Porsche looks downmarket, considers less pricey roadster
Twenty years ago, Porsche was tempted to build a roadster to compete with the new MX-5 Miata. It never happened. Porsche CEO Peter Schutz finally declared one day, looking very much down his nose at the low-price market: "We're not going to build a Mazda."
But Porsche has gone in a variety of new directions in the past two decades, rolling out a lower-priced sports car (the Boxster), an SUV (the Cayenne) and--gasp--a four-door sedan (the Panamera). Now Porsche once again is considering a roadster with a relatively low price--by Porsche standards.
Company insiders tell sister publication Automobilwoche that there is room for a model below the Boxster, which has a base price of $65,287. Volkswagen--joined at the hip these days with the German sports car maker--is developing the midengine Bluesport concept. Sources say Porsche may create an entry-level roadster on the Bluesport platform, which is derived from VW Polo and Golf components.
(Source: Automotive News)
