Porsche-VW Anschluss: The Worrying Bits

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

Volkswagen and Porsche are about to make it official, as Volkswagen has now bought nearly 49.9 percent of Porsche. And though we’ve had plenty of time to get used to the idea, there are some troubling indications for the future of the Porsche brand in particular. As usual, the worries begin with an executive (in this case, VW/Porsche’s Michael Macht) explaining exactly how the company will be able to have its cake and eat it too.

Porsche needs to become a strong pillar of VW, as well as having its own production and research and development capabilities. It is important to 
use synergies as well as having independence… Any new model would have to be exclusive, sporting and make a good business case. In any segment Porsche has to be the most exclusive, as well as being the best quality and capable of delivering the best driving experience

Unsurprisingly though, these fine sentiments are mere prelude to the nasty reality.

Macht tells Autocar that

The Panamera platform could be used by other brands for models that are in development and at the concept stage

What, like an Audi A8? After all, as Jack Baruth notes in his review of the Panamera Turbo over at Speed:Sport:Life (a TTAC review was verboten), “the ‘Porsche of luxury sedans’ was, and continues to be, the Audi A8.” Jack’s prescience may have been more literal than he imagined. But who cares, right? The Panamera isn’t a real Porsche any more than a Cayenne is. Right?

When asked if the 911 platform was also on the table, Macht said it “could be made available to other VW brands”

Considering VW CEO Martin Winterkorn has laid out the challenge: “who plays the multi-brand game better than us?” the mind boggles just a bit. But since Porsche engines are said to be off-limits to other VW Group brands (er, except for the ones they already share), it’s hard to imagine a VW engine interfacing with a 911 platform (with say, a SEAT badge). The real worry here is the reborn rumors of a Roxster baby-ute and a Bluesport-based sub-Boxster. The combination of boosted volume, sharing unique platforms and rebadging Q5s and Bluesports creates a troubling picture of Porsche’s future. But maybe that’s just what happens when you gamble big and lose.

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Lokkii Lokkii on Oct 23, 2009

    RE: the new 914. A great idea. Of course, it must look like it belongs the Porsche family - an offspring of mating with a 911- following the rules set by the Boxster,Cayenne,Cayman, Panamera et al. So we will make it a tiny 911 - we can call it a "One Series".

  • DanyloS DanyloS on Oct 23, 2009

    I concur with many of the above posts if Porsche would like to hit the lofty sales goals that have been mentioned in the past a "lower priced" not "cheaper" car needs to be built. A revival of the 914 or 356. Make it spartan and light weight, less electronics, somewhere between the size of an Elise and Boxster/Cayman. But please instead of using the 1.8T or 2.0T Porsche really needs to use a Subaru Flat-4 mounted in the middle or behind the rear axle. A naturally aspirated base model and 260-300hp Turbo model would work. Let the Cayman keep getting the 911 hand-me down horsepower increases. The flat engine heritage needs to be kept. If the weight and price can be kept down (ideally well under 3000lbs @ $25-35k) and practicality can be maintained (ie some trunk space, ability to mount a roof rack as all current P-cars do). Then Porsche you have a buyer.

  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
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