Porsche 2011 Annual Report Download - page 68

zation rate for the Volkswagen group was 23.1 per-
cent in the period from 1 January to 31 December
2011, compared to 26.6 percent in the prior year.
Integration of external know-how
To support an efficient development and ex-
pansion of the model range, Porsche AG cooperates
with partners to jointly develop modules and modular
systems. An example of this approach is the common
hybrid drivetrain used in the Porsche Panamera,
Cayenne and VW Touareg. Furthermore, Porsche AG
draws on the specialist knowledge of external service
providers to cover any capacity peaks in the course
of the planned growth. These are especially used in
fields beyond Porsche AG's core competencies. In
addition, suppliers are involved in the development
process in order to develop highly innovative compo-
nents on time.
In addition to its internal development capac-
ity, the Volkswagen group uses the expertise of its
suppliers and development service providers in the
development process so that it can systematically
advance its new model rollout in the coming years.
Thanks to the early and close collaboration of internal
and external resources, it was possible to success-
fully complete projects with the quality expect within
reduced development times. Creative processes and
the intensive use of virtual technologies are central to
the integration of external expertise.
In meeting the challenges of the coming me-
gatrends, the structure of the necessary core compe-
tencies plays an important role.
The Volkswagen group already uses the ex-
pertise of subsequent suppliers in the development
phase of modules and components. Using external
capacity also makes sense with support services and
downstream processes such as series production
management, as well as activities that do not face the
customer but generate improvements. Volkswagen
will therefore continue to build and expand its coop-
eration strategy for the benefit of the group and its
suppliers.
The integrated flywheel accumulator is an electrical
motor, with a rotator that spins at up to 36,000 rpm
to store rotation energy. Charging occurs when the
two electric motors on the front axle reverse their
function during braking processes and operate as
generators. At the push of a button, the driver is able
to call up the energy stored in the charged flywheel
accumulator and use it during acceleration or overtak-
ing maneuvers. The flywheel is braked electro-
magnetically in this case in order to additionally sup-
ply up to 150 kW from its kinetic energy to the two
electric motors on the front axle. At the Auto Show in
Detroit, the 918 RSR received the Best in Show –
AutoWeek Editors’ Choice Award 2011. This means
that the AutoWeek jury selected the Porsche 918 RSR
as the best new vehicle at the show.
Research and development costs
In the fiscal year 2011, research costs and
non-capitalized development costs (excluding amorti-
zation and depreciation) in the Porsche Zwischenhold-
ing GmbH group came to 342 million euro (calendar
year 2010: 174 million euro). Development costs
totaling 704 million euro were capitalized (calendar
year 2010: 498 million euro). In the fiscal year 2011,
the capitalization rate was 67 percent (calendar year
2010: 74 percent).
In the fiscal year 2011, research costs and
non-capitalized development costs in the Volkswagen
group totaled 5,537 million euro; in the fiscal year
2010, they came to 4,589 million euro. Development
costs totaling 1,666 million euro were capitalized
(comparative period: 1,667 million euro). The capitali-
GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT68