Porsche's Carrera GT. Image: Brian Snelson
If you look at Porsche’s current product catalog, there’s a pretty big gap between the sold-out $245,000 GT2 RS (the fastest road-going Porsche ever built) and the $845,000 918 Spyder, whose performance numbers have yet to be established or verified. Porche’s head of global sales, Bernhard Maier, smells opportunity in this segment, and he recently leaked the information that Porsche is looking to develop a high-performance model that slots in between the GT2 RS and the 918 Spyder. Could it be an updated Carrera GT, perhaps?
Despite the global economy being in shambles, Porsche sold 97,000 vehicles worldwide in 2010 and is on pace to top 100,000 this year. That’s modest but realistic growth, as orders dropped in June and second half sales gains aren’t projected to be as impressive as those in the first half. Much of the first half growth came from orders for the new Cayenne, and Porsche is well aware that an updated and expanded product line is the key to growth.
By 2018, the automaker wants to hit sales of 200,000 units per year. A new high-end sports car won’t drive sales on its own, but it will draw attention to the Porsche brand and it will bring customers into showrooms. It’s up to their sales team, aided by one new model per year, to produce the rest of the growth. Look for the new 911 to hit dealers this fall, followed by the introduction of the Cajun compact SUV in 2012.
Also, don’t forget that you can get discounted new car pricing with a free quote through qualified local dealer partners.
Source: Auto Guide
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
