Interesting little article:
http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=100954
Porsche chairman says decision on fourth model due sometime in '05
AUTOMOTIVE NEWS
Posted Date: 10/4/04
Wendelin Wiedeking, chairman of Porsche AG, says the decision will be made next year. Whether Porsche will make the vehicle without a partner is unclear. But Porsche has the room to build it at the Leipzig, Germany, factory where the Cayenne SUV is made.
Wiedeking was interviewed at the Paris auto show by Automotive News Staff Reporter Diana T. Kurylko, Associate Publisher Peter Brown, and Automotive News Europe Staff Reporter Jens Meiners.
Why two new cars at the same time?
The next cars - the seventh generation of the 911 and the third generation of the Boxster - will be more spread out. We believe in top down for our models.
How do you expect the new Boxster to do?
Everyone is telling me the Boxster market has changed. When Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Porsche decided to go into the roadster segment, there was no roadster segment - Mazda was there.
It is a product-driven segment. We want to deal with the existing Boxster customers and have them purchase the next-generation Boxster.
Porsche customer loyalty is higher than all other brands, and this is very important to us.
What percentage of components are shared by the Boxster and 911?
It is in the same region as the last models, about 36 or 37 percent.
Will you expand the Boxster range? We've heard about a coupe.
We will do further products based on the existing product line and body. There will be no new products priced below the Boxster.
Dealers want the fourth car sooner than later. When will you decide on a product?
Next year. When we make the decision, we will have fewer friends in the industry and competitors.
Does the new car have to be manufactured on a rear-wheel-drive platform?
We want to share, especially in the future, more systems and components within the product range. That means engines and electronics systems. That is a must.
Do you have the room in Germany to build another vehicle?
The production decision is the last one you make. You have to know what concept segment, what kind of customers and what price. There is huge space in Leipzig and if we want to, we want do it there.
No partners?
Even this is not decided yet. We can do it ourselves. But there is always a question of strategy and whether it makes sense to do it with a third party or not.
Linear Mode
