Success Story: 15 Years Of The Boxster Model Line

Stuttgart. A nice round number to celebrate the birthday: Almost exactly 15 years to the month after production began, the Porsche Boxster together with its sister model, the Cayman, exceeded the 300,000 mark for the number of vehicles built. Together with its timeless attractiveness, this two-seater, mid-engine car from the Dr. Ing. h.c.H. Porsche AG, Stuttgart has what it takes to make yet another sports car icon. As an anniversary model, a Boxster Spyder with Platinum Silver metallic finish and Carrera red natural leather interior trim rolled off the Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen production line in June, destined for a German customer.

There are solid reasons for this long-standing success: The Boxster and Cayman are continuously developed based on a rigorous mid-engine concept and are therefore deemed to this day to set the standard for sports cars of their class. In the important export market that is the United States, this is the tenth year already that they have been ranked among the “10 Best” vehicles and occupy second and third places in Germany as the vehicles that hold their value the best, hot on the heels of the 911.

The Boxster’s origins testify to the typical Porsche blend of capability, courage and farsightedness. In economically straitened times the company decided to go onto the offensive and unveiled a concept car for a classic mid-engine roadster at the 1993 Detroit Motor Show. In its design language, the show car was reminiscent of the 356 »No. 1« and the 550 Spyder. The overwhelming public response clinched the decision to proceed to series production of the Boxster, which began in the summer of 1996.

Dynamic lines, outstanding performance and an attractive price quickly catapulted the mid-engine sports car into the bestseller list while attracting new customer circles to Porsche. To put the successful concept on a broader basis, Porsche also developed a Coupé based on the open-topped, two-seater platform, that made its world debut at the 2005 IAA Frankfurt Motor Show as the Cayman. The enormous demand resulted in the Boxster and Cayman being built at Valmet Automotive in Finland in addition to Zuffenhausen.

The model range currently comprises the four open-topped variants, the Boxster, Boxster S, Boxster S Black Edition and Boxster Spyder. These are complemented by the Cayman, Cayman S, Cayman S Black Edition and Cayman R Coupés. The engine variants for the two model lines range between 255 hp (~ 188 kW) and 330 hp (~ 243 kW); thanks to Porsche Intelligent Performance fuel consumption is between 9.4 l/100 km (~ 30 mpg imp.) and 9.8 l/100 km (~ 29 mpg imp.).

Strong Demand For Cayenne And Panamera

Stuttgart. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart again delivered significantly more cars to customers worldwide in June 2011. Deliveries increased by 29.5% compared with the same month the year before to reach 10,677 vehicles. The sports car manufacturer delivered a total of 60,659 new vehicles in the first half of the year, 36.8% more than from January to June the year before.

Bernhard Maier, Porsche AG Board of Management Member for Sales and Marketing, signalled his satisfaction with developments: “We managed to increase our deliveries significantly again in June. This is accompanied by better-than-expected sales figures. The significant increase in new vehicle orders, especially for our front-engined sports cars, Cayenne and Panamera, also gives grounds for anticipating good sales figures in the coming months.

In June 2011 Porsche managed to grow in almost every region worldwide. The response from Chinese customers was again especially strong: Deliveries more than quadrupled to 2,423 compared with the same month the year before. The most successful model apart from the Cayenne off-road vehicle was the Panamera. With 2,546 vehicles Porsche announced growth of 18.9% for the US market in June 2011. In the domestic German market, the sports car manufacturer delivered 1,344 vehicles in June, broadly in line with the same month the year before. The diesel version of the Cayenne was especially popular. On the other hand were weaker sales in a number of European markets such as Great Britain, the Netherlands or Austria that translated into a 6.5% Europe-wide decline in customer deliveries in June. Conversely, the Russian market showed a significant increase last month with 63.6% to reach 216 vehicles.

The Cayenne again enjoyed especially strong demand. In June alone the sports car manufacturer sold 4,994 of the sporty off-road vehicles, 69.2% more than in the same month the year before. First half-year deliveries almost doubled to 30,055 compared with the same period the previous year. This included more than 2,000 Cayenne S Hybrid, making Porsche the global market leader for hybrid off-road vehicles. In June the Zuffenhausen company sold 2,318 Panameras, 14.1% more of the sporty sedans than in the same month the year before. The sports car model lines also slightly exceeded their previous year’s level in the reporting month. 2,015 vehicles of the 911 model line were delivered – up 1%. With 1,350 vehicles delivered, the Boxster model line, which also includes the Cayman, posted growth of 6.5%compared with the same month the year before.

