Porsche sales fall 45 pct

[jmshepard]

http://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSWEA820420080903?rpc=77

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Porsche sales in North America nearly halved to 1,516 vehicles last month as demand for its core 911 sports coupe plummeted ahead of the model's upcoming facelift, the company said on Thursday.

Will the new models help recover this funk?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

No.

The "easy money" paper profits from flipping houses is gone. Therefore, so is the customer base.

If Porsche is smart, they'll look at a modern version of the 944 or 914 - cheaper cars that were still fun and reasonably affordable. Those cars saved the marquee in the 70s and 80s. Pushing $70,000 Caymans isn't going to cut it I'm afraid.

[scottmandue]

As soon as the Porsche mini van hits the market everything will be fine

[the]

I think a lot of 911 buyers are pretty savvy, and the new 911 coming out later this month is more than just a facelift. The direct injection engine is a big difference, and the PDK trans finally arriving must be killing Craptron . . . err, Tiptronic sales.

So, yeah, when the new one comes out, sales will pick up a bit.

But the new 911 isn't going to help these sales at all: "Cayenne sales fell 9 percent. Combined Boxster and Cayman sales fell by 66 percent in the month."

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by the

"Cayenne sales fell 9 percent. Combined Boxster and Cayman sales fell by 66 percent in the month."

And therein lies the problem. The 987 models move if the bottom end of the market is flush with cash, but in a recession, its a train wreck. The boxster/cayman are fantastic cars, but they are just too expensive. Who wants to pay $70,000 and feel like they have the second best car a marque makes?

[Eric Coffey]

Good, maybe they'll have to tank the Panamera production!

[JV911SYDNEY]

Originally Posted by jmshepard

Will the new models help recover this funk?

going to be tough in Aus given that the federal government has reecntly increased luxury car tax from 25% to 33% (plus GST, import duty rego etc etc ETC!!!)



this takes the cost of the base model Carrera coupe to $219,300 with the Carrera S starting at $248,100

porsche Aus expects a 15% drop in sales

[legion]

Genius!

Raising taxes in a down economy will really speed recovery...

[JV911SYDNEY]

Originally Posted by JV911SYDNEY

increased luxury car tax from 25% to 33%

the increase in luxury car tax i mentioned has been overturned by the senate!!!

furthermore tax collected by car dealers since July 1 will have to be refunded to buyers

[legion]

Originally Posted by JV911SYDNEY

the increase in luxury car tax i mentioned has been overturned by the senate!!!

furthermore tax collected by car dealers since July 1 will have to be refunded to buyers

There is some sanity in government. I'm dumbstruck.

[trekkor]

Originally Posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts

That's supposed to be the Boxster. I thought 914s were cheap, they were $3K in 1974. That's equivalent to $12483.51 today. I guess that is pretty cheap.

-Wayne

If there were $15k Porsches, we'd all have one.


KT

[speedracing944]

I would buy a $15000 914 type car which was galvanized.

Speedy

[89911]

Every time Porsche comes out with the latest and greatest 911, I consider possible looking at one since I've reached the time in my life that I could swing buying one. Unfortunately, (or fortunately depending on which way you see it) I have also reached that point in my life that I really can't justify buying a $100K fun car. I think once you live beyond the prestige of what a $100k car will bring you (NY, LA, SF, Miami) nobody really cares what the car cost. The new Porsche's appeal to an entirely new breed of car buyers I have nothing in common with unfortunately. That those buyers don't have the money now to buy a new Porsche doesn't surprise me in the least.

[the]

Actually a 914 was around $6,000-$7,000 in 1974.

It wasn't particularly inexpensive at the time. It cost the same or more than a Corvette in 1974, and was at least 50% more than the average new car cost in the US in 1974.

[artplumber]

Originally Posted by jmshepard

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Porsche sales in North America nearly halved to 1,516 vehicles last month as demand for its core 911 sports coupe plummeted ahead of the model's upcoming facelift, the company said on Thursday.

Or they could be buying GTR's, R8's, Aston's, (used) 360's and 430's.....

[nota]

914 was 3500 BASE list early in 1970 then add options

love to see a super lite 1500lbs car with say 1000cc turbo

[kstar]

Here are the numbers for all makers - sorry it's in two parts!:





http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/03/by-the-numbers-august-2008-new-digs-edition/

[Mr.Puff]

LOL, Saab did not have those customers to lose. Looks like GM is going to have to give up one of its companies. What do you guys think, Saab or Pontiac?

[artplumber]

OK, GTR's, Mini's and STI's

Interesting to see Porsche that close to the biggest drop. Saab doesn't really count. Volvo +/-. Wonder about Ferrari, Lambo, Bentley, etc.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by 89911

The new Porsche's appeal to an entirely new breed of car buyers I have nothing in common with unfortunately. That those buyers don't have the money now to buy a new Porsche doesn't surprise me in the least.

Ditto...especially this thought.