Porsche's Sporty Off-Road Vehicle Revs up Again

.February 25, 2004
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Porsche's Sporty Off-Road Vehicle Revs up Again

Success for the Cayenne in Latin America

Porsche Cayenne

Photo: Automotive Intelligence

Stuttgart - With 550 eight-cylinder versions of the Cayenne sold in 2003, Porsche's-off-road vehicle has been a major factor in the trebling of sales in Central and South America since 2000. Dr. Wendelin Wiedeking, CEO of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, expects this positive trend to continue thanks to the expanded product range and greater dealer commitment in this region.

At press conferences to mark the launch of the six-cylinder-Cayenne in Mexico City (Mexico) and Sao Paulo (Brazil), the Porsche CEO spoke of a "very promising future" for this region. Apart from expanding the dealer network from 12 to 26 dealerships, Porsche has also extended its product range. Says Wiedeking: "The Cayenne is the Porsche for Latin America. This is a new chapter in the success story of our sporty off-road vehicle."

Dr. Thomas Stärtzel, Managing Director of Porsche Latin America Inc., a sales company founded in 2000 and based in Miami, USA, looks set to achieve sales of around 900 Porsche off-road vehicles and sports cars in the current financial year (2003/2004) and break the 1,000 unit barrier in the next financial year. Says Stärtzel: "Despite the political and economic instability in Latin America in previous years, Porsche has posted a respectable sales result and is looking forward to continued stable growth."

The fact that dealers are prepared to invest a further five million US dollars over the next two years is, according to the man responsible for the Stuttgart sports car manufacturer's business in Latin America, a very positive sign. Similar investments have already been made in recent years.

Last calendar year, Porsche sold a total of 704 vehicles in Central and South America. In 2002, 504 units were sold. Sales for 2000 and 2001 were 265 and 338 vehicles respectively. The most promising market on this subcontinent is Mexico, where 375 vehicles were sold last year and sales of sports cars and off-road vehicles are expected to reach the 500 mark in 2004. Sales are expected to double in Brazil (to 80 units) and in Chile (to 40 units). Porsche also expects to sell around 40 vehicles in Argentina in 2004. Just 28 vehicles were sold in this crisis-ridden market in 2002 and 2003, 15 of which were attributed to the Cayenne.

Porsche CEO Wiedeking was very impressed during his visit, particularly by the excitement generated among customers by the powerful Carrera GT sports car. Porsche test driver and company representative Walter Röhrl, who met with potential customers at the Hermanos Rodrigues race track in Mexico City as well as in Monterrey, was confident: "The 25 Carrera GTs earmarked for South America will certainly find buyers. The first customer vehicle for this continent will arrive in Chile in April."

(Feb.22, 2004)

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