Cayenne Especially Popular With Customers

Stuttgart. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, increased their customer deliveries in May 2011. With 11,679 vehicles, deliveries were 67.5 per cent higher than in May 2010. Looking back over the first five months of fiscal year 2011 a total of 49,982 vehicles were sold, an increase of 38.4 per cent over the previous year. During this period, demand for the Cayenne was particularly high: from January to May 2011 25,061 Porsche SUVs were delivered to customers. This is more than double compared to the previous year.

Bernhard Maier, Board Member Sales and Marketing of Porsche AG saw this development as a clear signal: “With these very good results in May, we have achieved great monthly results for new orders and deliveries for the twelfth consecutive time. As of this past May, current sales in all regions and of all model lines exceed our expectations. This speaks for a highly motivated global sales organization, which, with the implementation of various measures for process optimization in recent months, combined with our emotional products, is enjoying success on a broad front.”

All Porsche markets world-wide were able to achieve growth in May 2011. Particularly Chinese customers responded strongly: compared to the same month last year deliveries tripled to 2,380 units. In North America (U.S. and Canada) Porsche reported an increase of 51.3 per cent in May 2011 with the delivery of precisely 3,126 vehicles. Europe also followed the positive delivery trend, with 4,054 units sold (+ 29.5 per cent) compared to May 2010. In its domestic market, Germany, the sports car manufacturer delivered 1,545 vehicles, a growth of 23.3 per cent compared to the same month last year.

The most successful model line in May 2011 was the Cayenne with 5,886 vehicles sold, more than a three-fold increase compared to the same month last year. The Panamera made a significant contribution to the successful performance with deliveries of 2,301 units, an increase of 27.8 per cent. The sports car model lines slightly surpassed the previous year’s level: 2,101 units of the 911 model line were delivered – an increase of 3.1 per cent. With 1,391 units, the Boxster model line, including the Cayman, posted a slight increase of 2.1 per cent compared to the same month last year. Of these, 835 vehicles were accounted for by the Boxster and 556 units by the Cayman.

Best Sales Month Since March 2007 – Year-to-date sales up 46%

ATLANTA, May 2011—Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), importer and distributor of Porsche sports cars, Cayenne SUVs and the Panamera four-door sports sedan line-up in the United States, announced April sales in the U.S. of 3,172 vehicles compared to the same period last year when it sold 1,747, an increase of 82 percent.

April’s results represent the German sports car maker’s best April since 2006 and best sales month since March 2007.  So far in 2011, the company’s sales are 10,179 vehicles, compared to the same four month period last year when they were 6,969, which represents a 46 percent increase year-to-date.

Notable was the all-new Cayenne, which continues to sell at a torrid pace, up 384 percent for the month and 141 percent for the year. Additionally, the iconic 911 was up nearly 66 percent for the month and is up 13 percent for the year.

For the month, Porsche’s Approved Certified Pre-Owned vehicle sales were 776, compared to 713 last year.

Best March Since 2007

ATLANTA, April  2011—Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), importer and distributor of Porsche sports cars, Cayenne SUVs and the Panamera four-door sports sedan line-up in the United States, announced March sales in the U.S. of 2,588 units compared to the same period last year when it sold 1,905, an increase of 36 percent.

March’s results represent the German sports car maker’s best March sales total in the U.S. since 2007.  So far in 2011, the company’s sales are 7,007, compared to the same three month period last year when they were 5,222, which represents a 34 percent increase.

For the month, Porsche’s Approved Certified Pre-Owned vehicle sales were 771, compared to 699 last year.

ATLANTA —Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), importer and distributor of Porsche sports cars, Cayenne SUVs and the Panamera Gran Turismo line-up in the United States, announced December sales of 2,567, a 21 percent increase compared to the same period last year when it sold 2,118.

