Here is the original article from autonews.com

And here is a repost of the article on USAtoday but with a twist... apparently Michael Probst of the AP has never driven a 914

I predict that Mueller &/or his successor will dink around with this until either the VW-Porsche merger is complete & the VW ownership tells them to get their act in gear, &/or that the new higher mpg CAFE standards force them to go smaller & lighter cars with much better mpg at a higher volume, in order to offset their higher fuel consumption products, which can only be partially offset with hybrid & EV options.

Another factor pushing them into it could be a surge in market demand for a smaller/lighter Porsche from one or both of two segments: younger &/or older buyers. Younger ones for the price sensitivity reasons noted by Porsche's use of "entry level" - which is only part of the story. The other older empty nester & family-man sports car types also want a smaller/lighter/quicker-to-toss-around sports car that we empty nester baby boomers want to harken back to the good old days, but with a modern car with modern conveniences & technology/etc. Whereas the family guy/gal wants to have that fun weekend car without cleaning out the kids' college funds!

The same demographics have been in play since 2000 or the late 1990s' with a bifurcated housing market, having the 20's & early 30's pre-family-formation age cohorts, plus the empty nester/baby boomer age cohorts born prior to 1960 - both going for the "lock & leave" no yardwork lifestyle in housing - with apartments & condos, over the single family home/white picket fence in suburbia of the family growing generation in between them. The younger group wants a more modest price with all the bells-&-whistles & technology they can afford, while the older gens are more willing to pay for a bit more space, luxury, quality, location, etc., as well as for a second home thing for the latter group. Nationwide today, the apartment market is about the only thing growing at all in residential construction on a nationwide basis.

It's not the largest single market segment, as single family homes will still be the bulk, but it's a healthy segment which will grow due to the baby boom & baby boom echo generations sheer relative size - which coincidentally is the same demographic force which is driving the auto market today. Just look at the rebirth of the Muscle Car Repops of the past few years! ...and look at their price points - at the "entry Porsche" & optioned up into Boxster/Cayman territory.

If the Porsche market gurus were really smart, then they'd be looking at these demographics driven market tends worldwide, and see how to add to their product line to best take advantage of this trend. 100% of their sales cannot be in the $100k++ arena, and still expect to make their 200k per year goal by 2018. Let's face it - very few Boxsters & Caymans leave the lot close to the +/- $50k "base price" - with the average off the lot sale of those 2 models being closer to $60-70k, & that off-the-lot average sale will grow to $100k by the 2018 target date, based on past history of price escalation by Porsche. Heck, Porsche is still climbing out of the sales slump hole of the 07-08 crash & recession since, which cut their sales by about 40%!

The story goes on.....again....and again.......on again....off again.....

They are waiting until the chineese market is ready for this "entry level" PORSCHE

Maybe there is a shortage of jackstands?

Actually Johannes - the Chinese want bigger cars - especially in the high priced segments, & Caddy hasn't sold as well because their cars over there are too small for affluent Chinese tastes (per last Saturday's "Auto News" TV show guest on the Chinese market).

I read the other day that Porsche is working on an enlarged/stretched Panamera with a Japaneses tuner group!