Why not? The uber premium mini will be the next hot segment. If you can get $45k for a small hatch margins will still be big enough for fat profits. Cadillac could steal a lead on the market, but given GMs history, i doubt it.

um Porsche….. why??

I don’t see anything wrong with it, a more affordable Porsche would be pretty sweet. The Boxter itself is pretty affordable in itself… well for a Porsche.

However if Porsche is going to want 30-40k for a hatch then it better have AWD, and like 300hp, or at least have the performance to match a price tag like that.

even though for 30-40k, where you can get either a STi or Evolution, what would be the reason to get the Porsche? because of leather? or just for the name? again the performance better demolish the STi or Evo is all i’m saying

why would you want an evo or an sti? people that drive those look like dicks

LaCaLover what car do u drive? cuz if a car makes u look like a dick well… u have issues my friend.

I have a Range ROver and an Audi A3. The spoilers on the EVO and the STI make people look like immature kids screaming for attention.

Porsche never used AWD? Hmmm last I checked, half their lineup offers it…

I guess I am not a purist since I like the idea.

yeah jumpoffit, I see your point. Personally I’d rather have an Evo or STi if I was buying something in that range. Although I don’t care for the looks of the new Subaru, and I like the Evo but in a magazine comparo they compared a new Evo to the last gen Evo and the last gen Evo outperformed the new Evo so I was like what’s up with that???

I’m not a hatch person so I wouldn’t buy a Porsche hatch personally but if it did compare to the performance of the above and was around the same price or not too much more then I don’t know.

Yeah I hear you Need4SSpeed, i’m with you on the looks of the Subie and also wondered about the Evo X not performing as well as the Evo 9 and LaCa , is that you’re only complaint is a wing on the Subie or Evo ? before these new generations of the Subie or Evo the really performance ready versions of these cars came with no wings for weight issues-

Why do they need to use a VW chassis at all? If they wanted to keep the engine in the back then why not just design a hatchback body style on one of their existing chassis? Say the Cayman. It’s just sheetmetal, or am I way off base here?

If Porsche can mount the engine longitudinally and offer AWD, then what’s the problem, exactly? Though the Scirocco would be a better basis.

It’s not like Porsche hasn’t offered front-engine cars before (928, 924/944/968).

Porsche is getting way too commercial. In years we’d be telling our grandsons: When I was young Porsche was a great Manufacturer that made great sports cars, not like now that they’re producing millions of Corolla competitors, they’d not even believe us.

Noooo. Porsche is trying to leverage VW for its chassis on most of its newer offerings thinking that they can design around the VW flaws. That thinking got them into trouble with Cayenne buyers. Porsche don’t do it. Please!!

This is a good business move as Porsche can purchase VW chassis and not have to carry the inventory of the chassis. Also they can influence the design more to fit their needs instead of buying of the rack or custom chassis made by smaller suppliers.

^^ somehow missed my sarcasm inserts on the second paragraph

Guys, it probably will not happen as article said. It would be a shot in arm for WV (and Audi) with great bragging rights that the platform is sold as Porsche (subliminal messages). But Porsche was looking into option before they lost to Lower Saxony. If they would join (Porsche purchase of WV/Audi) Porsche even would not need to market a smallish car - corporate mileage standard would be achieved by WV & Audi.

Also, Porsche made decision not to comply with corporate mileage standard and opting for its customers to pay premium tax for the pleasure to drive Porsche. They are doing it now anyway: gas guzzler tax.

So, a downgraded Porsche is just an upgraded Volkswagen right? RIGHT!

An upgraded VW is already an Audi TT. So where this Porsche would fit in, I don’t know? This seems like a non-story. With the money Porsche charges for their cars, I’d like to think they could develope a platform for an “entry level” if they wanted.

That “image” included with the story has been floating on the ‘net for a few years now. The only way this is news is if it is confirmed, but it appears this story is completely based on rumor.

Some rumors are just so crazy you know thye can not be true.

I can has a Cadillac Chevette?

The S3 would be perfect but ofcourse it can’t compete with the 1 series.

This could be a reality to help maintain the new CAFE ****. + the new Saab 9-1X, Volvo C30 T5, GTi, the new toyota/subaru, Alfa Romeo MiTo, Mini Cooper S, BMW 1 (maybe even tii) would ALL be good competitors… I say go for it.

Rafa,

Once upon a time Mercedes was synonymous with big luxurious stately cars for rich people. Now every asshole can cough up the $399 a month and drive the B-class, the ugliest compact in the world. All carmakers succumb to this ****ing bull**** at some point or another, with the exception of Ferrari and Lamborghini.

The Boxster is small enough as it is, why the need smaller model?