December’s results signify Porsche’s best closing month since 2008 and represent the German car company’s seventh straight month in which it recorded double or triple digit monthly sales increases over the previous year. With December’s strong finish, Porsche ended 2010 with total sales of 25,320—an increase of 29 percent ahead of 2009 when it sold 19,696 new cars in the U.S.

“2010 represents a very positive step forward for Porsche, and demonstrates the brand’s regained vitality in its biggest car market in the world,” said Detlev von Platen, PCNA’s President and CEO. “We are confident to be able to build on this momentum moving forward into the new year.”

Indeed, much of Porsche’s 2010 sales success can be attributed to the continuing market momentum of its Panamera Gran Turismo. In December, the company sold 700 Panameras for the month, compared to 521 the year prior—an increase of 34 percent. With 2010 being its first full year of availability, the Panamera achieved annual sales in the U.S. of 7,741.

Another highlight for Porsche in 2010 has been the successful debut of its all-new Cayenne. Since its initial market launch last summer, Porsche’s next generation SUV has enjoyed increasingly steady customer demand. This past month, the company sold 1,109 Cayennes compared to last year when sales were 707, an increase of 57 percent. From a historical standpoint, the introduction of the new Cayenne line-up included the German automaker’s first hybrid-powered production vehicle, the 2011 Cayenne S Hybrid–which went on sale last November.

While the overall sports car sector continued to be challenging throughout 2010, Porsche maintained its relative market share strength. Porsche’s Boxster sales in December were 137, compared to 138 in 2009. For the year, Boxster sales were 2,177, up 14 percent from 1,909 a year earlier. The company’s Cayman model recorded December sales of 112 versus last year’s mark of 208. For the year, Cayman sales were 1,322 compared to 1,966 a year prior. As for Porsche’s iconic 911 sports car, sales last month were 509 versus 544 during the same period in 2009. For 2010 overall 911 sales were 5,735 compared to 6,839 in 2009.

Also in December, Porsche’s Approved Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) cars enjoyed sales of 665 versus 553 during the same period in 2009. For the year, CPO total sales for 2010 were 7,519 compared to 6,658 in 2009.

Demand for New Cayenne and Panamera Remains High

ATLANTA, Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), importer and distributor of Porsche sports cars, Cayenne SUVs and the Panamera Gran Turismo line-up in the United States, announced November sales in the U.S. of 2,416 units compared to the same period last year when it sold 1,626, an increase of 49 percent.

November’s results represent the sixth consecutive month that the German sports car company has recorded double or triple digit monthly sales increases over 2009 in the U.S. So far this year, Porsche’s 2010 sales are 22,753, compared to the same period last year when they were 17,578, which represents an increase of 29 percent.

With high customer demand for the new Cayenne nearly outpacing supply, Porsche’s SUV enjoyed strong market momentum. In November, Porsche sold 997 Cayennes compared to last year when sales were 632, an increase of 58 percent. Sales of the Cayenne were helped in November by the market introduction of the highly-anticipated 2011 Cayenne S Hybrid—Porsche’s first hybrid-powered production vehicle.

Also worth noting in November was the continuing market success of Porsche’s four-door Panamera Gran Turismo with sales of 729 for the month, compared to 366 the year prior—an increase of 99 percent. So far in 2010, Porsche has sold 7,041 Panameras in the U.S.

While the overall sports car sector remains challenging in the current economic climate, Porsche still saw some relative sales success. Porsche’s mid-engine Boxster was up 31 percent for November, while the German automaker’s iconic 911 sports car posted a 21 percent sales increase.

For the month, Porsche’s Approved Certified Pre-Owned vehicle sales were up for the month at 565, compared to 546 in 2009.

New Cayenne Enjoys Best Month of 2010

ATLANTA, November, 2010—Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), importer and distributor of Porsche sports cars, Cayenne SUVs and the Panamera Gran Turismo in the United States, announced October sales in the U.S. of 2,647 units compared to the same month last year when it sold 1,642 new cars, an increase of 61 percent. This represents Porsche’s second-best sales month this year.

October’s strong showing pushed Porsche’s year-to-date results to 20,337 cars compared to the same period in 2009 when it sold 15,952, up 27.5 percent.

