I ran this morning into Detlev von Platen, CEO of PCNA, at the Le Meridien Hotel in Stuttgart where we were both staying. I was there for the start of my 10 day '2013 Guys Only Tour' - I visited the Audi R8 assembly plant at Neckarsulm yesterday and went to the Porsche Museum today - and Detlev was there on one of his regular visits to headquarters! I have met Detlev three times before - at the 2009 & 2012 PCA Parade and IV Rennsport at Laguna! He specifically remembered my 'Crystal Blue' 1970 911E Targa, which won the coveted 'Honorary Judges Choice' trophy at the '12 Parade. He was one of three judges that made that selection among all cars entered at the Concours. The other two judges were Dr. Wolfgang Porsche and Hans Peter Porsche who were also attending the Parade! So my Porsche enthusiast 'bona fides' established, I proceeded to go from pleasant small talk to the question that many on this & other Rennlist forums have been concerned for a long time!

I asked him point blank about the lack of a sport bucket seat option on the US 991 gt3. He said they are working on it and will be providing a seat in approx. one year's time for our market! I asked if it would coincide with the introduction of the gt3 RS in the US. He smiled and said 'yes' and 'don't tell anyone'. So I want you all to keep it 'secret', ok!

I asked why PCNA didn't get the bucket seat certified for the MY2014 gt3. He said that there were some issues re: folding aspect of the 'gt2' sport bucket seat that was causing problems. To make sure he understood I was not an easy mark, I told him that my 2012 Spyder had a folding 'gt2' seat that was fully certified for the US and it looked identical to the European 'gt2' sport bucket seats I had seen last week on a MY2013 German 991 at Zuffenhausen (photo attached). He quickly had a comeback - US regulations had changed and that seat (as was optioned in MY2012 in the US) could not be offered on the 991/981 without modification. And that is what they were working on! I report...you decide!

The fact that he assured me that a sport buckets would appear on the US 991 gt3 RS (probable MY2015) is consistent with what some of us (e.g. me) have been saying for a while on this forum! Once they are certified for MY2015 gt3 RS, I don't see why they would not be offered on the standard 991 (and base gt3, of course). But we will wait to see if that happens!

Why PCNA didn't anticipate the problems with the changing US certification rules, I'll let you ponder on that matter! As many of you know, I have a theory as to why PCNA 'fumbled' the ball! Regardless my private speculation, this is Detlev's version of the sport bucket seat 'question' as of this morning and I take him at his word!

After this private talk at the breakfast buffet at Le Meridien, Detlev was approached by the tour organizer - Steve Austin - and asked to say a few words to our travel contingent of 23 Americans (which include at least 10 Porsche owners!). He stepped into our tour bus just before we left for the Porscheplatz and used the microphone to address our small group. Interestingly, he said the purpose of this particular trip this week was to go to Weissach and test drive some of the 'exciting' new products that PCNA will have to sell to us in the USA within the next few years! I suspect the 991 gt3 RS will be one of them!

Saludos,
Eduardo
Presently now in Munich

 

That's awesome news !! Thank you for the inside scoop.