RE: Porsche confirms 3,900 job cuts by 2029

RE: Porsche confirms 3,900 job cuts by 2029

Tuesday 20th May

Porsche confirms 3,900 job cuts by 2029

Shareholders told that Porsche is not immune to global challenges, but will rescale to meet them


The Porsche CEO’s prognosis was blunt: “The world has changed. We are experiencing a fierce storm. But we are doing everything we can to counteract them. We are resolutely investing in the future. In challenging times, we are continuing to develop Porsche with a precise focus. This requires more resources in the short term, but it will make our company even more profitable in the long term,” he told shareholders at the firm’s annual general meeting this week. 

“We accept the challenge. We have a plan. We are acting. And we’re not wasting any time.” This plan, which has already seen significant changes in the composition of the Management Board, is far-reaching. The ‘comprehensive strategic realignment’ will see around 3,900 jobs cut by 2029. Citing the market’s resistance to electric mobility, Porsche will ‘reposition’ (i.e apply the brakes to) its pursuit of battery technology and significantly expand the number of models that are offered with combustion engines and plug-in hybrid drive systems. 

Porsche has set aside 1.3 billion euros to pay for the new plan, a notable impact on its earnings that it previewed last month when revealing its 2024 results. Proposing a dividend payment of around 2.1 billion euros, Dr. Oliver Blume reiterated the view that the last financial year has been solid - record sales results were recorded in four out of five regions following a renewal of almost all its existing model lineups - but China’s downturn was substantial enough to result in an overall decrease in deliveries. 

“In the future, Porsche will continue to rely on a balanced mix of types of drive systems. Our customers will be able to choose between combustion engines, hybrids, and all-electric drives in every vehicle segment well into the 2030s.” The impending arrival of what seems very likely to be a new GT2 RS was also hinted at. “I can reveal one thing,” noted Dr. Blume, “we are going to be raising the bar in the sports car segment once again.” That much is easy to believe given Porsche’s track record. For everything else, new resolve, money and no little clear-sightedness are obviously required. 


Author
Discussion

JerryF

Original Poster:

295 posts

188 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
One word - CHINA. Economy of scale and they are dumping their products on our markets. The European car industry is poised to be decimated.

Frimley111R

16,871 posts

248 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
JerryF said:
One word - CHINA. Economy of scale and they are dumping their products on our markets. The European car industry is poised to be decimated.
Drama queen! No it's not. How many people who want a Porsche change their mind and buy a Chinese brand? Hardly any.

This is much more to do with the overall EV market slowdown and is affecting every car company to a greater or lesser extent. Their commitment to hte EV Cayman must be giving them sleepless nights too.

breadvan

2,068 posts

182 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
Can't help feeling they got a little arrogant and complacent following the covid bubble and failed to read the room.

corcoran

608 posts

288 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
not China, not net-zero, not the EU; it's simply a result of their localised workforce *not* being able (or rather compelled) to work with new technologies/in new ways.

smilo996

3,308 posts

184 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
Given the serial challenges of moving from fossils to electricity, the war in Ukraine creating uncertainty & fossil price rises, the Mango Mussolini and a lack of capex from the German state in the past two decades, it is hardly surprising, there are bumps in the road.
However, never underestimate Germans ability to get from A to B without ending up somewhere else.
China is only a threat because they have not had to drag the massive anchor of fossil lovers as they have developed new cars.

Type R Tom

4,113 posts

163 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
Frimley111R said:
JerryF said:
One word - CHINA. Economy of scale and they are dumping their products on our markets. The European car industry is poised to be decimated.
Drama queen! No it's not. How many people who want a Porsche change their mind and buy a Chinese brand? Hardly any.

This is much more to do with the overall EV market slowdown and is affecting every car company to a greater or lesser extent. Their commitment to hte EV Cayman must be giving them sleepless nights too.
That Xiaomi SU7 is about half the price of a Taycan, and from the few YouTube clips I've seen, it looks pretty decent.

bennno

13,610 posts

283 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all

If only they just started making a few more GT3 tourings to satisfy the pent up demand.

Tof

10 posts

105 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
… and remind me how much does a basic 911 cost nowadays?

evil.edna

298 posts

84 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
bennno said:
If only they just started making a few more GT3 tourings to satisfy the pent up demand.
Many a true word said in jest.

Justin-ow582

413 posts

119 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
Tof said:
… and remind me how much does a basic 911 cost nowadays?
Nobody knows... a base model with no options is not an option and has never been ordered.

(I'm joking of course, before the follow-up noise. It appears this has to be clearly stated these days.)

Angelo1985

524 posts

40 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
Type R Tom said:
That Xiaomi SU7 is about half the price of a Taycan, and from the few YouTube clips I've seen, it looks pretty decent.
In what multiverse is a xiaomi a serious market rival for a Taycan?
A bit like saying that a fiat punto is a rival of the bmw 1 or Mercedes A-class. Different price point, prestige, badge, and crucially different market strategy: the people who buy a taycan are not going to be bothered by a xiaomy even if it was faster.