Nearly all models in Porsche’s portfolio enjoyed increases during the month of October. Leading the way was the new Cayenne SUV, which saw sales of 1,139 units for the period – its best single-month total this year. The Cayenne’s October results demonstrate a strong and positive consumer response to Porsche’s next-generation SUV, which first went on sale in June with the Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo models. In September, Porsche expanded its SUV line-up with the launch of the all-new 2011 V6 Cayenne, and yesterday the company began selling its new Cayenne S Hybrid.

Sales of the automaker’s popular Panamera also recorded strong sales results for the month of October with 747 units sold. Year-to-date, Porsche has sold 6,312 Panamera models.

While the overall sports car sector continued to be challenged by the weak confidence in the U.S. economy, Porsche enjoyed some relative success. Porsche’s mid-engine Boxster roadster recorded robust sales of 140, an increase of 36 percent for last October, while the German company’s iconic 911 sports car recorded sales of 528, on par with the same period in 2009 when sales were 539.

In addition, dealers sold 565 Porsche Approved Certified Pre-Owned cars in October versus 546 for the same period last year.

Cayenne and Panamera continue to drive towards success

Editor’s Note: The fact Cayenne and Panamera platforms continue to perform this well in the global marketplace is great news. The success of these two model lines is essential to the continued well-being of Porsche and their capability to bring other exciting cars such as the Boxster Spyder, 918 Hybrid, Carrera GTS, and the GT3 RS to market. Many “purists” scream, kick, and criticize Porsche’s “diluting” the brand with the Cayenne and Panamera. Here at PML, we applaud this expansion of the Porsche product line.  Remember: Porsche built tractors once.

Enjoy the article.

Stuttgart. The Cayenne and Panamera series made by Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, are going down very well with Porsche customers worldwide. This means that both the new sporty off-road vehicle and the four-door Gran Turismo are not just the most sporting models in each of their segments, but also that they fit harmoniously into the Porsche model series. The design language, created by Porsche Chief Designer Michael Mauer, is purposefully oriented on the design DNA taken from the company’s sports cars, and most especially on the classic Porsche 911. No matter which angle you observe the Cayenne and Panamera from, the Porsche brand recognition is always there.

The sporty and elegant appearance of the new Cayenne, which has been available since May 2010, was also the main reason why readers of the German “auto motor und sport“ magazine voted the Porsche SUV as the best-looking model in its class by a long head at the “autonis” design prize. In the case of the “Das Goldene Klassik-Lenkrad“ (the golden classic steering wheel) prize, issued this year for the first time by the “Auto Bild Klassik“ magazine, the Porsche Cayenne won the title of “Klassiker der Zukunft” (classic car of the future) at first try in the off-road-vehicle class with around a quarter of the votes. This title is awarded to vehicles with the biggest potential for becoming classic cars. On top of this, the Cayenne Diesel won the title of “Firmenauto des Jahres” (company car of the year) which was awarded jointly by the “Firmenauto“ magazine and the Dekra independent inspection organisation after extensive testing and comparison runs.

With sales of 29,855 vehicles, the Cayenne was the bestselling Porsche model in the 2009/10 business year, and a healthy 11,618 of these customers bought the new Cayenne. The most sought-after Cayenne engine in Europe is the diesel, which was widely accepted on the market, whereas outside Europe the models powered by the V8 engine top their respective market segments.

However, just as impressive as the Cayenne’s success is the acceptance of the luxurious four-door Panamera, which first made its debut on the world markets from September 2009 onwards. Precisely 21,706 vehicles have been delivered to customers since then, and in Germany alone the model found around 2600 buyers. And, since the current order levels are in the high thousands, successful development of this new customer segment is guaranteed. The recently introduced Panamera with the newly-developed Porsche V6 engine plays a considerable part in this success. With the Panamera, Porsche has clearly positioned itself in the upper and luxury class with this sporty model and is already reaching a segment share of 13 per cent there.

