Porsche To Produce In China After All?
Porsche’s Wolfsburg-raised Porsche CEO Matthias Müller knows how to fan the flames. He’s not afraid of playing China against the U.S.A. A month ago, he dropped a hint to German media that Porsche could start production in China, or if that doesn’t work out, somewhere in “North America”. Chinese press went monkeyexcrement over the possibility of a Made in China Porsche. When they were all hot and bothered, tease Müller told China’s First Financial Daily that “Porsche currently has no such plans.” How do they put it so succinctly in China? “Aiya!”
Don’t cry for Porsche, China, Müller is at it again.
Yesterday, Müller told Automotive News [sub] that “Porsche is considering expanding production outside its home market of Germany in countries such as China and the United States as part of its growth plans.” Haven’t we heard that before? Also, Porsche would “expand with the help of Volkswagen Group.” That also sounds familiar. A month ago, Müller had intimated and subsequently denied that Porsche could build their upcoming Cajun sharing the same factory with its platform mate, the Audi Q5. This would mean FAW Changchun. There is no Q5 production in North America.
Former VW product planner Müller fell back into his old ways when he talked to AN: “VW Group plans to sell between 10 million and 11 million cars a year. Production capacities are at 7 million to 8 million. To meet required capacity, VW needs to build five to six new plants worldwide.” As far as Porsche is concerned, they “will, of course, be signaling our requirements in good time.”
According to Müller, China will probably become Porsche biggest global market soon. Last year, the United States was Porsche’s biggest single market, followed by Germany, then China. Guess where new Porsche manufacture makes more sense?
Meanwhile in Wolfsburg, former Porsche CEO and now VW production chief Michael Macht told Automobilwoche [sub] that the German plant of the Cajun will be Leipzig. Currently, this is where the final assembly of the Cayenne and Panamera takes place. Leipzig will be turned into a complete car plant. The Porsche Supervisory Board is supposed to approve the decision on March 15.
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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Porsche's 'North American plant' will be the Fiat factory in Ontario Canada, where the new Porsche minivan will be built alongside its VW Routan platform mate. It will be a unique model though, easily distinguished from the Dodge Caravan by its '911' style head and tail lights.
I still like the old Cayenne better.