Hi,
Any one got the copy of this new law?
http://www.thelocal.de/national/20100222-25419.html

 

Interesting article -- I have always felt that Porsche came late to the SUV party when they launched the first Cayenne and now to introduce the Panamera defies the trend of fuel efficient vehicles. Yet BOTH have been successful sellers .

2016 is enough time to develop the car that I wish they would consider -- a contenderr for the BMW 3 series and Audi A series .

Combined with some hybrid large sedans and Suvs --Porsche could still have the 911, Cayman , Boxster ... and now a small sedan which can offer four door performance with better fuel consumption . The BMW 3 series outsells both the 5 and 7 , and X5 .
This ought to be where Porrsche steps up .

 

Ouch, that is a big fine!

It might help with the value of current models.

 

Bring the 914 back?

My understanding is that the threshold is an average for the whole fleet of cars sold by a manufacturer. This may prove very hard to do by 2016 as Porsche would not only need to have a car out by this time, but they would also need to ramp up unit sales enough to balance the rest of the very top heavy fleet.

I agree with yrralis1 that the only way out of this seems to be the entry of a high volume (i.e. lower price) segment. The problem is that these market segments are highly contended today with MB, BMW, Audi, Lexus, Accura, and others already firmly planted in there. Add the up-and-comers like Huyndai nipping at their heels and it makes for a very competitive marketplace. I find that people normally get a lot of car for their money in that segment nowadays.

Porsche has traditionally been an "exclusive" brand and, pumping up the numbers, in whatever which market segment, may very well dilute that perception - and the brand. One thing is for sure, I would not like to be in the shoes of their CEO right now - this cannot be an easy decision...

I do have one question: I know there were some exemptions to gas guzzler taxes for pickup trucks, or vehicle above a certain weight point, is the new regulation doing the same? Maybe Porsche need a 6,000 lbs Cayenne!

I say let's just make dead dinosaur concentrate $10 a gallon and let the market decide.

T.

P.S.: There might be a successful business model just in hoarding current model gas p-cars as there will always be people willing to pay. So, if you are a VC, let me know because I would like to volunteer for the "caretaker of the fleet" position.

 

That doesnt make sense. There are so many small car makers that would get screwed by this. I mean heck even look at Ferrari or Lambo...they wont even come close to 40+ mpg. I am all for new hybrids like the 918 spyder but how is a sports car company supposed to drastically change in 4 years???

 

easy ( realistic) solution VW buys porsche problem solved.

 

As I recall VW already does own Porsche...

EDIT: OK so it is much less clear than that. The Porsche family still ownes a bit over 50% of of the company and VW that rest...hrmm

 

It has to do with the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency), so the excellent fuel milage by some of VAG's products are offsetting those that don't have as good.

FIAT owns Ferrari, and Lamborghini is owned by VAG, so both of these guys will fall under the same umbrella.

 

BAH I forgot...

 

I like this fella's comment: >"Can't wait to get my hands on a 911 1.9 TDI SC."<

 

This article is 9 months old, guys.

Porsche's fuel numbers will be folded into the total of VAG's numbers.

 

The 918 gets 70mpg too which will help significantly.

 

Fines 6 years from now ? Porsche will get the issue resolved long before that but they might wait till the 2015 models are available for sale to announce it. Just in case people panic thinking they won't be able to get a Porsche in the US in 2016 they'll make sure they have enough inventory on hand to handle all comers.

 

My 2008 Z06 gets 28mpg... from what I've heard about the new C7, its going to be lighter via more carbon fiber, narrower wheels, and supposedly a V6 instead of a V8 that is turbo charged...

I'm sure I'm wrong, but I thought the internet rumor was that all vehicles had to get 35mpg's by the end of 2015?

 

It is one of those oft un-reported hypocrisies; along with BMW's seemingly constant issues with engine reliability. BMW and MB have been paying these fines for years. I don't know the statistics on Porsche regarding how long they have been in violation, but it is certainly MUCH less than the those two. Much has been reported and said on how the US auto companies have struggled to meet CAFE, but at least they have been meeting it, and with a much larger sales volumes.

I am sure that all companies are scrambling (even Honda)to meet the new requirements by 2016 or whenever. It will be very interesting what will happen at Porsche. If Porsche is lumped in with VW for CAFE purposes, then there should not be a need to add any high volume, fuel sipping Porsche. If they are counted as a single entity however, it may be a problem given the sales volume toward the gas guzzling Cayenne and Panamera.