Good news, everyone: Porsche has finally come out with a vehicle most consumers can afford. The bad news: You probably won't be able to fit in it.
The German luxury automaker is producing the Go-Kart, a pedal-powered car for children ages 5 and up. With a suggested price of $900, the Porsche website says the mini-vehicle can accommodate kids up to 5 feet tall and weighing up to 110 pounds.
The 5-foot-long car is getting the full Porsche treatment. The company describes it as a "new highlight in the children's program of the Porsche Lifestyle Collection." And surely this isn't your father's kiddie car. It comes with composite rims, simulated center hub locks, inflatable tires, tubular steel frame and a dual brake system (the traditional back-pedal brake plus a handbrake) to "ensure optimal deceleration."
The company says its Go-Kart is based on Porsche Intelligent Performance, as it calls its advertising push focusing on high-performance hybrid vehicles. (Pedal power is certainly environmentally friendly, but high-performance may depend on the kid whose feet are on the pedals.)
The kiddie Porsche will be available from participating authorized dealers and online. As you might expect, at least one is already available on eBay (EBAY +0.95%) for more than $1,000.
Porsche is making a full-size push as well in North America. It broke ground last November on a new regional headquarters in suburban Atlanta, a $100 million project on the site of a former Ford (F +0.64%) plant.
And given that the cost of new four-door Porsche Panamera starts at nearly $76,000 and can go up to more than $175,000, telling your neighbors your state-of-the-art Porsche had a $900 price tag doesn't sound too bad after all.
But if you really want label recognition at a bargain price, Porsche also has its baby push car, made in Germany for children ages 1 to 3, and it's only $150. It's "exclusively designed by the Porsche Design Studio" with an "ergonomically recessed seat for small children and knee indentations for larger children."
