Ok, I don't know why I am writing this, maybe just to see if anyone experienced this.... admiration for engineering....
I just finished installing some interior parts into my 2009 C2s. I am not the original owner. The car was ordered with a nice smattering of Macassar wood... which I like very much. (The forums call this an old man's style.. well I am 53 so I am in tune with it!) I found a center console and door cubby lids in Macassar that are original Porsche parts on eBay so I snagged them (these are thousands! from Suncoast). If you ever pulled out that center console and removed your door panels to remove those cubby lids.... well let's say there is not enough Ibuprofen in the world to stop my back pains. Anyhoo......
My point: I am awestruck by the minute and detailed engineering that went into these interior parts. Sheeeeesh!!! Not only the number of parts, but the odd curvatures that fit so perfectly with other parts of dissimilar materials. You can see how the engineers were thinking in how something would be installed and removed.... little things like slack in cables or clips that are accessible after you... etc. etc. Even the stupid door panel push-pin retainer posts are multi-piece systems that can be reset (I think each post was 4 pieces)! Yes, reset to be used again - and none broke!
I have full natural leather in my car and am fascinated that Porsche would cover a tiny 4" piece with leather. Even the non-leather parts had a great soft feel to them and the color was matched perfectly.
So, now to the cost part. Yes, this car was stupidly expensive. And, I know Porsche is the most profitable car company on a per unit basis in the world. But.... they at least are giving you some good stuff for your money. It this all "worth it"? I can't answer that except with comment a friend noted to me about 20(?) years ago. He was in sales for a company that supplied parts to the American Big Three. Each of them had a different personality and standards for quality and price. The comment he made about GM stuck with me to this day "If you don't see it, it is not in there." When he told me that, I thought "so what? Why would I want to pay for something I don't experience?". Well...... I can't imagine anyone saying that about Porsche (or Mercedes, or BMW, your brand here). I/we are paying for some extraordinary engineering and thought.
So now, I will go out on a limb and make some wacky speculations.. and why not? On the 'net, I am a mechanic/engineer/philosopher... in real life, I am a dog. When I purchased my first Porsche, a 2000 Boxster S, I was impressed with the car. I took it apart, tweaked stuff, fixed stuff... I got to know it pretty well. I was impressed but not to the level I am with my newer car. Why? Is this because my 2009 is a Carrera and much more expensive? No... I don't believe that for a minute. I won't go into detail, but in my career, I have been in and out of companies and industries for 30 years and I can tell you there is a thing called "culture" and it is way more than the presence or absence of bowling leagues. I believe the detail and engineering in my 2009 is a direct result of culture (as is the GM comment). So why wasn't this in my 2000 Boxster to the extent of my Carrera? Car Price? Again.. no. I believe that Porsche was up against the ropes back then and the Boxster was their Hail Mary pass. They did a good job with car but I think it suffered (when compared to their product of today) because of their financial situation. I blew two engines in that thing. The pieces parts of that Boxster, while impressive compared to say a GM car, are not nearly up to what my 2009 is. I think that Porsche is back, and more than just sales numbers... they are back to the details details details. Culture is another word for leadership but also funds. They have the funds, and kudos to Porsche to allow their engineering culture to put the details back in. Could you say that an American company would do that or maybe pocket the dollars (Ford may be the exception as I am pretty impressed with their stuff).
Care to opine? How about from someone who had an early Boxster and now a newer one?
Peace
Bruce in Philly