The One That Got Away From The New York Auto Show
The NY Auto Show? Let’s talk about what is not there: The star of the Geneva Auto Show, the gas-electric hybrid Porsche 918 Spyder Concept. It is not there because it’s, as Motortrend reports, “en route to the Beijing Auto Show.”
Which takes place end of April. The environmentally friendly brute is equipped with a 3.4L V8 that makes more than 500-hp, joined by two electric motors sitting on the front and rear axle with an additional output of 218-hp. All that power is applied to the road via the famous 7-speed Doppelkupplungsgetriebe PDK transmission. That slingshot fires the 2-seater from 0-62 mph in 3.2 seconds, while trying its best to save the planet.
And why is it not in New York, but in Beijing? China is quickly becoming Porsche’s most important market. I n 2008, China became Porsche’s 3rd largest market, after the U.S.A. and Germany. In 2012, Porsche wants to outsell Germany with 16,000 Porsches sold to in China. With double digit growth projections, China will soon be Porsche’s largest market. Then there is the fact that Porsche’s sales in the U.S.A. collapsed last year by 40 percent. There are no signs of recovery. In March, with the U.S. market going up by 24 percent, they managed to move a mere 156 Porsches more than in the darkest days of March 2009. BMW is in even deeper trouble in the U.S., but they are already solidly established in China.
The 918 also goes to Beijing to make a statement. Despite cliches to the contrary, environmental considerations rank higher by the day in China. As far as fuel consumption goes, China’s average fuel consumption is already better than where the U.S.A. wants to be CAFE-wise in 2016. According to Motortrend, “China’s forthcoming vehicle emissions standards are planned to be tougher than either U.S. or European standards.” The 918 should make a big green splash in Beijing.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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I've been lusting after this once I saw the vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTqWDR2X_SA Per the video: "It will be faster around the Nordschleife than the Carerra GT" Awesome.
Many thanks speed and chuck, those links saved days of stumbling around. I am more than happy with the sites!