Is Porsche overhyped?

Well, I have taken my Boxster a few times to what I thought were its top end limits. NO rev limiter and a chip. I've taken it to 163mph. People dont believe me until I take them out. I'm sure it's not the exact speed taking into consideration that speedometers at that range tend to be off, but it was well beyond what I was expecting and scared the hell out of me. I've also taken my bike to similar speed but noticably had room to go, but started to get out of my comfort zone.
I have taken a buddies 911 to 167mph. These cars are incredible. I do not believe they are over hyped at all. Not to mention the carrera gt, a personal favorite that I would choose in front of every supercar out. Just an incredible machine. Porsche engineers know what they are doing down to every last bolt. I would love to get behind a 911GT3, but that car is a monster and scares the hell out of me. All the more reason to get one if you ask me.
I personally am holding out for a little while considering there are so many great choices out there, audi r8, 911 gt3, aston v8 vantage. Hard to choose if you ask me.
To me I think, and dont flame or criticize me for this, that ferrari is overhyped and losing its touch. Again, I think they are incredible cars, 360cs is my favorite ferrari, but it's becoming less and less appealing to me. But you like what you like. I dont think i've had as much fun as when I participated in the ROE with everyone even though I had just "a boxster", it was a whole gang of car guys who liked cars.

 

You're opinion is historic?

I'm sure those heavy V12 Ferrari's of old along with cars that could easily exceed 100mph are the furthest thing from it.

You're welcome (for the correction).

 

Just because a car existed and goes/went fast does not make it a sports car. What an incredible leap of logic.

Like I said, it is pointless to debate this topic (despite your ridiculously and baselessly self-satisfied reply), because everyone will chime in with what they think "sports car" means. The definition I was referencing is one I have seen in countless car magazines, shows, etc, (ie usually a 2-seater convertible) but that does not necessarily invalidate anyone else's definition necessarily, so again...peace.

 

It may be pointless for you to debate this topic however it is an important part of every reply that you have attempted to dismiss through experience and strong language either in defense of your own decisions to invalidate the opinion of others.

The Boxter is a sports car by text book definition and popular opinion, but it might be rubbish compared to the individual tastes and demands of another owner that have on topic significance.

You have 271 whole posts to your name, and the air of a troll about you, so why I am bothering to respond???

 

That Fiat was an Alfa Romeo.

It was Maxwell Smart that drove a Fiat 850 spyder.

I have owned two of those 850 spyders, and it falls a little short of "sports car", IMHO.

But no one can say the Fiat 850 was ever "overhyped".

I just edited my own post to say that I think it is obvious this thread has more than run it's course now - I think that I will go start a new one on "is the Volkswagen Kharmin Ghia a real sports car, and did the VW ad department overhype it?"

 

james...agent 86 drove a sunbeam tiger!!! man i love that cone of silence.

 

True, he did sometimes have a sunbeam (not sure if Alpine or Tiger), but -

Depending on the vintage year, he also was seen in a Fiat 850 Spyder.

You know, I used to kind of have a thing for Agent 99 - (snaps out of trance) -

Now do you see where this horrible thread has taken us?

 

sorry about that chief!

 

Doh, Alfa Romeo it was. Good catch.

Agent 99 had nothing on Ginger. She was made for sinnin'.

 

Don't forget the Toyota 2000GT as well!

 

"all newer ones". May I humbly suggest that you may not really "get" the legend unless you have felt the snap oversteer and smelled the hot oil smell of the heater, etc. They have kind of lost some soul.

OK, but back to your point from post one...the "hype" -

Here is a sample of the "hype" from several sides...taken from U.S. TV ads...

Porsche - "There is no substitute" "If you were a car, what would you be - well, you would be a SportsCar. You would be TurboCharged. And, of course, you would be a Porsche"

BMW - "Ultimate Driving Machine". "Seven passengers ripping around the Nordshlief in a SUV is normal business for us"

Volvo - "We are so safe that our remote entry system can detect a kidnapper's heartbeat if he is hiding in your back seat" "our FWD turbo 5 cylinder sardine box styled car can outdrag the 'Ultimate Driving Machine' "

Mercedes-Benz - "We invented the Automobile". "Business executives in the back of a 500SEL - how far to our destination? - 120 kilometers, sir - And, how long before we arrive? - about 30 minutes, sir"

Now, if in fact our favorite Ferrari is "overhyped", then at least we can say that it was not of their own making in the advertising world. And, in this sense, I could also say that Corvette has been likewise a model of restraint.

James

 

S2000 is a Miata with a higher redline.

