Porsche predicts 911 bounce

Despite a substantial price cut announced in April Porsche 911 sales are still lagging year-on-year.

But Porsche Cars Australia boss Michael Winkler has a simple response: “I would say watch this space for the next 12 months.”

Within that timeframe the 991 generation GT3 and Turbo models will have gone on sale here and despite their expense they have traditionally been among the most popular 911 models sold in Australia.

Official VFACS registration figures show 911 sales are more than 14 per cent down year-on-year after the first six months of 2013. However, they were more than 20 per cent down after five months, signalling that the gap is narrowing.

“We launched (991) 911 in February 2012, we had availability constraints, there was a slump in the overall segment and at the end of the day there were reasons that we re-priced,” Winkler told motoring.com.au. “And we had only Carrera 2 until three months ago when we launched Carrera 4.

“Our success for 911 has always been in the high numbers … when we had a full contingent of GT3 and Turbo and we have always had traditionally a higher percentage of those cars than other markets around the world. There have been times when we have had both those cars in the market and they made up 40 per cent of 911 sales.”

Indeed, that percentage has risen even higher some years. In 2007 for example, PCA sold 124 Turbos and 94 GT3 and GT3 RS, making up almost 50 per cent of the 428 911s sold that year.

The 50th Anniversary 911 that arrives late this year will also provide a sales boost, PCA having secured a small slice of the 1963 that will be built, each priced at $270,000.

The 911 is expected to contribute a small part of the growth plan for PCA that fundamentally relies on the forthcoming Macan compact SUV to drive sales from under 1500 per annum to around 3000 in 2015.

The first of six Macan models will be launched in Australia around mid-2014, with the full lineup expected to be here by the end of 2015.

“We will see an increase in the sports car range (sales) as well and the Cayenne range,” predicted Winkler. “So we are going from 1500 to 1700-1800 sales even without Macan. Add another 1200 Macans on top, so I think the 3000 is actually a very achievable number.”

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