Businessweek: Customer sues Porsche for the "bad" handling on his Carrera GT!

[Ruergard]

Porsche - Product liability for selling an unsafe car. This falls into three levels of defect:
1. There was some mechanical problem with this particular car that made it handle badly.

2. There are design defects with the Carrera GT that make it a poor handling car, mainly tail happy,

3. Third: The Carrera GT is to difficult a car to handle at high speeds for the average driver without instructions.

Link:
http://www.businessweek.com/autos/co...608_466074.htm

Hmm, what do they say. Only in America? No offense guys but..?
I think this guy has to read some tests on the car an check some laptimes. One of the fastest cars in the world isn't that easy to push on hard with...

[freerider]

IIRC, you have to take a driving course from Porsche itself when you buy the car. And isn't it the driver's decision to push the car. I mean, on the public road I think this is one of the safest cars to be in if you drive within the legal limits. And I wouldn't drive a CGT on the track without experience and driving instructions from professionals.

[Mr Balsen]

Of course the lawyer who won against Porsche in the 930 Turbo story is involved....

Frederic

[AndyBG]

No comment !

[Leadfoot]

I know I will get a back slash for what I am about to say but here goes.

The problem with every supercar is that they are approaching to limits of Formula One cars of 8 years ago, now that sounds great for marketing and technology but those race cars were driven by racing drivers and not the average club driver but one's of the highest standard who have years of experience driving cars that had a very fine line between total grip and no grip. Unlike the average guy that buys a supercar, most are rich businessmen who are usually in their 40+yrs and have had little or no experience driving such machines.

I believe such car companies have an obligation to train the owners and to design their cars with safety equipment that reduce to chances of the type of accidents that happen. Audi at least held their hands up when the first TT had it's accidents and fixed to problems. Porsche will fight tooth and nail and will not admit that this car is unsuitable for most of it's owners.

[PeterJohn]

8 years is a bit optimistic, but they are definitley getting a lot faster. Just look at the evolution of the powerlap times on Top Gear.

Is there a significant increase in supercar crashes? Or is there just an increase in supercars? Apart from some projects in the early nineties, it usually was just Ferrari and Lamborghini. The later only made about 250 cars per year. Now it's 3000.

I guess the risk does increase with speed. It's human nature to want bigger, better, faster,... This ambition is perhaps the only thing that really seperates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. If we were satisfied with only the essensials, we might still be slinging poo at each other up some tree in Africa. Now we've got nucliar weapons and bunkers for that game.

Supercars are awesome because they challenge conventional physics. They push the boundries. That's what we do as humans. But unlike in a computer game, or religious doctrine, you are restricted to the laws of physics. Every action has a reaction, and every choice comes with a downside. If you choose to buy an no compromise supercar, than you can't expect it to be as passive to drive as a family car.

I'm sure the passive safety is as high as it can be, considering they are supercars. Perhaps so high, that it gives the driver too much confidence. Thinking that the electronics will save him from every situation.

It's still the driver that is in controle, and responable. Any piece of technology can only react to a situation as it occurs. Only the driver can anticipate the future, and actively prevent situations. Apart from mechanical failure, the driver is the only part of the car that can prevent accidents. It's unreasonable to expect the car to do the driving for you. Perhaps this guy should've bought a bus ticket instead of a Porsche, since he doesn't seem to want to be a driver. Or at least take the responsibility.

[AndyBG]

No body force those people to buy and drive fast cars...

[Bingocaller]

Tailhappy yes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrgfSy9eX9o

[Leadfoot]

J Clarkson drove both the SLR and the Carrera GT and while the SLR was very ease to drive and predictable, the Porsche was a handful especially close to the limit yet there was less than one second between them around the track.

Unfortunately the Porsche was design to be driven by people with the abilities of racing drivers but are being bought by people not fit to drive anything quicker than a SUV and in fact that is more than likely their other mode of transport.

Supercars don't need to be near possible to drive, just look at the Veyron, the quickest, most powerful supercar of them all and yet as easy to drive and quickly as a TT or S4.

Maybe VAG got it right with the Veyron and the rest have got it wrong.

[Bingocaller]

I agree with all that the CGT is a bit of a handfull and the people who buy them most of the time dont have a clue of what they are doing BUT we must remember that one of the reason that they buy a CGT (or any hypercar) is the exitement of driving on the edge of the envelope and the thrill of the succes when you finally manage to do it succesfully.

If they exitement of the CGT or same would compare to driving say a Renualt Clio etc. there would be no idea in such a vehicle!

[gjg]

:
Of course the lawyer who won against Porsche in the 930 Turbo story is involved....

Frederic

yeah, and he truly believes he will get paid again ......

[Benman]

Hmm, what do they say. Only in America? No offense guys but..?

No offense taken, guy's a tool. And yes, there are way too many law suits in the US, especially where I live! I mean, my goodness, I ride a bike to and from work everyday. If I were to die, it'd be like my wife suing Honda for selling her husband an "unsafe" vehicle! Absurd!

Hey, I have an idea to get rid of lawyers...

Pass a law mandating that all lawyers must, by law, share in the verdict of their clients. Right away, they'd stop representing potential criminals, and frivilous lawsuits would be a thing of the past as they'd fear being involved in the counter suit!

Ben
Ben