Re: BMW in talks with Merc
I disagree.
A mid-rear engined car would be a better solution. The Cayman's has proven that.
Porsche made the 356 rear engined, not to a people carrier like its twin the
Bettle, but because that's what they had to work with in post WWII Europe (not Germany either).
And than they made the 911 because that's what Porsche fans/customers wanted most, a rear engined car.
If the 911 was supossed to be a state of the art sport car they would have chossen the mid engined path in 60s like Lotus and Ferrari, and/or used their 550 as the inspiration not their 356.
There's simply no logical way to justify putting so much weight after the rear axle on such a longwheel base car.
I strongly disagree.
The true explanation of the rear-engine is, it is right, the 356, based on the Beetle, and the wish to have 4 seats.
But this is precisely this detail that gives all its attractiveness to the car. Most clients buy it because of the look and the image, made partly by competition success.
But a lot of driver go on track and competition precisely because this rear engine gives it a specific driving characteristic.
It is very oversteering, but in the same time has a strong understeering tendancy. It has, due to the weight at the rear, unmatched traction and braking power, and can reaccelerate much sooner than other in a corner, because of that incredible traction.
And it is a real pleasure to put it hard in a corner, playing with the understeering at the entrance that you fight with braking or oversteering, and then the strong oversteer at the end of the corner...
It has a unique comportment on the road. it is special. So it is beloved by the professional drivers who put it on the tracks, giving it victories and competition success, thus increasing its appeal. Therefore all the GT3RS and GT3Cup and all that.
The Porsche 928 was better, more powerful, faster, easier... (a bit heavy though), but it is the 911 that people wanted. now the Cayman is (almost) as fast, easier, less expensive...but it is just another sportscar, It is not the 911...
The 911 is something special due to this rear-engine, it explains his success and long life.
Otherwise Porsche would have replaced it like it replaces all other Porsche models!
There are indeed arguments for the rear-engine:
-better traction (more weight on the rear wheels)
-better brakes (more weight on the real wheels, thuis more grip, thus more brake power. In the same time it can brake as hard as others at the front because the harder you brakem the more front grip you have)
-better traction to go out of the corner. You can reaccelerate sooner
But some problems too:
-strong understeer at the entry of the corner, because no weight so no grip at the front. So need to brake before the corner to "charge" the front, but risk of spinning if too much... Or you provoke oversteering just before the corner by turning the wheel too much.
-strong general oversteering tendancy. The rear is heavy, so when it begins to loose grip it does it more quickly and more brutally than other cars.
So it is harder to go fast with it, but for a driver it is also more interesting because you have to "fight" with this changing undertsteer/oversteer...
