VW Finally Buys Porsche Outright

[jlingk]

VW Buys Porsche Outright. What a turnaround of events. http://www.reuters.com/article/newsO...56H1AM20090718

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[AlexM]

It will be interesting to see VW's take on operating efficiency at Porsche. More VW parts in P-cars? Same distribution channels? R&D?

[stevepow]

I hope they got it for at least 10% off and the 1.9% financing.

[Dadio]

The bigger questions is what will this do to Porsche's intergrity as an independent brand ? Should all new Porsche's from here on out be considered VW = Porsches' ? Will you want to spend $ 100,000 for a Porsche if the same management group that manages VW now makes the decisions for what goes into a Porsche. Having owned a Tourage for 5 years I'm here to tell you I wouldn't buy another one due to the service and reliablitity issues I experienced. My expectations weren't meet at very many levels by VW. In my opinion this change in ownership heralds the begining of the end of Porsche as we know it today and is not good news for the brand faithfull Porsche-philes around the world. A sad day in Mudville for sure.

[MidnightBlue]

VW has owned a bunch of brands for years and they seem to be fine. To be in the same stable as Lamborghini and Bugatti can't be all that bad
I doubt you'll start seeing Golfs siting next to 911s in showrooms any time soon.

[NorthVan]

Originally Posted by Dadio

The bigger questions is what will this do to Porsche's intergrity as an independent brand ? Should all new Porsche's from here on out be considered VW = Porsches' ? Will you want to spend $ 100,000 for a Porsche if the same management group that manages VW now makes the decisions for what goes into a Porsche. Having owned a Tourage for 5 years I'm here to tell you I wouldn't buy another one due to the service and reliablitity issues I experienced. My expectations weren't meet at very many levels by VW. In my opinion this change in ownership heralds the begining of the end of Porsche as we know it today and is not good news for the brand faithfull Porsche-philes around the world. A sad day in Mudville for sure.

I still own my early 04 Touareg, and I have to say that I don't agree with your comments about VW. The Cayenne is built buy VW and they are about 1/3 of Porsche sales. I would rather have VW own Porsche then Toyota, GM, or some other manufacturer. VW owns Bentley, Bugatti, Lambo, Seat, Audi and a bunch of other big names, all of which seem to be doing very well and share technology.

Porsche and VW regardless of who owns them, it is the right marrage IMO.

[justatoy]

Originally Posted by Dadio

The bigger questions is what will this do to Porsche's intergrity as an independent brand ? Should all new Porsche's from here on out be considered VW = Porsches' ? Will you want to spend $ 100,000 for a Porsche if the same management group that manages VW now makes the decisions for what goes into a Porsche. Having owned a Tourage for 5 years I'm here to tell you I wouldn't buy another one due to the service and reliablitity issues I experienced. My expectations weren't meet at very many levels by VW. In my opinion this change in ownership heralds the begining of the end of Porsche as we know it today and is not good news for the brand faithfull Porsche-philes around the world. A sad day in Mudville for sure.

Agree fully with the above!
We have owned over 30 cars in this house and the VW was the WORST car ever owned.....
Wife loved it for the first year but one day came home from being at the VW dealer 8 times in two weeks....she wanted a new car!
I couldn't have bought something else any faster,LOL!

I hope the taht the VW buying Porsche would not hurt the reliability of a great car!

[AP 997S]

My last VW was a 1968 Beetle; performed well for it's time and usage.

I think now we'll see a low cost entry level Porsche (lower of course then the Boxster). Somewhere in the $30K range. Porsche has been talking about a Miata fighter for years. I think now it'll happen.

[Verde]

+1. VW could blow it, but more likely they will be able to infuse Porsche with more money for R&D. It could be a very good thing.
Oh and it sounds like an exception, but my experiences with an old Scirocco S were outstanding. OTOH, I rarely ever saw the dealer for service. It was flawless.

Originally Posted by MidnightBlue

VW has owned a bunch of brands for years and they seem to be fine. To be in the same stable as Lamborghini and Bugatti can't be all that bad
I doubt you'll start seeing Golfs siting next to 911s in showrooms any time soon.

[lakerholic]

I have never been in a VW or Audi, and I'm talking from a basic Golf to an A8, that didn't rattle, squeak or have some electrical or mechanical problem within the first 12 months of ownership. My dad had an 04 Touareg that was so bad, the car was lemoned. I bought my wife an 08 Q7 (so stupid given the warnings from my dad about the Touareg) and sold it at a $10k loss 9 months later because of the electrical problems it had, the poor service I received and the lack of backing from Audi Corporate.

No one I know -- and again it may just be my experience (doubt it) -- has been satisfied with any VW product they've owned... and now VW owns Porsche... I'll reserve my judgment but, unless this is a Ford/Jaguar relationship (i.e., VW leaves Porsche the hell alone), my 06 997 might be my last... which would really, really, really suck.

[Ian_UK1]

Originally Posted by jlingk

VW Buys Porsche Outright. What a turnaround of events.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsO...56H1AM20090718

I don't think it's all bad. The 911 is the ultimate evolution of the Beetle concept after all and in the 1930s, VW (originally KdF) was Ferdinand Porsche's baby (admittedly only becoming incredibly successful after WW2 - it never took off under the Nazis). Porsche is just going home.

[ryans4]

coming from 2 Audi's and a VW I can say that depreciation on the Audi's is much worse then say BMW or Merc, but they are not bad cars. They carry the standard Euro warranty at 5yrs 50k miles and while the ones I've owned (1998 A4, 2001 S4, 2007 Rabbit) weren't a blast to drive, they are safe and built well.

I agree with NorthVan, this is the right buyer for Porsche. And while Porsche was on teh verge of a massive undertaking with their buyout of VW, things turned and here we are. I doubt we'll see any more VW parts in the 911's then we already do.

Case in point, I just had the camshaft adjuster valve replaced in the Rabbit, part number is identical to the one in the Gallardo. Some things make sense to share, other things (like getting rid of the 911 chassis) just don't. I agree we'll likely see a golf/scirocco based chassis Porsche to fight in the 30k market in the future, but otherwise it will be status quo at Porsche.

[Gundo]

Well, there aren't really many options for Porsche.

Go bankrupt under 10B euros in debt or succumb to the love embrace of VW.

It's all about Ferdinand Porsche's heirs anyway.

[mnmatt]

Looks like the whole deal may be scrapped due to the tax liability

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssC...K7483220090720

[steph280]

Yeah Porsche and VW has always been part of the family...