Why Porsche!
 

Hows it going all,

I am new to this board and was hoping to pick your brains a bit.

I am a proud Porsche owner and fan and have been since the 80's.

My son is now 16 and ready to be another Mario Andretti...
So he walks up to me today and asks me a question that left me speechless for a bit....

"Dad, Why Porsche?"

Simple question one would think. But it really got me thinking...

What are your top two or three reasons you choose to be a Porsche enthusiast???

Thanks,

"Because I like it."

That is really the answer. Having owned them all (including a lot of some) and having what I think is an ecumenical and rather balanced view, there is no marque that is special -- they are all cars, with weaknesses and strengthes, and except for a very few (none of which I will ever own) destined someday for the recycling center. Porsches are no exception: you get a lot, but then you paid a lot, too. They are very well designed and laid out, well engineered, fairly well manufactured, and fun to drive and own. They compare very well to cars costing less, fairly well to cars costing about the same, but not well to cars costing more, etc. Nothing strange there. Porsche is no more rational in engineering than other companies -- just as GM has stuck to its 'vette formula (front pushrod V8/rear drive with transverse single leaf springs) long after it should have abandoned it, Porsche has stuck to the rear-engined flat six for its Carrera long past its sell by date: mine handled like a pig (make it low and put big enough tires on it and anything will corner at high Gs, but it point of rotation was just ahead of the rear axle and the front suspension struts felt like a compromise 9because they were) every time you pushed it hard in tight turns).

I'm not knocking Porsche, just pointing out that it is different than other cars, and those differences appeal to and please you, even though another owner would (rightfully) point out that his car has differences that he or she particular likes. The car turns you on, floats your boat -- whatever term you want to use. That, ultimately, is the only reason to own it.

By the way, Ferrari is no exception. Mine is actually not quite as fast through the 1/4 as the very latest PDK Turbo (although I'm fairly certain that around a track like Leguna Seca, it would be faster, although not by as much margin as C&D got it in the last lightning lap test) but it is a much better car by most standards, but then for more than half again as much it should be: my point being there is no Ferrari "magic" just as there is no "Porsche" magic or "BMW" magic or "Bentley" magic: the magic in my F430 is all in what a $212,000 base price does for a car, nothing more, and the magic in a Porsche Carrera is all in what a sticker price of around $90K give or take $10K does, etc.