Porsche Comes To Screeching Halt In April, Guess Where?
The tempo of Porsche’s global growth slowed to 7.2 percent in April on sales of 12,588 units. This is down from the 12.6 percent gain the folks from Zuffenhausen racked up from January to April. “What do you expect, European malaise,” is the knee-jerk reaction.
The surprising malaise is elsewhere, further east, much further east.
In China, Porsche sold a mere 0.9 percent more than in April last year. In Europe, bankers and brokers turned their dwindling bonus payments into 13.1 percent more Porsches. In Germany, Porsche sales climbed a baffling 21.5 percent.
January through April, Chinese sales are still up 26.7 percent, but Porsche is quickly losing its Middle Kingdom moxie. Last month in China, Porsches seem to have gone out of style. Porsche had a huge recall of Cayennes in March, delayed reaction perhaps?
PORSCHE AG DeliveriesAprilJanuary – April20122011Variance (%)20122011Variance (%)World12,58811,7417.243,14138,30312.6Europe4,6824,14113.115,78713,57416.3Germany1,8501,52321.55,7205,00214.4America3,9833,8164.412,31912,0032.6USA3,4373,1728.410,59610,1794.1Asia-Pacific3,9233,7843.715,03512,72618.1China2,3382,3160.99,4597,46426.7However, Porsche receives huge kudos for delivering its numbers in a spin-free, easy to read table, an example all automakers should follow. Any temporary weaknesses in China are quickly forgiven by this reporter as long as the numbers are delivered in an easy to use manner.
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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"In Germany, Porsche sales climbed a baffling 21.5 percent." That's probably the 991 impact.
Hottest....boothbabe.....EVER!
Perhaps Germany is people buying real assets