (long motorway runs and short blasts).
BMW are supposedly about to bring to production a modern version of the legendary bubble cars (Isetta?), will be interesting to see how Porsche/VAG react.
Posts made and opinions expressed are those of the individual forum members
Use of the Forum is subject to the Terms and Conditions