Cheib

24,369 posts

189 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
breadvan said:
Can't help feeling they got a little arrogant and complacent following the covid bubble and failed to read the room.
Yes…they went for the win double of dramatically increasing prices and production at the same time. History is not littered with examples of companies pulling that strategy off especially when you are a dominant player. Ferrari is the obvious exception but they are a lifestyle/luxury goods brand as much as a car brand.

Will be very interesting to see how Porsche manages the next couple of years.

Lotobear

7,803 posts

142 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
Trying to sell the auto equivalent of a Casio wristwatch for the price of a Rolex/Omega, just won't work.

Nothing against EV's per se but when your whole schtick is based around characterful ICE's and the drama they create I just feel absolutely no want for something with a generic electric motor, 'Turbo' badge on the back or not.

Frimley111R

16,871 posts

248 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
Angelo1985 said:
Type R Tom said:
That Xiaomi SU7 is about half the price of a Taycan, and from the few YouTube clips I've seen, it looks pretty decent.
In what multiverse is a xiaomi a serious market rival for a Taycan?
A bit like saying that a fiat punto is a rival of the bmw 1 or Mercedes A-class. Different price point, prestige, badge, and crucially different market strategy: the people who buy a taycan are not going to be bothered by a xiaomy even if it was faster.
This.

corcoran

608 posts

288 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
Frimley111R said:
This.
Plus Porsche survive on their SUV sales, not their Taycan volumes! (cwl)

cerb4.5lee

36,525 posts

194 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
Frimley111R said:
JerryF said:
One word - CHINA. Economy of scale and they are dumping their products on our markets. The European car industry is poised to be decimated.
Drama queen! No it's not. How many people who want a Porsche change their mind and buy a Chinese brand? Hardly any.

This is much more to do with the overall EV market slowdown and is affecting every car company to a greater or lesser extent. Their commitment to hte EV Cayman must be giving them sleepless nights too.
Yes and I can't see someone in the market for a Porsche deciding that they want a BYD instead for example as you say. That would be a bit like a Petrolhead deciding that they now want a Tesla Model 3 instead of an ICE as well in comparison.

I'd hate to be a car manufacturer in the current climate to be honest, and it all just seems quite unsteady and uneasy to me.

Type R Tom

4,113 posts

163 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
Angelo1985 said:
Type R Tom said:
That Xiaomi SU7 is about half the price of a Taycan, and from the few YouTube clips I've seen, it looks pretty decent.
In what multiverse is a xiaomi a serious market rival for a Taycan?
A bit like saying that a fiat punto is a rival of the bmw 1 or Mercedes A-class. Different price point, prestige, badge, and crucially different market strategy: the people who buy a taycan are not going to be bothered by a xiaomy even if it was faster.
I think it's somewhat naive to apply what is happening today to 10 or 20 years.

EV8

256 posts

17 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
Frimley111R said:
JerryF said:
One word - CHINA. Economy of scale and they are dumping their products on our markets. The European car industry is poised to be decimated.
Drama queen! No it's not. How many people who want a Porsche change their mind and buy a Chinese brand? Hardly any.

This is much more to do with the overall EV market slowdown and is affecting every car company to a greater or lesser extent. Their commitment to hte EV Cayman must be giving them sleepless nights too.
What EV market slowdown? Where? ICE sales so far in 2025 are down, EVs are up. I would not call this slowdown.

plfrench

3,433 posts

282 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
Rescaling is a good choice of word. All we're seeing here is the brutal reality of the era of ICE powered playthings coming rapidly to an end. This won't change, the die is cast and companies like Porsche have to rethink their business model and range of products to adapt which is what they're clearly trying to do. They recognise this means a smaller business as the opportunities the market present to them shrink.

Porsche are likely to be particularly affected by this transition away from ICE due to their range straddling the volume market of high-end BMW / Mercedes etc, and truly aspirational marques like Ferrari and Lamborghini. They're stuck in a bit of a no mans land in between; a limited number of people who'll want to pay more than what BMW could offer with the likes of their i4M for example, but can't stretch to the full supercar experience of whatever Ferrari are able to provide.

What was previously a gravy-train niche for many years for Porsche and a license to print money and be incredibly profitable has simple come to an end.


redback911

2,875 posts

280 months

Wednesday 21st May
quotequote all
Angelo1985 said:
Type R Tom said:
That Xiaomi SU7 is about half the price of a Taycan, and from the few YouTube clips I've seen, it looks pretty decent.
In what multiverse is a xiaomi a serious market rival for a Taycan?
A bit like saying that a fiat punto is a rival of the bmw 1 or Mercedes A-class. Different price point, prestige, badge, and crucially different market strategy: the people who buy a taycan are not going to be bothered by a xiaomy even if it was faster.
Pretty sure I read that the Xiaomi SU7 was involved in a fatal accident whilst using their version of autopilot. The car hit an object in the road, caught fire and the locks failed to disengage trapping the occupants. China still has some way to go to match the European safety standards.