It's been an amazing 20 year run, which we have been on board for 17. Each new model has had their own personality, but the constant has been the unflappable handling.
The decision to use Toyota's lean manufacturing techniques was critical to getting the company turned around and by today's standards, is a given by most car makers.
We took a tour of the factory in 2000 and back then it looked like anything other than lean manufacturing---few automated processes, dozens of cars parked behind the main assembly building waiting "rework" because of a problem and watched welders take their lunches at their work station while sipping on a beer--we were very surprised.
Today's factory is very different--extensive use of automation throughout the building process--which may have led to the very high ratings Porsche gets in their consumer reliability surveys.
The 718's launch will be interesting to watch in the marketplace--lots of power for sure, but with a very different power plant relative to it's predecessors. I hope they got the design right and that the car continues to succeed in this segment of the car market.