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Porsche exec rules out plans for ‘baby’ roadster

 
5 4,852 views Jun 26, 2009

porsche 914 1970s motorauthority 001

To mark the anniversary, Porsche will display an ultra rare 914/8 once owned by Ferdinand Porsche

To mark the anniversary, Porsche will display an ultra rare 914/8 once owned by Ferdinand Porsche

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Though the lightweight, mid-engined Porsche 914 of the late 1960s and early 1970s was far from a perfect machine, it has developed a cult following that keeps it active in the streets and on tracks around the world to this day. Many have longed for a new-generation of the car and reports suggesting such a model was in the works were all the buzz in the recent past, even as recently as the 15th of this month.

However, the cold truth of the economic crisis and Porsche’s own desire to remain exclusive means plans for a new entry-level roadster have been dropped. Speaking with The Daily Telegraph, Porsche’s executive vice-president for sales and marketing, Klaus Berning, said the company has no plans to introduce another new model to its range and that this fifth model line has been shelved indefinitely.

"Another model line is not something we are concentrating on at the moment,” Berning explained. "We may start looking at that after the launch of the Panamera but my gut feeling is that we do not need one.

Original speculation that Porsche was working on a new roadster was brought about by the company’s impending merger with Volkswagen through a planned share buyout. The keystone was production of VW’s recently revealed Bluesport roadster concept.

Virtually every mainstream VW Group brand, from Seat, to Skoda, to Audi, and VW, have been rumored to be working on their own versions of the car and Porsche, too, was reportedly planning to build one.

To keep costs low, the roadster was to share parts with a number of existing VW models. Elements unique to the cars would have been an aluminum-spaceframe chassis, a mid-engine and RWD layout, and a range of high-output 2.0L forced-induction engines.

While a new entry-level model may be out of the question, a new four-cylinder model, either in the Boxster/Cayman line or possibly even the 911, could be in the works. When quizzed on the topic, Berning teased: "You never say never, but we have not made any decision to go that way.”

He went on to explain that it "could be possible to have a four-cylinder again in a 911 but it would be a Porsche four-cylinder. The 911 is the core of the brand and it follows different rules to the rest of the brand models.”
Porsche 914 and 914/6

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Comments (5)

  1. ma_NoNameDenton avatar NoNameDenton Posted: 4/1/2009 6:18pm PDT

    If they want a 4 cylinder, lob off two cylinders from the boxer engines
     
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  2. ma_WizardsLore avatar WizardsLore Posted: 4/1/2009 7:58pm PDT

    like NND stated....change the Boxster to become a 4 cylinder....turbo 4s etc...and keep the 6's in the 911...that way we wont have this stupide proposed idea that eventually they will make the 911 an 8 cylinder.
     
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  3. ma_gazzed avatar gazzed Posted: 4/1/2009 10:29pm PDT

    I bet you this new 4 cylinder Porsche would still look like a 911 lazy clone, I'd rather pick Volkswagen's Bluesport roadster or even Audi's version over this boring unimaginative budget Porsche.
     
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  4. ma_Mike avatar Mike Posted: 4/2/2009 8:30am PDT

    I like the 914, and a new roadster in that tradition would be nice, just please let it have some styling elements from the original, don't just make it a "baby 911".
     
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  5. ma_NoNameDenton avatar NoNameDenton Posted: 5/13/2009 5:17pm PDT

    I read on Edmunds that the Boxster will get a boxer engine, displacing about 2.5 liters with a turbo, so they will get an entry level version, just not a new car.
     
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