Accord

Just like the subject says, do you think Porsche/Audi/VW will ever come back to F1?

vraa

I don't think so, they've been having money issues. Porsche..

FInality

Porsche with MONEY ISSUES?????

Vraaper needs to look at the profit margins on those Porsches.

VW will make it back to F1 though I suspect it will be as the Lamborghini team perhaps 3 years from now when they sort the hole they've dug themselves in.

vraa

Did, they are making more then 10k on each Cayenne they sell, that's not bad, but if they are doing pretty good then why would they bring in a V6 version of that .. beast?

FInality

To capture the low end of the market... Just like what they did with the boxster. Scrounge the Porsche parts bin for components and as a result the entire 911 range becomes super cheap to produce.

I cant remember what they make on each Cayenne but the Boxster/911 line margins where on average 40% of gross.

vraa

I didn't know that. Make it cheaper so in the long run you make more money.

I'm still searching for the post or site where it listed Porsche went to F1 and basically spanked everyone and never went back since. That was then refuted that their engine didn't even complete the race. Maybe I'm just dreaming, I don't know.

trench

Porsche's most recent foray into F1 (in 1991) was a complete disaster, the engines pretty much completely sucked.

Porsche did very well providing power for the McLarens in the mid-80s (World Driving Champions in 84-85-86 and Constructors Champions in 84-85). Some Porsche purists don't consider this particular motor to be a "true" Porsche engine as it was a co-development project using McLaren designers (John Benard at the time) and funding from TAG (Techniques d'Avante-Garde). The arrival of the much better Honda motors put an end to the TAG-Porsche engines at McLaren.

Porsche also had an F1 program from 1957-1964 where they built both the car and engine, net result: 1 win (1962 French GP).