

Designer of the Porsche 911, Dies at 76 - mksm
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/06/automobiles/ferdinand-a-porsche-76-dies-designed-celebrated-911.html

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pg
"The Porsche 911 proved both an immediate and enduring hit, and the company
has never replaced it, instead allowing the car to evolve over almost half a
century."

Not quite. That was true till 1998, but the present 911 is just a similar-
looking car with the same name, like the new Beetle, the new Mini, and the new
Fiat 500.

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dsrguru
Just out of curiosity, what makes the 996 and 997 models a different car from
993 and before?

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wazoox
See the wikipedia[1] page. Basically, the 996 was a complete overhaul, new
chassis, new engine (water cooled).

[1]: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_911>

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willwagner
I'm in my mid-40s. When my dad was a kid, he always had a car lust for a
Cadillac. When I was a kid, I had a car lust for a Porsche 911. I wonder what
kids these days think would be the ultimate car? I presume a Tesla but I could
be wrong.

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buster
I'm 30 and i'd say Audi R8 and Aston Martin (doesnt matter which one ;) ).

I never got why people liked the Porsche cars, though. In my oppinion very
uninspiring, even boring designs... But that's a matter of taste :)

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seanp2k2
The Porsche is an experience that you just have to feel to "get". It's a
similar aesthetic to Apple computers. A Porsche might not be the fastest, most
expensive, or prettiest, but it is the /Porscheist/ :)

Very similar: Lotus. Try an Elise or and Exige some time. I'd love to have one
set up for where I can really use it: on the track. IMO, any "street car" that
does better than about 6sec 0-60 is wasteful on the street, and sadly most of
these 911s are driven by lawyers and housewives of hedge fund managers who
will never use them where they really shine.

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Arjuna
If you are interested in Porsche and auto-manufacturing, then you will enjoy
this episode of National Geographic Channel's _Ultimate Factories_ [1] that
features the manufacturing of the Porsche 911 GT3 [2]:
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRwsKfQW7F0>

[1] <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultimate_Factories>

[2] <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_911_GT3>

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jerrya
Nothing was the same after 911.

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jerrya
The people downvoting this may wish to consider how it works not just as a
cliche about September 11, but as a statement of the significance of Ferdinand
Porsche's legacy....

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pagekalisedown
It's a well placed double-pun.

Lets not lose our sense of humor while trying to keep HN topical. If the
parent-parent comment isn't appropriate, then neither would this thread be.