Yeah, have driven that along with all the other pseudo-sportscars, takes freaking FOREVER to get anything out of it since it has almost NO torque....ugh no thanks.

And NO WAY does that even approach an Elise for raw feel.

 

Are YOU aware it isn't 1973 any more? Porsche put the panties on those Boxsters by severely underpowering it. In an era with 500 hp SUVs and incredible sportscar choices (911 Turbo, 360, Z06, Viper, Gallardo) you can't
put out a 200 hp "sportscar" then get PO'ed when nobody takes it seriously.

 

I am quite aware that it is also not 1918 anymore either. The Fokker DR1 Triwing is, however, still a fighter plane. And the Red Baron was not wearing panties when he shot down 81 enemy aircraft. It only had about 90 h.p.

And you are right, the Viper is pretty "incredible". (but maybe we mean something different when we individually use that word).

Just for the record, I own both a ZR1 and a Z06 Corvette as well as the 993 Porsche. And a Miata as well as a 240ZX Nissan.

I suggest that you find some help to look beyond the H.P. rating in evaluation of fine cars. Perhaps a few months of not reading either Car & Driver or Road & Track would be a good first step...

 

The point is that while HP is not the be all-end all, it has to be adequate compared to its competition. The Red Baron's rig was comparable to the competition in 1917. The Boxster was not adequate if you thought it should be compared to top-level sportscars. Porsche has since learned the lesson, so in addition to the panty-mobile there is the much more focused Cayman S.

You have 3 real sportscars, good for you.....with the ZR-1 still being the best engine ever placed in a production Corvette.......versus its competition in 1990-1995. You also have 2 chick-mobiles.......I dig it, my Mom had a Miata so the wife has to drive something.

Read an auto magazine? No thanks.....

 

What is it about this that I just don't get?

My first Porsche was a 1969 911T Targa. It had 121.5 cid (2 liters) and 125 HP. It cost $8,400 new off the dealer's floor.

A Corvette of that time cost at least $2,000 less and could be ordered with 435 HP.

A Jaguar of that day also cost less and had more HP, as did all the much cheaper Detroit muscle iron.

An MGB of that day cost less than half the price of a Porsche, but had nearly as much HP.

But NOBODY was going around saying that a Porsche 911T was not a real sportscar. Nor did anybody say an MG was not a real sportscar. Nor did anybody say the XKE was not a real sportscar.

People did, however, debate whether any of the detroit iron was - including "America's only "sportscar", the Corvette".

 

I understand that some people aren't satisfied without copious amounts of HP and why cars without this attribute would be unsatisfactory for them. Fine.

What I don't understand is why this opinion has to frequently be expressed in surprisingly immature terms (by actual adults) which usually involves high-school-quality aspersions as to the car's manliness. Almost makes we want to avoid cars with excessive HP, as it tends to attract the wrong crowd. lol

Hey wait, I have previously come to that exact conclusion! No wonder. lol

News flash: Lots of people drive sports cars which AREN'T the fastest one around. If we all wanted to drive the absolute fastest one, we would all be driving the same car!

 

I would have to agree with this. I think we are to the point where all the power they are putting in cars is rather pointless. You can only have so much fun on the street, and I doubt many of the supercars make it to the track. Even if you wanted to drag race one, you would be kicked off the track for running 11.99 or faster without a roll cage.

I don't think HP has anything to do with whether or not a car is a sports car. They make just about every Benz with at least a 400hp variant.
I think it is all really just about braggin rights, not what gives you the best driving experience.

Sorry my post sort of got away from the debate as to whether Porsche is overhyped or not.

And btw, the boxster isn't ment to be the greatest sports car of all time. It is a fun sports car that can be used on a daily basis, while being affordable to those of us that can't afford a CGT, 430 or whatever else.

 

A few months ago, I was a totally happy '03 S2000 (it was my second one), and one day w/ not much to do I decided to go test drive some fun cars. I drove the Cayman S, C6 Z51, and 335i. My wife and I both fell really hard for the Cayman S, we were blown away.

I now own one, and couldn't be much happier. Sure, I'd rather own a Ferrari, but that's out of my league affordability-wise. Until then, it doesn't get much better than the Cayman S. No BMW I've driven comes close in terms of driving dynamics, though some have been faster in a straight line.

 

yes it is overrated

 

I think its funny how some people can call a car company that has won more overall races than any other manufacturer "overhyped".
Nobody has won more race's than Porsche.........period!
Where is the hype??

 

A ride in a CGT will explain what Porsche is about. Dont get me wrong i LOVE Ferrari, but Porsche is right up there with them.

 

Just because a company can make successful racing cars doesn't necessarily imply that they build great street cars.