gavriil

I thought this small article has 3 very interesting points in it. Check it out:

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Is It Downhill for Roadster Market? - - Paul A. Eisenstein - - Source: The Car Connection


TheU.S. roadster market is not likely to see another peak anytime soon, forecasts Peter Schwarzenbauer, CEO of Porsche Cars North America. The segment topped out at around 75,000 units in 1999, and is now operating at a "natural" level of around 50,000, said the German executive. That's not good news for Porsche, which is getting ready to launch a new version of its once-hot Boxster - shown by TCC in its coverage of the 2004 Paris Motor Show.

In '99, Boxster sales hit 13,000, but this year, volume is running "a little under 6000," confided Schwarzenbauer. Even with the new car, Porsche expects to get Boxster sales back up only to "somewhere in-between those two numbers," the CEO suggested. At the same time, Schwarzenbauer admitted that there are so many "external" factors influencing the U.S. auto market right now that after 20 years in the business, "I've never seen it so complicated," nor as difficult to predict." The German automaker expects to have an average one new car or variant to introduce every six months going forward, company officials said in Paris.

That includes the all-new 911, which went on sale recently. While the Boxster has lost much of its momentum, Schwarzenbauer is more optimistic about Porsche's flagship sports car and, he believes, for good reason.

The 911 primarily appeals to motorists with household incomes of at least $200,000 annually. There are currently 2.6 million U.S. households that fit that description, but the number is forecast to jump 46 percent, to 3.8 million households, by 2012. To get those potential customers thinking about the 911, PCNA plans to launch a test drive "experience" program starting next January. Porsche is betting that once someone tries a 911, they'll be far more willing to buy one.

gavriil

The first point is no news. We knew that roadsters are not selling well. We were sure of that when we saw BMW incetivise the Z4. I mean, that's pretty extreme.

It makes sense why the Boxster was mostly an evolution. Meaning Porsche did not invest much into it because they knew...the roadster market sucks right now, so why spend money on a model that will not sell, no matter what.

Interesting to hear that it's getting complicated to figure out the US car buyer. I think that is good for the market because it will force the automakers work harder offering more offerings to cover more of the puzzle. So more cars available for us.

Interesting fact that 911 family incomes are 200K. I thought they'd be higher.

But I was blown away to hear that there are 2.6 million families that make that much! Wow! And it will go up by 50% in 10 years! Wow!

Interesting to see Porsche do a test drive show. Very interesting.

Beltfed

Why? a 911 bases at $70k......majority of people obviously don't pay cash for their cars. Not to mention most 911 drivers either are single, married no kids, or kids are out of the house.

Having 2 dependent kids, a wife that doesn't work, and a hefty mortgage........$200k/year and a 911 don't really mix.

gavriil

True. But the 911 out the door is close to 90K. Out the door means taxes and all fees included.

Crazy Bimmer

Maybemost lease

Ashburner

Why were you blown away that 2.6 million families make that much? If you consider there are around 260 million people in the US divided by an average of 4 people per family- only two of which work daily jobs- you are still looking at only about 3% of families in the entire population. That doesn't seem very high to me.

charliemike

No kidding. $200k in the U.S.A. now is nothing. $200k is just about the minimum to be comfortable here in the DC area if you have a couple kids and they don't go to an upper-level private school.

I don't think I'd buy a new 911 if I was married with kids and made anything less than $200k.

gavriil

I think half lease and half pay cash and pay it off at the purchase.

gavriil

There is close to 290 million people in the USA right now if I am not mistaken. I think 292 is the last number I saw. And of that about 140-150 are employed.

So you're right. I was just blown away by the shear size of the number.

gavriil

DC is expensive, no kidding. Sometimes I wonder how people pay their bills in places like CA and the DC area.

Beltfed

Well, sure if you load in all sorts of extra crap......also the 996 for the last 2-3 years have been aggressively discounted.

gavriil

Only because it was at the last 2-3 years of its life (it was discounted more like for the past 1-2 years actually).