Tuesday, August 2, 2022

The Porsche's Garage: Ch. 11




Innovation is a product perceived as new by a potential adopter. It really doesn't matter whether the product is "new to the world" or some other category of new product. If it is new to a potential adopter, it is an innovation, which Porsche is not short of. Innovation is crucial to product development. Porsche didn't developed products that did not exist before (well they did make the first hybrid, but that's another post). The Cayman wasn't the first coupe sports car, the Cayenne wasn't the first sports based truck, and the Panamera wasn't the first sports sedan! With that said, what makes Porsche so called 鈥渋nnovative? In this context, Porsche is in the front of the pack as far as innovation is concerned. As I mentioned earlier it鈥檚 a "product perceived as new by a potential adopter." An excellent example of this is currently happening now at Porsche is new Cayenne diesel that鈥檚 been debuted under, of course, the Cayenne product line. Managers for Porsche have been efficient in successfully marketing products this way. They are tending to needs whether it performance or efficiency and understand that development and management with their products can always improve. Porsche managers also understand how important it is for the consumers to learn and adopt the products they are designing and enhancing.





The front-wheel-drive Fiesta turns in with real enthusiasm, working both axles to rotate itself around each bend. It feels natural and fun, but is also serious enough to satisfy even the biggest driving enthusiasts. Even better is the steering, which is quick and precise and offers the most information of the three cars here. There鈥檚 lots of traction out of corners as well, thanks to the optional limited-slip differential, although it avoids being so tied down as to lose some of the fun factor. Further, the six-speed gearbox is more precise and satisfying to use than in a normal 1.0-litre EcoBoost Fiesta, and is more involving than the MINI - just. While the Fiesta鈥檚 chassis shines brightly, the engine under the bonnet doesn鈥檛 quite match its predecessor for character. The new three-cylinder unit doesn鈥檛 relish revs as much as the old four-cylinder motor did, or even the four-cylinder engine in the MINI here. Still, the Ford unit has plenty of pull: the low-down torque means real-world performance is very strong, and the new engine has an entertaining exhaust note.





The Fiesta was the fastest of our three contenders in each gear, going from 30-50mph in third and fourth and 50-70mph in fifth and sixth faster than either the MINI or Volkswagen. But it lagged behind the faster-shifting DSG Polo from 0-60mph, taking 7.1 seconds, compared with the VW鈥檚 6.5-second time. Testers鈥?notes: 鈥淭he Fiesta ST is more serious and focused than ever, but it retains a sense of fun that鈥檚 somewhat missing in the Volkswagen. The MINI Cooper S is the hottest model in the facelifted MINI range until the John Cooper Works (JCW) arrives, but it鈥檚 the least powerful car of our trio here, producing 189bhp from its 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. While the Cooper S is the cheapest of the three at 拢20,635, you鈥檒l need to add plenty of options to match its rivals鈥?specifications. AS there have only been a few changes to the latest Cooper S, it remains great fun to drive.





The MINI鈥檚 direct steering and grippy chassis mean barreling down a twisty road is great fun. It responds to your inputs just as you want it to, so you鈥檙e able to tighten or open your line around a corner using the throttle as well as the steering. In fact, it鈥檚 right up there with the Fiesta ST in terms of B-road thrills. The MINI鈥檚 driving position is also great, which helps with comfort, but the well-developed damping is a big plus for the MINI as well; it gives enough compliance to keep the car composed without feeling unsettled on rough roads. The Cooper S is slightly more forgiving than the Ford, but isn鈥檛 as smooth as the Polo and ultimately is still quite firm - but we reckon it鈥檚 worth it for the superb handling. The engine is less vocal than both rivals鈥?motors, but the MINI鈥檚 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit is more characterful than the Polo鈥檚, and smoother than the three-cylinder engine in the Ford.

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