ON THE TABLE - FEBRUARY 6, 2013

 Corvette Marketers. Editor-in-Chief's Note: I understand that some of the people assigned to Corvette marketing are royally pissed off at me for my assessment (running over the last month) of the Corvette and its place in the world. They should go back and really read what I said about the car, as in, there's no question that dynamically it will be the best Corvette ever. And they should also go back and read how complimentary I was to the True Believers who worked on the car, because they did and do outstanding work. But I won't back off the fact that the design of the new car, after the initial swooning has passed, isn't as good as it could and should be. And I also won't back off the fact that GM has done a piss-poor job of marketing Corvette over the decades. It has always been an afterthought instead of being the tip of the company's technological spear and a showpiece for the corporation as a whole, and that borders on the criminal. It's only recently - thanks to dismissed CMO Joel Ewanick - that Corvette has received more marketing attention. And it has been welcomed, but still far, far less than what it deserves. And for the record, I've probably forgotten more about the Corvette then some of the so-called marketers assigned to the car will accumulate in their lifetime (I said, some, not all). In case they're questioning my credentials in the area, which they are. Oh, and one more thing. The new Corvette shouldn't have the "Stingray" moniker attached to it. I grew up with the Sting Ray. I rode in the original Sting Ray in period. I know what the Sting Ray represents. And I can safely say that the new Corvette is no Stingray, no matter how it's spelled. - PMD

Toyota. Cue the theme from "Jaws." Toyota is reporting a 23.4 percent increase in quarterly net profit due to hot sales in the U.S. (and a weaker yen). And it raised its annual profit forecast as well. Uh-oh.

(BMW)
One of the introductions BMW has planned for the Geneva International Motor Show is the world premier of the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo. Calling it, "innovative, emotional, functional," BMW insists the 3 Series Gran Turismo is "an entirely independent concept within the successful BMW 3 Series range, it embodies a unique reinterpretation of the need for space and functionality." Alrighty then.

(Images courtesy of Porsche North America)
The Porsche 911 has been the heart of the Porsche brand for five decades and for many, the 911 is the quintessential sports car. Since its debut as the Type 901 at the IAA International Automotive Show in September 1963 (renamed the 911 for its market launch in 1964), the 911 represents the soul of the company. Today, Porsche insists that the 911 is also the central point of reference for all other Porsche series and that each Porsche - from the Cayenne to the Panamera - carries a piece of the 911 philosophy. For Porsche, the 50th anniversary of this iconic sports car is the central theme of 2013. There will be a wide variety of anniversary events, starting with the “Retro Classics” automobile show in Stuttgart. From March 7-10 the Porsche Museum will ring in the anniversary year with four special exhibits: an early-model 911 Turbo Coupe, a 911 Cabriolet study from 1981, a 1997 street version 911 GT1 and the pre-series Type 754 T7. This chassis by Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche was a milestone on the way to the 911 design.

More than 820,000 Porsche 911s have been built, making it one of the most successful sports cars in the world. Like no other vehicle, the 911 "reconciles apparent contradictions such as sportiness and everyday practicality, tradition and innovation, exclusivity and social acceptance, design and functionality," according to Porsche. Ferry Porsche described its unique qualities this way: “The 911 is the only car you could drive on an African safari or at Le Mans, to the theater or through New York City traffic.” The company is also sending an authentic 1967 model 911 on a world tour this year. This vintage 911 will travel to five continents where it will be shown in places like Pebble Beach, Calif., Shanghai, Goodwood, U.K., Paris and Australia. Those interested can follow the car’s progress at http://porsche.com/follow-911.

Many Porsche 911 enthusiasts prefer the simplicity of the older cars.  

Contrast this 911 I.P. to the new one (below).  

The current 911. Newer, but... better?

In addition to its classic lines, the Porsche 911 has always been distinguished by its advanced technology, much of it developed on the race track. In fact, two thirds of Porsche's 30,000 race victories to date have been notched by the 911, according to Porsche.

The contrast between the original 911 and the current car is flat-out shocking. There's just no two ways about it. For the hardcore 911 faithful, the new car represents a clear demarcation away from the original 911 concept, and it's easy to see why. Talk to many Porsche enthusiasts and they will tell you that they're starting to gravitate toward the Cayman and Cayman S as the Porsche for the "True Believers." The Porsche Museum is celebrating “50 years of the Porsche 911” from June 4 - Sept. 29, 2013, with a special exhibition featuring the history and development of the 911. In the spring the museum’s own publishing house, Edition Porsche-Museum, will publish an anniversary edition entitled “911x911.” The generations of the 911: The First 911 (1963); the G-Series (1973); the 964 (1988); the 993 (1993) and the last air-cooled models; the 996 (1997) and the beginning of the water cooled era; the 997 (2004); and the current car, the 991 (2011).

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Fresh off its $52.5 million Scottsdale Auction in January, Gooding & Company is preparing for the Amelia Island Auction taking place on Friday, March 8.  The auction house will return to the Omni Amelia Island Plantation in northeast Florida to once again present a long list of extraordinary collector cars for sale, including a 1928 Bentley 4 ½ Litre Semi- Le Mans Tourer, 1953 Fiat 8V Supersonic, 1965 Aston Martin Short Chassis Volante, 1966 Ferrari 275 GTS and 1949 Jaguar XK120 Alloy Roadster.

This 1928 Bentley 4 1/2 Litre Semi-Le Mans Tourer will be presented at Gooding & Company's 2013 Amelia Island Auction on Friday, March 8.
Image copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company. Photo by Mathieu Heurtault.

This 1953 Fiat 8V Supersonic.
Image copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company. Photo by Brian Henniker.  

This 1965 Aston Martin Short Chassis Volante.
Image copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company. Photo by Mathieu Heurtault.

This 1966 Ferrari 275 GTS.
Image copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company. Photo by Mathieu Heurtault.

This 1949 Jaguar XK120 Alloy Roadster.
Image copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company. Photo by Brian Henniker.