Looks like we may have some final info regaridng the subject from the August 2009 edition of Porsche Post (the better UK version of the PCA Panorama rag).

Quoting:
"The rumour factory, this time in Automobilewoche, reported recently that Porsche is contemplating an entry level roadster based on the Volkswagen's BlueSport platform. This must have hit a nerve in Zuffenhausen because it was quickly and firmly denied by Klaus Berning, Board member for sales and marketing, and his denial was reinforced by Detlev von Platen, CEO of Porsche Cars North America...."

"There is no business case for Porsche in small cars," says Berning. "It isn't that we haven't analysed the possibilities. A small car has to meet our internal profit goals, and we have to make money on every car we sell. A small car does not fit in...."

That's too bad. I thought the 911 was supposed to be a "small car"...

Have you parked your car next to a 911 lately? New cars are just huge.

It's too bad Porsche Management is so close-minded. Look what BMW did with the Mini. A nice spirited small car that has achieved pretty good sales numbers

T.C.

Yes, but the Mini is sold as a Mini not a BMW ... since Porsche and VW are pretty much joined at the hip (and really always have been) they'll just sell a sportscar with a VW badge on it and call it a day (which is kinda what the 914 was anyway).



Besides, Porsche already makes a new 914 (a mid engined, "entry level" model). Its called The Boxster.

too bad, i think 3 years out the market should be good for fast, good handling, econo-blaster.
more reason to keep/build a great car just the way i want it.

I'd post the whole article but my freakin' scanner is down.

Later in the piece von Platen (CEO of PCNA) says that "Porsche is looking very closely at downsizing engine capacities, possibly with a VW origin four-cylinder (sound familiar?) or getting more economy out of a Porsche V6 that will power a version of the Panamera in 2010...."

My question is - where will they stick the four cylinder engine? In a Boxter?
Seems to me that a four cylinder engine may very well work in a SMALL car!

VW 2.0T + mid engine RWD = modern 914.

Gee - I guess I have a modern car!

I think about 90% of the "new 914" talk has been created by auto journalists.

What about the story from the member here that was in Germany when the VW PR people were shooting pictures of the 914 and the Bluetech car together?

Anybody have a link to that thread? Were there pics?

Porsche definately needs a Lotus killer.

The 914 was a VW in Yurrup.

Personally I'm sorry for this development. I was hoping for a neo-914 in the same fashion as the Touareg vs Cayenne. Separate takes on the same basic platform.

Audi could be welcome to the same party, maybe with a diesel.

Not that this is necessarily more reliable than the rest of the media speculation about a new VW-Porsche collaboration around an entry-level mid-engined car... but:

http://www.autospies.com/news/Could-This-B...-Surface-47974/


(article at that link contains a better picture)