Aircooled VW South Africa

Got some inside info from a reliable source today, which I will share with the Forum

Here's the deal:

4 x Porsche Panameras (only officially released later in 2009) will be arriving by plane at OR Tambo at the end of January this year. They will then be couriered, most probably in closed trucks to a specific warehouse in Jet Park, and then sent to Cape Town the next day, to be at some rendezvous point in Maple Street, Cape Town by February 2. They will then most probably be camouflaged (typically with the badges covered, and the strategic masking of certain parts to break lines), and fitted with a variety of equipment to undergo extensive testing in the Western Cape area, to see how the models will handle South African conditions. Two Cayennes will undergo the same treatment at the same time, most probably the recently announced diesel versions. You saw it first here on ACVWSA, this has not yet been in the media anywhere...

There is no such place as Maple Street in Cape Town. Well there is but nothing to do with Porsches or Porsche testing.

I checked it myself as well - two Maple Streets in CT, one in Bergvliet and one in Gardens. A warehouse, perhaps?

B and G are residential areas. Why would'nt they go straight to Porsche in Montague Gardens. Theres a big Porsche showroom there?

I have no idea. I think they just try to hide the cars from the public eye?

I think these cars are going to be a huge hit.

Sounds like we need to keep our eyes open driving to and from George.

He: Hunny, I'm home!

*throws car keys with Porsche logo on kitchen table*

She: You bought a Porsche, you BASTARD!

*opens kitchen drawer, starts feeling for bread knife*

He: But hunny....

*looks around for escape route, sliding door to patio closed - damn!*

She: Don't BUT HUNNY me, if you want to have a midlife crisis, me and the kids won't be part of it!

He: It's got 4 doors...

She: (High-pitched voice) I might be blonde, wiseguy but DUH-HUH - a Porsche, with 4 doors? What's next - a pink Hilux? Or a BMW taxivan?

He: Onspandietiete, come have a look outside...

Porsche have now officially released pics of the Panamera. It is the same car we saw a few months ago at the test track, and drove a few times. Does not look big but is really roomy inside and drove like a real Porsche. I think they have a winner on their hands, even as the purists cringe about a 4 door Porsche. They said the same thing about the Cayenne, and it is a hit, kinda saved Porsche and made it possible for them to "buy" VW/Audi.

Im will not accept the family car idea from Porsche me think it will water down their high profile sports car market ,just like you cant sell a cheap entry level car with the same badge as your top of the range full house super safe luxery car. The buying publics perception on cheap cars ,family cars sports cars and luxery cars are different a result that your top market suffers.(seen by public as cheap build with high price tag) Look what happened with Toyota/lexus and even VW s top man from a couple of years back said that the production of the cars for the masses -cheap- (vw badged) cars should be separated from the luxery badged cars(Audi) not to confuse the buying public .-----and Porsche should stick to sports cars-----
Anyway I think my Porsche s re sell value is under threat even though the Panamericana may be a good car. the P badge will loose its exclusivity .( hows that for a fancy word )
cheers
Baron

I have a friend that has done some driving for them. Porsche have testing facilities and a warehouse in Upington as they and VW often due testing in that area. There are specific roads in that area that they are allowed by government to do 250 km/h on, there are signs marking it and everything

I know that road. I've driven on it ... you need special permission to go 250 though..

Guys,

I know that road a my sisters son in law tested it recently in his Ferrari --nice pictures of speedo at 250.
But as Pine says yo did not hear it from me but the road between Middelburg and Bethal have also shown me 250 ---without permission though ---- hahaha
cheers
Baron

is that the road to Springbok thru Poffadder. Asshole of the world road that is....

Yes, N14 between Pofadder and Springbok. It's a l-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-n-g, flat, straight road, with very little traffic.

I once attended a BMW X5 launch in that area. We drove in a convoy of X5s at 200km/h; covered 150km in 45 minutes.