Porsche's baby cars on decision deadline
As VW takes possession of Porsche it's approaching crunch time for Porsche's small car plans…A critical round-table meeting of senior Volkswagen Audi Group (VAG) managers at the end of the year will decide whether Porsche pushes ahead with plans for two new smaller cars.
Incoming Porsche CEO, Matthias Müller, admitted last week that the future of the two baby Porsches, a sub-Boxster convertible sportscar and a sub-Cayenne SUV, would be immediately on the line at the meeting.
Scheduled to finalise the entire Porsche model plans for the next ten years, the meeting will give VW Group Chairman, Dr Martin Winterkorn, veto over Porsche's immediate future.
"At the end of the year, we will provide the board and Mr Winterkorn with the options, but the sub-Boxster small roadster is part of our negotiations," Müller told the Carsales Network at last week's Paris motor show.
"We would like to see Porsche build this car, but the final say rests with Wolfsburg and Mr Winterkorn," he said.
The baby Boxster was planned to use a variation of the MRS (Mid Rear-drive Sports) aluminium chassis architecture that debuted in the Volkswagen BlueSport concept car (pictured) and also provided the backbone of the Audi R4 e-tron concept at this year's Detroit show.
It would have also given Porsche a platform capable of using the VW Group's hybrid and electric technology, which will be vital to lower its corporate average fuel economy figures.
Similarly, a small Porsche SUV, which Dr Winterkorn has already dubbed the "Cajun", could be based off the next generation of the Volkswagen Tiguan, which will also sit beneath the Audi Q3
"This car [the new small roadster] is among a number of ideas we have to expand the Porsche range and SUVs are another place to look. What we are doing is negotiation for the product program for the next 10 years now.
"We have to have a business case and give all the ideas a priority because they are not possible at the same time.
"We have to analyze the position of all our cars and of all the competition cars internally within the new, integrated group. What is the position of the brand in the competition and even compared to Cayman and Boxster?" he mused.
While there are questions circling around the small-car future of Porsche, Müller insisted the 911 would remain the brand's icon and refused to admit its frequent 911-based specials were damaging it.
"We see no risk in the 911. It's a strength of Porsche to have life-cycle planning for a range of cars," he said.
In recent years, the world has been flooded with 911 variants, including the Carrera 2 and 4, the Carrera S and 4S, the GT3, the GT3 RS, the GT2, the GT2 RS, the Speedster and Sport Classic. Then there's the convertible variants…
"In the 911 series, it was always the plan to keep the 911 exciting for the whole life cycle, which means for seven years." Müller explained.
"But that doesn't mean there will be things like four-cylinder hybrid 911s. Not with me. I do not know what happens in the future, but not in the next five years.
"For me, 911 is the icon of Porsche and it's a six cylinder. I can't imagine a four cylinder in the 911. Years ago we could not imagine a diesel Porsche of any kind, but my task is to keep the 911 what it is," Müller stated
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