Just like the Cayenne, the Panamera has also decorated itself with several public and expert prizes. Again, the “auto motor und sport“ readers voted it into first place in the luxury class in the “Die besten Autos” (best cars) vote. It was also awarded the coveted “Auto Trophy“ by the German “Auto Zeitung“ specialist magazine in addition to “Das Goldene Lenkrad“ (golden steering wheel) from “Bild am Sonntag“ and “Auto Bild“. Moreover, the luxurious Gran Turismo won a whole series of international prizes. The British “Vehicle Dynamics“ specialist magazine gave it the “Car of the Year“ and “Dynamicist of the Year“ awards. In the USA, the editors of the “Inside Line“ online magazine also awarded the “Most Wanted Award“ to the Panamera.

Editor’s Note: Here at PML, not only are we huge fans of the Cayenne and Panamera platforms, but we’re also strong supporters of Diesel platform technology. One thing this article mentions is the popularity of the Cayenne Diesel in the European marketplace. In the U.S., the regulations addressing Diesel are very antiquated, not cognizant of the advances in Diesel technology, and thus in serious need of reform. A broader adoption of Diesel technology in the U.S. will go a long ways in reducing dependence on “foreign oil”.  We encourage you to; A. Write your congressman, and B. join a proactive lobbying group – such as SEMA – to keep abreast of legislative changes.

Panamera and new Cayenne drive growth forward

Stuttgart. The Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, has again achieved outstanding results in the business year 2009/10 (July 31). According to the preliminary figures, with a growth of 17.9 percent to 7.79 billion euros, Porsche achieved the highest turnover in company history. Sales also rose by 8.8 percent to 81,850 (previous year: 75,238) vehicles.

Michael Macht, Chairman of the Porsche AG Board of Management, foresees a further dynamic company development: “The record turnover dramatically demonstrates that Porsche has regained its former strength. Porsche will also follow up the positive trend in the current business year.” Macht primarily bases this upon the vehicle series Cayenne and Panamera, along with the 911 Speedster and the 911 Carrera GTS. At the start of October, both of these new models will celebrate their world premiere at the Paris Motor Show.

At the same time, the announced change in Porsche AG top management will take place. Starting on October 1, the previous head of product planning, product management and model ranges for the VW Group and the Volkswagen brand, Matthias Müller, will become the Chairman of the Porsche AG Board of Management. Michael Macht will be joining the Volkswagen AG Board of Management, and he will have the functional responsibility for Group Production.

In the previous business year 2009/10, the Panamera, which was introduced on the worldwide market in September 2009, achieved sales of 20,615 units. The highest-volume model line remained the Cayenne with 29,855 sold. Despite the model changeover in the series in spring 2010, the decline only amounted to 12.9 percent. The entirely newly developed Cayenne, at retailers since May of this year, has already reached 11,618 units.

The sales of the 911 series were negatively affected by the continuing difficult economic conditions facing the sports-car market. In the business year 2009/10, according to preliminary figures, sales dropped by 27.4 percent to 19,663 units. It should be noted, however, that the model mix was improved. Porsche’s total sales for the new 911 Turbo and the 911 Turbo S amounted to 4,055 units. The sales for the Boxster series declined by 10.8 percent to 11,717 units. Of these units, 6,865 vehicles were the Roadster Boxster and 4,852 were the Cayman.

The development of the Porsche Group fared differently in the world’s most important sales regions. Sales outside the core markets in Europe and North America grew significantly by 25.8 percent to 25,283 vehicles. The Chinese market alone accounted for 11,724 units, an increase by 47.5 percent from the same period of the previous year. In Europe, sales showed a slight increase by 1.4 percent to 30,948 units. Of these vehicles, 11,857 were sold in Germany, 3.5 percent less than in the previous year. In the North American market Porsche sold 23,705 vehicles, an increase of four percent compared to the previous year. In the whole American market Porsche achieved sales of 25,619 units.

Production from the previous year amounted to a total of 89,123 vehicles, 16.1 percent more than in the same period of the previous year. In Leipzig, 32,215 units of the Cayenne series and 24,494 new Panamera vehicles rolled off the production lines. At the main plant in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, 20,159 vehicles of the 911 series were built, which was 27.4 percent fewer than in the previous year. The Boxster series reached a total of 12,255 units, a decline of 14.9 percent.

The number of employees increased by the end of the business year by one percent to 12,722 persons. The overwhelming majority of these, 10,880 employees, were domestic employees. 110 young people newly started apprenticeship training. In total, 340 trainees were thereby employed at Porsche.