Tuesday 17th January 2012

Junior Porsche Boxster hangs in the balance

Porsche boss says sub-Boxster model could be 'overstretching' brand's image

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New car had been seen by some as a successor to the famous Porsche 550

The oft-mooted baby brother to the Porsche Boxster could be shelved, as Porsche shifts its focus towards the Cajun mini-SUV and a £330,000 Ferrari 599 rival to sit beneath the new £625k 918 Spyder.

Despite being full of enthusiasm for the baby Boxster at Frankfurt back in September, saying that the car could hit the road in 2012, Porsche CEO Matthias Mueller has backpedalled somewhat, telling German mag Wirtschaftswoche in November that "there is no decision to develop this car into production".

Now he's told the weekly business magazine that it might well stretch the brand's image too far and that a 'new generation of customers' would be needed before a 'People's Porsche' could succeed (odd from a company whose recent successes include the most un-Porsche Cayenne SUV and Panamera saloon, but there you go).

But perhaps the real killer for the sub-Boxster will be the fact that the VW Bluesport roadster, upon whose existence the baby Boxster relies (as it would share a platform), might never see the light of day.

As our news-nosed colleagues over on Autocar revealed last week, the Bluesport is not key to VW's plans to shift 800,000 units in the US by 2018. 'To get to 800k units, we don't need to keep adding to our portfolio of models. We're concentrating on our core models,' VW of America boss Jonathan Browning told Autocar.

If the world's largest roadster market doesn't get the Bluesport, then it's much harder to make a case for it. And if VW can't make a case for the Bluesport (which as a concept is already three years old) then the future is not bright for and Audi or Porsche sister car.

 

[M@1975]

Concentrating on the Cajun mini-SUV..... Yawn..

[Codswallop]

Making sportscars may overstretch the brand of a company that makes sportscars. I don't know whether to laugh or cry at the stupidity of that comment. Bravo Mr Mueller.

[DanDC5]

Worst excuse ever.

[Jez0099]

surely a diesel Cayenne is more overstretching

[ZAndy]

The fail is strong in this one I see.
/yoda

[toys]

The big-wigs at VW group HQ must be absolutely crazy. This car would sell well as a VW, Audi and Porsche... (and they'd probably sell more Golfs as a result of having a 'halo' car too)

[Chicane-UK]

Yep... I reckon they'd sell a shed load of these, but clearly more money in selling fewer more expensive cars then loads of cheap ones?!

[JulianCharity]

Seems like only Mazda are interested in supplying the market with a <15k sports convertible. Am I the only person who wants a car like this? Where's the new smart roadster, give me something light, efficient, good looking and fun with a bit of "flow" please!

[davidf4]

"Now he's told the weekly business magazine that it might well stretch the brand's image too far..."

Could this be interpreted as a concern about brand exclusivity?

"A low price Porsche might let the riff raff buy into the brand, thus devaluing the brand image."

[willisit]

Their argument would only make sense if they weren't already doing that (brand dilution).

[E38Ross]

Jez0099 said:

surely a diesel Cayenne is more overstretching

what a poor excuse.

[Stew2000]

JulianCharity said:

Seems like only Mazda are interested in supplying the market with a <15k sports convertible. Am I the only person who wants a car like this? Where's the new smart roadster, give me something light, efficient, good looking and fun with a bit of "flow" please!

I'd prefer a Copen. but "toyota" won't bring the latest gen over here.

[David87]

Oh. I had already decided to purchase one of these.

[Wills2]

At the volumes it would sell at and a price of say 20-25k it wouldn't give them the margins they want, people would still expect the quality of a Porsche so how would they make money?

[jmcc500]

Suspect it's the realisation that a 'cheap' Porsche is likely to cost similar money to build as a Boxster but the sale price will be lower, so margins will be lower, so why bother? Unless it's going to add a large number of sales (and not steal them from other models) then I would think it's difficult to justify the development costs.

[bobzilla7]

Didn't they overstretch the brand some years ago?!!!!

[NAS]

jmcc500 said:

Suspect it's the realisation that a 'cheap' Porsche is likely to cost similar money to build as a Boxster but the sale price will be lower, so margins will be lower, so why bother?

Yup. Suspect the same.

[IainF]

With VW and Porsche in common ownership, and VW still possibly going to build the Bluemotion Roadster, suspect Porsche would prefer to leave the £25-30k price point to VW. Extending the brand laterally, or to higher price points is one thing; taking it down towards the mass market is another. Shame though.

[Fire99]

E38Ross said:

Jez0099 said:

surely a diesel Cayenne is more overstretching

what a poor excuse.

+1

[Riggers]

davidf4 said:

"Now he's told the weekly business magazine that it might well stretch the brand's image too far..."

Could this be interpreted as a concern about brand exclusivity?

"A low price Porsche might let the riff raff buy into the brand, thus devaluing the brand image."

I think you may be right, but the combination of my almost non-existent German and a distrust of Google Translate made me unsure.

The original article uses the term Mini-Flitzer to describe the baby Boxster, which literally translates as 'Mini racer'. Does this mean 'sports car in miniature' or 'rival to a Mini'? If the latter then I think you may have hit the nail on the head, Mr f4.

Any German speakers want to clarify the meaning of the following?

"Porsche-Chef Matthias Müller sagte der „Wirtschaftswoche“, dass der angedachte Mini-Flitzer die Modellpalette und damit das Image der Marke vielleicht überdehnen könne."