Who Are Porsche’s Competitors?

View Comments (8)

• IMHO the closest comparison/competition for a 911 Turbo is probably the Audi R8 V10, Nissan GT-R, and a Corvette Z06/ZR-1. One could argue on build quality for the latter two, but they give similar performance numbers at significantly lower price.

• Like many seasoned (older than dirt?) Porsche owners, I guess I have driven just about every Porsche “competitor” through the years – and enjoyed many of them, for different reasons. Not being a Leno or Seinfeld, I can’t own dozens of automobiles of different makes and models, but do appreciate them for what they are. Having said that, for me, the only one I’ve really desperately wanted to always own – and drive daily – is the Porsche 911 (I am currently in my 8th version over the decades – a GT3). The Panamera is a really find – and fun – sport coupe, the Cayenne is a wonderful SUV, the Boxter has a definite appeal in its niche, and even the 928, 944, 914 and venerable 356 are all enviable purchases for one reason or another. I’ll leave out cars like the Carrera GT, 962, 956, 917 or even older race cars because, honestly, most of us would kill to have one, but can’t.
  I was hooked on the 911 as a mere child when, at a local auto show, I sat in the driver’s seat of a brand new ’67 model, stared up at the giant Tachometer (which I think had a diameter in those days of 24 inches!), put my hands around the spaghetti thin gearshift and looked out on the rest of the world. I still have that same feeling every day when I fire up the GT3. It is, in fact, the idiosyncratic oddities of the 911 that makes it, in my mind, the greatest automobile ever manufactured. And it is the amazing ability of these dedicated Germans to insolubly connect every 911 from each to each. There are things this morning that are direct threads in my GT3 to my original ‘69 Aubergine-colored 911S that just cannot be mimicked in a Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Corvette, BMW o what-have-you. This is not to say there are not many fine automobiles on the road (I wouldn’t mind having a Duesenberg for Sundays and a Ferrari California for Saturday afternoon), but when it comes to the 911, there simply is no substitute (maybe Porsche should think of coining that phrase?).
  In spite of driving a GT3 today, Porsche 911 owners are not always the fastest, sexiest, most novel, most exotic or most expensive cars on the road. 911 owners also “put up with” a fair amount of annoyances to drive their little VWs on steroids, but I think most 911 owners will agree, and have voted with their checkbooks, that nothing else really comes close in feel, sound, confidence, familiarity and satisfaction. If the Rolling Stones all bought 911s they would no longer be able to honestly sing their famous song.
  So, is there a competitor to the Porsche 911? In a word, no. Are there arguments about this issue? In a few words: oh my lord, don’t even open up this conversation with a non-911 owner unless you want to be inundated with facts and reviews, figures and road test results, torque charts, horsepower ratings, auction statistics, and the opinions of scantily-clad, bikini wearing third wives (although I’m still on my first after 36 years) – you just don’t want to go there.
  911 owners know the answer, and in my experience don’t often feel the need to defend the opinion. They have it confirmed every time they twist that funky, Le Mans-inspired left handed key and hear that wonderful, valve train come to life . . . from the back seat.

• As Porsche said in the recent past, "There is no Substitute!"

  Where Porsche is taking its cars today, GT3 R Hybrid, 918 Spyder, etc. confirms it's still true today even though the company's sloan has changed to be more reflective of the times.

• Right now, the Carrera's biggest competitor is the Cayman S! The Carrera S, Turbo, GT3, etc, of course gets you comparisons with the Z06, R8, GT-R, et al.....

• People have voted with their feet, or more accurately, with their check books. And sports cars across the price spectrum all seem to have their loyal fans.

  But in response to your question, as Porsche said in one of their ads sometime ago, a new Porsche's biggest competitor is a used Porsche. Fortunately for thousands of enthusiasts, most Porsches are the third car in the family and therefore there are many exceptionally well cared for, low mileage Porsches for sale at any given moment in time.

  Now, add the largest and strongest car club in the U.S., and the enduring loyalty of Porsche owners to the marque is easily understood.

