Aussie Porsche boss, Michael Winkler, has dismissed speculation about new small SUV and compact sportscar models as "thinking out loud".
Talking at this week's local launch of the muscular 911 Turbo, the Porsche Cars Australia Managing Director poured cold water on UK-based reports that the company had formalized plans to build a sub-Cayenne softroader and four-cylinder sportscar based on existing VW Group platforms.
The report, by UK magazine Autocar, was widely propogated by European media and repeated as fact by some local automotive media outlets. The original article was based on comments from VW CEO and now effective head of Porsche's board of management, Dr Martin Winterkorn.
According to Winkler, Winterkorn's comments are the result of the VW Group boss "thinking out loud". The comments were made in the context of a goal set by Porsche's new masters to sell 150,000 cars per annum. (By way of comparison, last year Porsche sold around 85,000 cars).
The new models VW's corporate head proposed were a sub-Cayenne SUV based on Audi's Q5 and an entry-level sportscar in the mold of the VW BlueSport concept car (pictured). The latter is expected to also spawn an R4 model for Audi.
"Dr Winterkorn is the CEO. It's his job to throw down the gauntlet," Winkler told the Carsales Network.
"We've [Porsche] been given the task, as a goal to shoot for, to sell worldwide 150,000 cars. Dr Winterkorn said that publicly," Winkler explained.
"In order to achieve that [we need] more models. Right now there'll be a room at Weissach [Porsche's development headquarters] with 25 different [new model] ideas being passed around it. And those ideas are being discussed.
"That [150,000 target] clearly ups the ante for us to make that number. [But] He was thinking out loud. Those are among the models being discussed," he said.
Winkler conceded the 'Winterkorn Porsches' were the most logical brand extensions but reiterated no decisions had been made.
"That's why he mentioned them... But at this point it's completely moot to talk about it because we have not taken the decisions. There is no product plan that includes new models. It's [still] in the discussion phase," Winkler stated.
The Porsche Australia boss said there was no formal timeline for the prestige carmaker to achieve its new 150,000 target. He dismissed suggestions that it was a short-term goal, stating the development time required even for a vehicle that shared major componentry with an existing model was "three and half to four years".
Porsche built a record 101,000 units (approximately) in the German fiscal year ending 2008. Last year's production was around 85,000 units. PCA's own local record of just over 1500 cars corresponded with head office's peak.
A target of 150,000 cars worldwide would suggest a volume of around 2250 cars locally. However, that's not a number upon which Winkler is keen to be drawn.
"The 100,000 was in a very favourable fiscal market. A lot has to happen [to achieve that volume] -- the environment has to be right and the models have to be right. If you're asking me is that [level of production and sales] going to happen in the next 12-24 months, I'll say it certainly won't happen in the next 12-24 months.
"What we will not do is go out with some crazy estimates and targets like some other brands have done. We have a growth strategy, but it's a growth strategy based on sensible decisions, sensible economics," he stated.
Winkler says PCA has a seat at the product planning table and, like all the brand's export markets, has some ability to influence the new models that will (eventually) wear Porsche badges.
"There's a process in-house where the markets' considerations are taken into account very early on. It's one of the nice things about working in a relatively small company."
And while he won't elaborate on his organisation's local wishlist, he's clearly optimistic about the prospects, be they 'the Winterkorn Porsches' or other as yet unannointed models.
"I'm not unhappy with what's happening. [In fact,] I'm very enthusiastic," Winkler stated.
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