We’ve known about Porsche’s intentions to doubles its sales for a while now, with everyone from Volkswagen Group CEO Martin Winterkorn to ousted Porsche CEO Wendeling Wiedeking hinting at the ambitious target over the years. Now, current CEO Matthias Müller is once again talking up Porsche’s prospects of doubling its sales by 2018 and this time he might just have the arsenal to do it.
You’ll note that this 2018 deadline is the same one laid out by Volkswagen to become the world’s biggest automaker, and for Porsche it will mean selling close to 200,000 cars per year.
That may seem like a lot of sales, but between now and then Porsche will launch three all-new models and is also rumored to be working on a fourth. The new models include the 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid supercar, the Cajun compact crossover and a new roadster model to slot in below the Boxster.
The fourth, rumored model is a two-door version of the Panamera, designed to evoke memories of the Porsche 928.
Speaking with German newspaper Handelsblatt, Müller explained that Porsche would be increasing its R&D budget by $2.1 billion to help develop the new models, and in the process create more than 7,000 jobs.
When describing the cars, Müller said of the new entry-level roadster, "I can well imagine that we surprise our customers with a modern version of the famous James Dean Porsche," referring to the original Spyder 550.
He also said that the Cajun alone would sell in numbers as high as 50,000 units per year, which together with a new-generation 911 due out this year could easily see Porsche reach its targets.
[Handelsblatt via Automobilwoche]