• Certainly Porsche stands alone as a unique Make/Marque. There is NO one manufacturer who has the lineup and depth of performance as the Stallions from Stuttgart. There are individual competitors for each model offered. You can see where the Aston Martin Rapide, Maserati Quattroporte and the new Jaguar XJ could compete with the style and performance of the Panamera line. Nissan could certainly hold their own with the 370Z vs. the Cayman. BMW X6 M comes close to the fun to drive ability of the Cayenne Turbo. BMW Z4 roadster suits up along with the Nissan Z roadster vs. the Boxster. All 17 (!!) variations of the 911 leading up to the new and incredible GT 2 RS (it should be called GT 4 RS) can only be compared to Ferrari's line-up. GM's Corvettes (Sting Ray concept, ZR1, Grand Sport) come in a distant second to Ferrari here in my opinion. The ultra exotic Porsches starting with the 2000 Carrera GT and now with the amazing 918 Spyder hybrid are only in the Ford GT, Ferrari ENZO, 599XX, FXX and new "Super Corvette" category of "rolling test beds" that only the very rich can hope to ever see in their garage.

• Like many seasoned (older than dirt?) Porsche owners, I guess I have driven just about every Porsche “competitor” through the years – and enjoyed many of them, for different reasons. Not being a Leno or Seinfeld, I can’t own dozens of automobiles of different makes and models, but do appreciate them for what they are. Having said that, for me, the only one I’ve really desperately wanted to always own – and drive daily – is the Porsche 911 (I am currently in my 8th version over the decades – a GT3). The Panamera is a really find – and fun – sport coupe, the Cayenne is a wonderful SUV, the Boxter has a definite appeal in its niche, and even the 928, 944, 914 and venerable 356 are all enviable purchases for one reason or another. I’ll leave out cars like the Carrera GT, 962, 956, 917 or even older race cars because, honestly, most of us would kill to have one, but can’t.
  I was hooked on the 911 as a mere child when, at a local auto show, I sat in the driver’s seat of a brand new ’67 model, stared up at the giant Tachometer (which I think had a diameter in those days of 24 inches!), put my hands around the spaghetti thin gearshift and looked out on the rest of the world. I still have that same feeling every day when I fire up the GT3. It is, in fact, the idiosyncratic oddities of the 911 that makes it, in my mind, the greatest automobile ever manufactured. And it is the amazing ability of these dedicated Germans to insolubly connect every 911 from each to each. There are things this morning that are direct threads in my GT3 to my original ‘69 Aubergine-colored 911S that just cannot be mimicked in a Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Corvette, BMW o what-have-you. This is not to say there are not many fine automobiles on the road (I wouldn’t mind having a Duesenberg for Sundays and a Ferrari California for Saturday afternoon), but when it comes to the 911, there simply is no substitute (maybe Porsche should think of coining that phrase?).
  In spite of driving a GT3 today, Porsche 911 owners are not always the fastest, sexiest, most novel, most exotic or most expensive cars on the road. 911 owners also “put up with” a fair amount of annoyances to drive their little VWs on steroids, but I think most 911 owners will agree, and have voted with their checkbooks, that nothing else really comes close in feel, sound, confidence, familiarity and satisfaction. If the Rolling Stones all bought 911s they would no longer be able to honestly sing their famous song.
  So, is there a competitor to the Porsche 911? In a word, no. Are there arguments about this issue? In a few words: oh my lord, don’t even open up this conversation with a non-911 owner unless you want to be inundated with facts and reviews, figures and road test results, torque charts, horsepower ratings, auction statistics, and the opinions of scantily-clad, bikini wearing third wives (although I’m still on my first after 36 years) – you just don’t want to go there.
  911 owners know the answer, and in my experience don’t often feel the need to defend the opinion. They have it confirmed every time they twist that funky, Le Mans-inspired left handed key and hear that wonderful, valve train come to life . . . from the back seat.

• Well, the M3 would have to be the most obvious, closest competitor. And if BMW's racing wins compared to Porsche are any indication of this fact, you'd see a close #2 and #1, respectively.

  Having said that - Porsche is the purists driving car, whereas the BMW's are more practical and approachable.