Andreas Peuninger's future vision for the GT department
Discussion
Apologies if this has been posted elsewhere but I found this interview and have added the relevant content.
1. The next 911 GT3 will have a manual
(AP) I really think there is a good chance we will see the manual gearbox in the next GT3. For the pure joy and engagement of driving, is the manual a better option? I can imagine offering the manual as an option on the GT3. It would be completely stupid to restrict the manual gearbox to the R.
2. But the next GT3 RS will not
(AP) A lot of the 911 GT3’s success comes from its bandwidth of usability, and its usability lives on its PDK gearbox. As well as usability, it also shaves tenths off laptimes. There would be no sense in offering, say, a generation two GT3 RS with a manual gearbox, as it needs to be quick on the track. The concern is that a PDK-equipped GT3 would outstrip a manual RS.
3. The future may contain no GT3
Preuninger sees two tribes of Porsche GT buyer: the purists, and the racers. And while the cars that appeal to each use the same tech, they take it in different directions. Fit a manual to the GT3 again - as he seemingly plans to - and a blurred line between the 911 R and GT3 RS exists.
(AP) For the far future maybe it would be worth thinking about an RS and an R, but no GT3, because there’d be overlapping.
4. Don’t expect a seven-speed manual in a GT car
(AP) Six is enough. We didn’t try [with the seven-speed]. When you operate this seventh gear quickly [in the regular 911], it can get very confusing. The 911 R shines best between second and fourth gear, lots of short shifting. I think a seventh gear would only harm the experience
5. A Cayman GT4 RS isn’t likely
(AP) If you would make a GT4 RS it would be a pretty quick car, and I don’t think we could produce that car at a lower price than the GT3 RS. You would have a positioning problem with that thing. We are aware of the need for something like this in the market, but there are no plans on something like this at the moment.
6. …but a 718 Cayman GT4 is
(AP) Based on the huge success we had on the GT4, you can imagine we won’t ditch that project. The next generation might get a GT4 as well. On the GT models we want the six cylinders, the atmospheric engines.
7. In fact, natural aspiration is here for a long time yet
(AP) We have no decision on going turbocharged, there has been turbo engines before, and we have huge expertise, and we can really afford to have both [setups] in the product programme. If we can live with the fact a Carrera GTS will be a little quicker in the mid-range, which could be the situation in the future thanks to turbocharging… I wouldn’t care to be honest. It’s a totally different driving experience. As soon as the revs are above 5,000 we’d be gone anyway. I think it would be the smart and right move to stay with normally aspirated engines for the GT cars for the future.
8. But he’ll happily strap some turbos to a modern-day GT2
(AP) We always had a GT car with a turbo, but that was a different line, for a different customer group. This ‘beast’ appeal. We wouldn’t want to ditch that model because it’s a successor to the first turbo, an animal of a car. It might be that we are thinking of working on something like that for the future. A car like that makes most sense at the end of the life cycle of each platform.
9. GT cars aren’t about outright power
He confirmed that motorsport applications have proved that much more power can be extracted from the 4.0-litre engine in the GT3 RS, but his engineers won’t be going nuts.
(AP) There is still meat left in that engine, but don’t expect the next RS to be a 600bhp car. There’s a certain limit of adding power. Make it lighter [instead], make it feel better.
10. And the Boxster Spyder is probably here to stay
(AP) It’s devoid of everything luxury, and has a manual gearbox. It falls into the same category as the R. Total devotion to looking for [saving] every single gram.
1. The next 911 GT3 will have a manual
(AP) I really think there is a good chance we will see the manual gearbox in the next GT3. For the pure joy and engagement of driving, is the manual a better option? I can imagine offering the manual as an option on the GT3. It would be completely stupid to restrict the manual gearbox to the R.
