Porsches are an ongoing experiment with controls and variables. *NM*

[online.wsj.com]

The article's first video is entertaining, too.

I suppose the author never upgrades his computer, either, because in a couple more years, the maker will add more memory, power, in a more efficient package. Yes, there's a difference between a couple hundred dollar computer and a $100K car, but the concept is the same. In his theory, you should wait until the last model year when all has been wrung out of it, but that is flawed, too, as the next generation will be an improvement from the last. So, you should never pull the trigger and buy a 911.

Well he is right when he says that it's not the car that it's going to be. But, isn't that true of cars in general? If that wasn't the case, we'd be getting the 2016 model now with no improvements for 4 years. Aside from the Trabant, I'm not sure that many manufacturers have followed that policy - hey, when you've developed the perfect car, why improve on it.

I'm not sure that Porsche purposely "dials back" the protential of a new model. I would think that it's more that they plan ahead. As in his example, to ensure a new hybrid drive train will fit, might as well stretch the model now, so the new desing will accept the new technology when it's ready.

Of couse there's a bit of different arguement with the performance of different models like the Boxster, where they do keep the power lower than the 911 since they don't want the less expensive car outperforming (in terms of acceleration) the more expensive model.

... the initial models so that they can improve MY over MY.
Das Boo yah?
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Porsche constantly introduces changes, all of which have effects of varying influence on the system as a whole. We usually look at engine output as a standalone, but need to keep in mind such things as a power increase's added stress on the rest of the drivetrain, brakes, and the engine itself. There's an expression, "All good engineering is a compromise," so when Porsche changes things they likely are wary of stresses, etc, that won't reveal themselves during the development stage through its initial availability to the public. Yes, the same nominal engine produces more or less power depending on the model it's installed in, but overall, the motors are given incremental increases as the reliablility is further assessed, along with consequential advances in technology allowing for a continued balance between reliability and performance. Aren't there enough complaints by owners concerning reliability, without the manufacturer carelessly increasing performance for its own sake? From the first Porsche engines to now there has been an overall power increase of about one order of magnitude, and that, people, is astronomical.

But they also tend to use the engine from the old model in the new body/model. Witness the transition from the 986 to 987. Marketing reasons..sure. But doesn't introduce too many changes all at once either.

If you have been around a while, you take that into account in figuring out when you want to buy the next car.

is the notion that Porsche engineers develop a great car, cripple it, then get to work on the next major revision, uncrippling the car a bit each year until they finish the next major refresh.

Porsche engineers innovate their design incrementally each year. They are constantly analyzing the design, performance, and efficiency and fine tuning.

Sometimes they introduce their newest technology in their most expensive cars and then let it trickle down. That decision is a matter of economics (let the big spenders/early adopters pay the brunt of the R&D costs).

Since they have finite resources, consider that every time you complain about one deficiency you have to consider which other feature you would have been willing to compromise on to have that deficiency fixed up front. This balancing act is always there. For the majority of people who drive Porsches, they have done a pretty amazing job with their choices.

Hmm ...
The 2000 986S was offered with 249 HP
The 2003 986S was offered with 258 HP
The 2004 SE550 986S came with 266 HP.
Same 3.2 liter engine.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

They changed things other than the displacement to get more HP.

Quote
Boxsterra
They changed things other than the displacement to get more HP.

.... nothing other than tuning which is my point.
A well tuned, normally aspirated engine should produce 100 HP/ liter.
In the Boxster platform they don't even come close.
Happy Boxstering
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Or too much of a dangerous thing, considering how bad the stability was on this first run of 917s.
[a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net]
By the way, I got this from Classic Porsche magazine. The print edition has a good article on the M64 (last of the air-cooled) engine. Other than a Facebook page, I didn't see an online edition, so it might be worth hunting up a copy.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/2012 11:24AM by Laz. (view changes)

Why would they spend the money to tune the car then detune the car when they can just not tune it in the first place? That makes no financial sense.

.... they don't tune and detune. That's not what I'm saying.
For the last time:
When Porsche designs a model, they design for all of the 4 - 7 model years that it is going to run.
The 986 ran from 1997 through 2004.
The 987 ran from 2005 through 2009.
But they already know beforehand what engine(s) is(are) going into those cars.
They know exactly what the max HP potential is before they even manufacture it.
So, when they start with the model they don't extract as much HP as they will at the end of the run.
They entice buyers of the next model year by bumping up the performance numbers a bit and they do it again the year after.
What I'm saying is that these increases in performance aren't due to any specific development in technology.
They were predetermined even before the first car came off the assembly line.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Always wondered what that extra 6 or 8 hp in the Special Edition came from, that differs from my regular 2004 S...anyone know?

I think I read that it came from using the cone/cylindrical air filter/intake system that was used in the 987 model.

... the extra bump did not come from using the 987 air filter.
It came from tweaking the DME.
No significant power increase can come out of an air filter change.
If that were so, installing a K&N filter, or no filter for that matter would offer extra horses.
Happy Boxstering,
Pesro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

You're the expert Pedro, so I defer to you. I coulda sworn tho that I read before that they got extra power from using the newer airbox design with the cylindrical filter (not just the filter itself), as well as reprogramming and freer flowing exhaust system.

Also, curious- why would they switch to the cylindrical filter from the flat panel one if it didn't offer any benefit?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/2012 02:05PM by boxtaboy. (view changes)

... but the brand new 987 model was coming right after the end of production of the SE550.
In order to entice customers to buy the last of the 986s they advertised that it included the new, more efficient airbox and filter from the new 987.
The freer flowing exhaust would also help a little in attaining the extra HP.
But it all goes to my point: that Porsche just keeps baiting us MY after MY with a little more HP not because they're redesigning anything but because that was the plan all along.
They don't get all that they can get out of a model year.
C'est la vie.
Happy Porscheing
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

They add the hardware change(airbox) but really just dial in the ECU for the requisite power gain.

Always a mix of engineering and marketing with Porsche. I laugh when I see the little fabric door pulls on the Spyder. Real weight improvements, and then the ones that they can put in the pictures in the brochures. I'll bet there is 20 lbs of surplus plastic under the dash that could be pulled but isn't.

So i'm saving some play money for Pedros powerkit for my 550. I guess it should take it close to 300.
Pedro, whats next to meet the 100 hp per l goal?