DeansterTJ: Ditto about Mercs. Just like those A-Classes…

Still doubt this will happen, Porsche and Lambo are not fussed about CAFE. The only thing we will see are updates to the Boxster/Cayman in the same vein as the 911, meaning dual clutch transmissions and direct injection. If Porsche did do another 2 door, one would hope it would be a coupe version of the Panamera, a sort of next generation 928.

this is the worst idea I heard of this year

I’m late to the party but…

Porsche never used FWD before. AWD is not the issue.

Moving down market a bit would entail something that costs very noticeably less than the Boxster and Cayman ($45K-$80K).

I would expect a “down market” Porsche to good for around $25K-$35K to avoid coming anywhere near the Boxster of Cayman. Anything less than that is very unlikely… but not impossible especially if PORSCHE decides to go a “purist” route and puts the emphasis on the driving hardware and not overly expensive interior materials. Cheap? Not even, just more cost conscious. Something most European automakers need some practice in.

A new 928 seems unlikely for a “budget” PORSCHE. The 928 went for the equivalent of the Boxster back in the day. The 944 would seem more like the car but even then it was twice the cost of comparable muscles cars of the day. It wasn’t as fast but was quicker and more maneuverable at speed. A modern 944 would have been pitted against the 350Z at roughly $5K-$10K more but would likely not fair much better against it. People would buy it because it was a PORSCHE not because it was actually better.

I would like to see a new 928, 944, and 914 but only two are likely anytime soon.

Do I care? Not really. It is interesting? When I have a few more pictures to go with the rumor, maybe.

DeansterTJ,

MERCEDES-BENZ still is one of the big names in luxury automobiles. But they are to Europe what GM or FORD are to America. They make more units of any one model than FERRARI or LAMBORGHINI does for their entire Vehicle line up. FERRARI and LAMBORGHINI also demand enormous prices for a car most other automakers could build just as well for half the price, but they carter to, on average, a far more affluent clientèle and as such, can afford to be much more focused.

I can try to understand your aggravation that MERCEDES-BENZ does not appear to make only ROLLS and BENTLEY Competitors, but that has NEVER been their only goal or sole market. The B-Class is a typical European car for a typical European market meant for someone who wants a bit more than basic transportation. I doubt it will ever come to America to avoid clashing with the MINI COOPER.

Stpid, but toyota does it.

Well at least Porsche has always gotten one thing right. Sports cars were mean’t to have power going to the rear wheels ONLY! Screw all that AWD and most certainly FWD ****!

DialM4Speed, you ever try and awd Porsche, it is an excellent car.

im sure someone has said it, but AWD is not something porsche utilizes? Hmm, lets see… 8 out of the 15 911 models available are AWD. And the cayenne obviously utilizes an intelligent AWD system, which is known as PTM, and is quite advanced.

the only body style they dont use it on is the Boxster/Cayman, which doesnt have much in the way of choice as it is.

This would be a wonderful idea if they made it somewhat like the 1-Series, with rear wheel drive and the matching proportions. Don’t know what platform they’d use, but Audi would be better off with rear-wheel drive anyway, so why not start doing rear-wheel drive Audis? Although even in that case, the A3 would probably still remain a front wheeler.

Porsche makes very good AWD’s and that’s not a problem for them, what have me in suspense is the fact that Porsche could really damage it’s image with this attempt, they already did with the Cayenne, no matter if it’s great, I’m just saying it damaged their image, not their quality or company as such.

Rafa LL,

I think the term you are looking for is “change” or “expand”. It is rather troubling that anyone should think that a company apparently as large as PORSCHE Could get that way, should be that way, would remain that way by building only one line of cars, the 911, as good as they are. PORSCHE Execs, I’m sure, carefully considered the next products they were going to build.

As I recall their was a huge moan-fest and cries PORSCHE was demeaning itself when they rolled out the Boxster. But those have gone by. Then their were complaints about the Cayenne. I’m not partial to it myself but then, I am not in the market for a $70K SUV, even if the Sport is a serious component in this machine. Still those complaints have passed.

PORSCHE is growing and as such they are doing so by making machines that are NOT 911s. Only a person with a seriously limited view of a company would think that the company can not make anything but what that person knows them for or else they are making a “serious mistake”.

If the company can afford to take the chance, then why the deuce not?

Rafa, that is assuming that this rumor is even close to reality, which is very doubtful.

well no one seems to remember that VW is supposedly developing a rear-engine, rear wheel drive, super sub-compact line, one of the concepts being called the Up! , not that i disagree with anyone being appalled with the idea

just saying that maybe this alleged porsche-golf is no golf at all, on the acute chance that the rumor is based on any fact