2. But the next GT3 RS will not
(AP) A lot of the 911 GT3’s success comes from its bandwidth of usability, and its usability lives on its PDK gearbox. As well as usability, it also shaves tenths off laptimes. There would be no sense in offering, say, a generation two GT3 RS with a manual gearbox, as it needs to be quick on the track. The concern is that a PDK-equipped GT3 would outstrip a manual RS.
3. The future may contain no GT3
Preuninger sees two tribes of Porsche GT buyer: the purists, and the racers. And while the cars that appeal to each use the same tech, they take it in different directions. Fit a manual to the GT3 again - as he seemingly plans to - and a blurred line between the 911 R and GT3 RS exists.
(AP) For the far future maybe it would be worth thinking about an RS and an R, but no GT3, because there’d be overlapping.
4. Don’t expect a seven-speed manual in a GT car
(AP) Six is enough. We didn’t try [with the seven-speed]. When you operate this seventh gear quickly [in the regular 911], it can get very confusing. The 911 R shines best between second and fourth gear, lots of short shifting. I think a seventh gear would only harm the experience
5. A Cayman GT4 RS isn’t likely
(AP) If you would make a GT4 RS it would be a pretty quick car, and I don’t think we could produce that car at a lower price than the GT3 RS. You would have a positioning problem with that thing. We are aware of the need for something like this in the market, but there are no plans on something like this at the moment.
6. …but a 718 Cayman GT4 is
(AP) Based on the huge success we had on the GT4, you can imagine we won’t ditch that project. The next generation might get a GT4 as well. On the GT models we want the six cylinders, the atmospheric engines.
7. In fact, natural aspiration is here for a long time yet
(AP) We have no decision on going turbocharged, there has been turbo engines before, and we have huge expertise, and we can really afford to have both [setups] in the product programme. If we can live with the fact a Carrera GTS will be a little quicker in the mid-range, which could be the situation in the future thanks to turbocharging… I wouldn’t care to be honest. It’s a totally different driving experience. As soon as the revs are above 5,000 we’d be gone anyway. I think it would be the smart and right move to stay with normally aspirated engines for the GT cars for the future.
8. But he’ll happily strap some turbos to a modern-day GT2
(AP) We always had a GT car with a turbo, but that was a different line, for a different customer group. This ‘beast’ appeal. We wouldn’t want to ditch that model because it’s a successor to the first turbo, an animal of a car. It might be that we are thinking of working on something like that for the future. A car like that makes most sense at the end of the life cycle of each platform.
9. GT cars aren’t about outright power
He confirmed that motorsport applications have proved that much more power can be extracted from the 4.0-litre engine in the GT3 RS, but his engineers won’t be going nuts.
(AP) There is still meat left in that engine, but don’t expect the next RS to be a 600bhp car. There’s a certain limit of adding power. Make it lighter [instead], make it feel better.
10. And the Boxster Spyder is probably here to stay
(AP) It’s devoid of everything luxury, and has a manual gearbox. It falls into the same category as the R. Total devotion to looking for [saving] every single gram.
There's been a lot of speculation about many of these matters, and various comments from AP have indicated the course they were taking.
But, I guess that, following the launch of the 911R at Geneva, AP and Porsche realised that they needed to provide some specific clarity about their future strategy.
But, I guess that, following the launch of the 911R at Geneva, AP and Porsche realised that they needed to provide some specific clarity about their future strategy.
Don't think Herr Preuninger would be happy with me mis-spelling his name in the title but here's the link...
http://www.topgear.com/car-news/geneva-motor-show/...
http://www.topgear.com/car-news/geneva-motor-show/...
isaldiri said:
Surely no one takes what Preuninger says anymore as anything other than marketing speak....?
Exactly, these days he talks and talk, sounds like a fizzy drinks marketeer at times, but he doesn't really say anything. No doubt he is a petrol head and loves NA & manual cars, but in reality they are history. A few purist moans, but they don't really mean anything to the business anymore. If you like manual NA, keep a legacy car or two for when the itch surges. Gassing Station | Porsche General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff