Porsche's new Boxster. Image: Porsche AG
Attention, brand snobs: your 2012 Porsche Boxster may come wearing a Porsche crest on the hood, but that doesn’t mean it was lovingly assembled by Porsche’s craftsmen in Stuttgart. In fact, it’s likely that your new roadster was assembled (with equal care) by line workers in Volkswagen overalls, at the company’s Osnabrueck, Germany plant. While some Boxster models will be assembled in Stuttgart, Wards Auto (via Left Lane News) reports that overflow production will go to the former Karmann plant now owned by VW.
There’s really nothing new about this strategy, as Porsche had previously contracted with Finnish company Valmet to build the previous generations (986 and 987) of Boxster. Valmet is perhaps best known for building the extended-range EV Fisker Karma under license for Fisker, but the company previously handled contract production of both the Porsche Boxster and the Porsche Cayman.
Volkswagen and Porsche have a lengthy history of cooperative products, including such cars as the Porsche 914 (ofter referred to as the “VolksPorsche”) and, later, the Porsche 924 (which Volkswagen ultimately withdrew support of, leaving Porsche to finish development on its own). Currently, Volkswagen owns 49.9-percent of Porsche, and there’s on-again, off-again talk of an entry level roadster to be shared between Volkswagen, Porsche and Audi.
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.
