Porsche Roxster

Looks like Porsche has beaten Brad to the punch. If you weren’t around for Brad’s Boxster Project posts, you can view them here: Porsche’s Mid-Engine Gap (P.R. Part 1) & Project Roxster – The Ultimate Boxster (P.R. Part 2). The idea was to turn a Boxster into an affordable “supercar” that the Carrera GT would be proud to call it’s little brother. The name was Project Roxster.

Looks like a new name will be required for his project. James O sent me an article about the new Porsche Roxster that is supposed to reach the market as early as 2010 as a 2011 model. This will be the first new Porsche to hit production under VW’s direction. The rumor is Michael Macht, Porsche CEO, is being “asked” to extend the existing Porsche lineup to include more of a compact SUV (the Roxster) and an entry-level sports car, which many believe will be the 914-like model. Boxster owners should LOVE hearing that Porsche is considering releasing an “entry-level” sports car, finally giving their beloved roadsters the respect they deserve.

Originally the Porsche Roxster was to be built on the Audi Q5’s chassis, but that was supposedly ruled out due to high costs. Course that doesn’t make sense to me. Wouldn’t sharing a platform be cheaper? Sounds like there was a bit of a tussle with Audi’s CEO at the time who didn’t want any extra competition for the Q5. Now it looks like Q5 chassis could still be on the table as an option.

I have to say, not one but TWO new Porsche models is awesome. However, two new “entry-level” models is not really what I’d love to see from Porsche. Feels like VW is already cheapening the Porsche brand and attempting to commoditize it too quickly. I know it’s necessary to hit the 150,000 unit goal VW has so ambitiously set, but it just seems wrong. Am I the only one concerned about this? Sure VW is great at building cars, but I’m growing uncomfortable with how they will potentially manage the Porsche brand and mystique that embodies what driving a Porsche is all about.

This final paragraph in the Autoweek article James sent me is pretty dang telling:

Whether Macht has any real say in how Porsche proceeds, however, is doubtful. As one high-ranking VW official told Autoweek, “There’s no reason why Porsche would be handled any differently from Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Scat or Skoda. The power of decision rests firmly in Wolfsburg.”

[Via Autoweek]

Comments

  1. I knew i should have went to the trademark office with that name! . I like this little Roxster rig though…despite the fact they took my name lol……I am with you on the idea of pushing out two new entry level efforts on the idea of parity….But DO like the idea that something else gets the entry level tag under the Boxster

  2. @Ryan. yep!…Think about this too. There are lots of great minds at Porsche….and they thought of the name just like i did….So i dont feel so bad they use it. Great minds think alike 🙂

  3. @Brad – I was going to say you’d probably have a leg to stand on in a potential lawsuit against Porsche (for compensation for your idea), but alas, the “Roxster” name has been widely used on the internet since at least 16 months before your posts. 😛

    http://www.topspeed.com/cars/porsche/2010-porsche-roxster-ar37835.html

  4. @Andrew,Maybe they will sue me for using it lol…I swear i wasn`t aware of it before i used it and i thought all along i was some sort of clever genius 🙂

  5. ^That post was not supposed to have a giant smiley face. 🙁

  6. Please, just stop working on the Boxter. Lets have vw change it to a vw car. The VW boxter…leave Porsche to deal with real sportscars.

    No offence to anyone with a bozter.

  7. how about a boxster 4×4.

  8. I love all things Porsche, and love this article, but cant see many comments. Any hoo great stuff. Ill pass this on to a friend or two

  9. Chances are if you’re buying a pre-owned Porsche, it will be your dream car. Sure there are those folk driving Porsches purely as a means of transport – they’ve got the money – they buy new – they keep the used Porsche market going for you!