ttweed wrote:Kim Crosser wrote:My question still stands - if the new cars aren't as good as the old cars, how come the new cars are beating the old cars on the track?... (Plop - sound of gauntlet being thrown down.)
A review of the 2004 autox results comparing GSS class with LSS does not support this assertion, Kim. Nor does a review of GS results vs. LS in 2005.
(Whack- sound of gauntlet picked up and slapped across new-car owner cheek.)
TT
Tom:
You know as well as I that you're scewing the
Data Paradigm to fit your argument. You can't compare a National and Regional Award winning driver (you) in GSS to less experienced, less skilled drivers in LSS (sorry, LSS guys, no offense intended). That's like comparing Steve G. in his 914 to a rookie A-X'er in a GT-3 or 997 S. Although statistically, the early 911 (yours) and 914's should be slower than the GT-3/997,
other factors prevail. So, playing loose with the data is only argumentitive trickery. (?Ever think of becoming a lawyer?
)
Nice try, though...........
Kary:
It's my recollection that Porsche has
always built two "types" of auto's: one for street, and one for racing. One was built to be fun, fast, and fairly reliable as well as affordable (Not unlike the 996/GT-3 of today). The other was a street car that was heavily modified for the "rigors" of autoracing.
Off the top of my head, and without referencing books:
1.) 356 A/B/C and the PanAmericana racing coup/550 Spyder
2.) 911 and the RSR
3.) 924 and the 924 GT-S Turbo(?)
4.) 914 and the 914-6 GT
In just about every model Porsche built for the street, they took said street car and
modified it for racing. The standard street cars were more or less
platforms for their racing bretheren. I'll have to agree with Jad, that given the purely stock early 911's (up to, say the 78 to 82 SC's) and the purely stock newer 993/996/997, the issues of reliability, race-track readiness, and over track performance vs. street performance haven't changed much. As the cars have evolved, their street appeal, their track-rediness, their convertability have been consistant. And as Chris Huck points out, their overall increase in price in real-time inflationary dollars is low to insignificant.
As an owner of an "older" Porsche, and "house mechanic" to 2 "older" Porsches, I can tell you, these are NOT
maintenance-free super reliable, never need a thing, turn the key and drive for 300K miles cars. An older Porsche is like dating a super-model: lots of fun to drive, great to been seen on the street with......but require high maintenance and big $$$$.
The way I see it, the more things change, the more they remain the same.
DC