Porsche 2005 Annual Report Download - page 55

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Italy: Quality-based Growth
With 5,270 vehicles sold in the review year (previous year:
5,157), Porsche was yet again able to post a new record in
Italy. Sales of the 911 model series rose by 26 percent to
2,457 units. This strong growth was due above all to the all-
wheel versions of the 911 Carrera and the 911 Turbo. Very
satisfactory sales of the Cayman S led to an increase in the
Boxster series as a whole, with 1,348 units delivered (up by
64 percent). With 1,443 vehicles delivered, the Cayenne main-
tained its strong position in the market segment for sports
utility vehicles with a gasoline engine.
Porsche Italia also improved the quality of its dealer network.
In order to enhance the professionalism of its After Sales
division, 22 service locations were set up, and these satisfy
all Porsche standards.
France: Success in Difficult Circumstances
Despite difficult overall political conditions and an increasingly
critical attitude to premium cars, with 2,614 units delivered
in the 2005/06 fiscal year, Porsche France almost equaled its
record level of the previous year (2,874 units).
With 982 deliveries to customers, sales of the 911 surpassed
the previous year’s figures by ten percent. The Boxster and
Cayman were also highly successful. With 715 deliveries, the
entire model series exceeded the previous year by 84 percent.
The Cayenne, with a total of 915 units (previous year: 1,574
vehicles), was the most successful sports utility vehicle with
a gasoline engine. This is an extraordinary result in light of the
changed tax regulations.
The Porsche Gala at the Grand Palais in Paris was one of the
highlights of Porsche’s approach to customers; the Palace
had been closed for twelve years for renovation and was only
available for a short period prior to its official opening in 2007.
Porsche France was the first automobile company to use the
venue. The Cayman S was unveiled to 3,000 invited guests at
the event, where the entire current model range and historical
vehicles were also on display.
The French dealers made further investments in ensuring
that their appearance was worthy of the brand. Thus, in
the 2005/06 fiscal year, five new Porsche Centers were ope-
ned in Lille, Monaco, La Réunion, Saint-Maur (eastern
Paris) and Toulon.
Spain and Portugal: More Successful
Porsche was able to expand its position on the Iberian Peninsula,
although high gasoline prices, relatively high inflation rates,
increasing interest rates and low consumer trust made busi-
ness difficult. The main activities include systematic prospect-
ing among target groups, strengthening of the brand image
and expansion of the dealer network with new Centers in Leiria
and Castellón. Further building projects are planned, including,
for example, on the Algarve.
Overall, with 2,618 deliveries to customers, sales in the
2005/06 fiscal year exceeded the strong levels of the previous
year (2,576 units). Sports car sales rose, with 608 units sold
for the Boxster/Cayman model series (up 63 percent) and
656 units for the 911 (up 20 percent). The Cayman S, with 287
sales since its introduction in November 2005, was greeted
by particularly high demand. The crowd-pullers for the 911
were the S models, which accounted for approximately
68 percent of deliveries to customers.
The Cayenne maintained its position with 1,350 units sold
(previous year: 1,647 vehicles). Numerous marketing and
advertising campaigns as well as driving events in Spain and
Portugal supported sales of the Cayenne, so that it continued
to be by far the most successful gasoline-powered premium
SUV in the region.
Switzerland: World Premiere in Geneva
New products such as the Carrera 4 models, which are tradi-
tionally a highly sought-after version of the 911 in Switzerland,
helped AMAG, the Porsche importer for Switzerland, to keep
its sales at an almost constant level, with 1,692 vehicles
delivered (previous year: 1,769 units).