Porsche is one of the biggest names in the business, and yes the 911 "hasn't changed in 40 years", we know all about it. Except in almost every way possible it has. Lets end this whole discussion on the engine being in the wrong place because yes, dynamically it is in an awkward position. But I'm curious, where's the engine in a Formula One Car? It isn't in the front, or the middle. They don't seem to have too much of a problem since they can corner at 190 mph and pull 4 lateral G's. Weight distribution was somewhat of a difficult task in the early 911's but you cannot deny the fact that it is what defines Porsche as who they are. Porsche 911's of today are some of the most poised cars on the road. However they will never feel as good as a cayman because of the engine placement, but a cayman will never be a 911. The 911 is one of the most iconic cars in the motoring world, and anyone who would argue this doesn't really grasp the ideas of sport cars or motor sports too well. I'm sure we've all watched Top Gear, it is my favorite show, but please don't listen to every word that comes out of Mr. Clarkson's mouth. He always says that Porsche design is so lazy and it hasn't changed, but it has. So when you go and say the same thing, it's an immediate clue that a) you have no idea what you're on about and b) you're taking the words out of his mouth with no real knowledge of the subject. Having never been in a 911 makes your argument even less credible. I've been in 911's from every era, from the first 930's all the way up to the 997.2 GT3 RS. Want to try and tell me there's no change? Obviously they look somewhat similar but every time they evolve to make it that much better. When looking at other car models and seeing the drastic change, it's usually because they have to change them. The 911 has always been the case of fine tuning and keeping with tradition. There's a sense of pride these engineers have about this car, why are you trying to deny them from it? The same could be said about Audi. Their engines were almost in front of the front axel, which would cause horrific understeer. But they weren't too bothered by that, seeing as how they won countless rallies and branded the "Quattro" name doing so. Every car has a defining feature, BMW's inline six, which has always been fantastic. But again, you get people who will listen to a straight piped e46 M3 and say "That rasp is terrible, sounds like my lawnmower". That rasp however doesn't sound like your lawnmower, it is an iconic soundtrack that a connoisseur will recognize. In closing, please take some time to look past all the common stereotypes to investigate the truth, you may turn out to love something you once didn't. A while back I bought into all that talk about being lazy and the cars were ugly, but spend a day with one and you'll start to understand. I've developed a passion for these cars and I'm sure you could as well. Oh and for good measure, here's a list of all Porsche's achievements due to their "lack" of design...
▪ 14 Makes and Team World Championship
▪ 3 IMSA Supercar-Series
▪ 6 German Racing Championship
▪ 20 European Hill Climbing Championship
▪ 22 Daytona 24 Hours
▪ 15 IMSA Supercar-Race (USA)
▪ 16 24 Hours of Le Mans
▪ 18 12 Hours of Sebring
▪ 1 Rallye-Weltmeisterschaft
▪ 11 Targa Florio
▪ 4 Rallye Monte Carlo
▪ 2 Paris-Dakar Rally
1 Formula One victory
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