VW's takeover of Porsche

VolvoMan

I was just thinking about this today and how it's funny that more people aren't mourning the loss of the Stuttgart firm's independence: http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/253229/

I hate to be cynical, but to be realistic; this is going to be the end of the brand. If you think models like the Cayenne are bad and have devalued the Porsche brand, you ain't seen nothing yet!

johnos1984

Agreed.

Now Porche are just going to end up building a bland looking range of cars that all look the same but are good to drive :rolleyes:

-Corkie-

Huh. Thats old news Volvoman, well according to this man anyway. Read the spec..:D
http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1620640

mickdw

its not so long since porsche owned a large portion of vw.

Big Nasty

So do you think VW have been bad for Audi / Bugatti / Lamborghini / Seat / Skoda?

johnos1984

MCMLXXV wrote: »

So do you think VW have been bad for Audi / Bugatti / Lamborghini / Seat / Skoda?

In this case yes.

It was all going so well until they produced the Golf killer with the original Leon

VW gets annoyed, steps in and now we have a confused range or SEAT cars which by in large look, feel and drive the same.

SEAT were to be the Alfa competitor in the original range and now.....now they aren't

Quazzie

-Corkie- wrote: »

Huh. Thats old news Volvoman, well according to this man anyway. Read the spec..:D
http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1620640

What seems to be the problem there?

The alloys he has on his modified car are originally made for a Porsche. He states that in the ad? Where is the problem??

VolvoMan

MCMLXXV wrote: »

So do you think VW have been bad for Audi / Bugatti / Lamborghini / Seat / Skoda?

It's not really the same; nearly all of those companies were basketcases before VW absorbed them.

Porsche, on the other hand, were one of the last remaining independent sports car manufacturers. No doubt VW will have them profitable and going from strength-to-strength, but in many ways the company will most likely become a shadow of its former self and just another brand in VW's portfolio. This is bad news, people.

Big Nasty

VolvoMan wrote: »

It's not really the same; nearly all of those companies were basketcases before VW absorbed them.

Porsche, on the other hand, were one of the last remaining independent sports car manufacturers. No doubt VW will have them profitable and going from strength-to-strength, but in many ways the company will most likely become a shadow of its former self and just another brand in VW's portfolio. This is bad news, people.

That's a very romantic view but I really can't see why this is bad for Porsche at all!

mickdw

Quazzie wrote: »

What seems to be the problem there?

The alloys he has on his modified car are originally made for a Porsche. He states that in the ad? Where is the problem??

Oh its just lovely isnt it. He has not destroyed the car at all. :rolleyes:

I very much doubt the alloys on there were ever intended for a porsche as they would be the cheap ass replica version.

-Chris-

I'd say if Porsche hadn't been as blatant in their trying to own VW they wouldn't be in this position - payback's a bitch etc. - I'm sure a certain proportion of the VW motivation came from bad blood in the boardroom and so forth.

I hope they leave Porsche alone and let them do their own thing, although I think VW have been good for Lambo and deserve a lot of credit for so successfully resurrecting the Bugatti brand.

Porsche were their own worst enemies lately imho - SUVs and 4-Door saloons shouldn't have been on their radar (although I saw a Panamera in the flesh a few days ago and it's a gorgeous car, it's just not a Porsche).

VolvoMan

-Chris- wrote: »

I'd say if Porsche hadn't been as blatant in their trying to own VW they wouldn't be in this position - payback's a bitch etc. - I'm sure a certain proportion of the VW motivation came from bad blood in the boardroom and so forth.

I blame Wolfgang Wiedeking. He was the one who turned the company into a hedgefunding business.

If Porsche had been successful in taking over Volkswagen Group, would it ever have worked I wonder? It is, after all, a company of around one eigth the size of the VW Group combined.

Matt Simis

-Chris- wrote: »

Porsche were their own worst enemies lately imho - SUVs and 4-Door saloons shouldn't have been on their radar (although I saw a Panamera in the flesh a few days ago and it's a gorgeous car, it's just not a Porsche).

Porsche would point out that the back to basics poor mans Porsche (Boxster) and 4x4 (Cayenne, the rejigged Touareg) revitalized and saved the brand, being runaway commercial successes.

While we all like to idealise, the reality is that companies need bread and butter products to produce the iconic and expensive ones. To take issue with Porsche of late would mean you would rather see them out of business than "sell out".

On the topic of VAG (not really accurate to say "VW"?) ownership, its not a problem IMO, the two companies are blood related (literally) families and have worked so close some may have thought to were one for 60years now. VAG are behind the Continental GT, Veyron and R8, they do brand segregation on the high end well as well as company building like no other, I suspect Porsche will make ever more fantastic cars with the R&D and cash they have always aspired to.

It may even mean less "blingy", high volume Porsches and a return to form for them.. infact I think VAG already announced this was their intention.

-Chris-

I'd like to think it'll do good things - instead of Porsche trying to branch out into more and more niches in order to increase their sales units, they're now part of a larger group who already has cars in every niche. Maybe they can get back to "sticking with the knitting".

When you think about it, Porsche was developing a sub-Boxter car based on the Audi R4 (iirc), now they don't have to because VAG already have an Audi R4. Porsche developed an SUV, whereas now they don't need to because VAG already have a premium SUV.

It could be enough to make Porsche "shrink" in a very positive way.

VolvoMan

Matt Simis wrote: »

On the topic of VAG (not really accurate to say "VW"?)

Was that not what the group were called back in the dim and distant past (1980's)?

Any publicity I see today refers to the company as the 'VW Group'.

They'll do a TDi (red i of course) 911 no doubt :pac:

Gary ITR

RoverJames wrote: »

They'll do a TDi (red i of course) 911 no doubt :pac:

I swear to God if you start them off about TDI drivers and such I'll bate the head off you with my banstick

Mr Benevolent

MCMLXXV wrote: »

So do you think VW have been bad for Audi / Bugatti / Lamborghini / Seat / Skoda?

Yes/No/No/Yes/Yes

Kintarō Hattori

Sorry for my ignorance but what happened to Porsche? I thought they had been incredibly successful with their investments and relatively little of their profit actually coming from the sale of their cars.

Gary ITR

Confab wrote: »

Yes/No/No/Yes/Yes

You have me tickled with curiosity now, in what way do you think VW have been bad for Audi, Seat and Skoda?

rebel.ranter

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Sorry for my ignorance but what happened to Porsche? I thought they had been incredibly successful with their investments and relatively little of their profit actually coming from the sale of their cars.

They got the car building part absolutely right, financial gambling (like our bankers) landed them in very thick soup.

Spunj

God help us all if VW ever get involved with Porsche!

-Corkie-

Quazzie wrote: »

What seems to be the problem there?

The alloys he has on his modified car are originally made for a Porsche. He states that in the ad? Where is the problem??

There was no problem.. It was a joke. Vw with porsche alloys or replica alloys. It was a joke. Maybe my sense of humour is too much for ye to take.

Seperate

VolvoMan wrote: »

It's not really the same; nearly all of those companies were basketcases before VW absorbed them.

Porsche, on the other hand, were one of the last remaining independent sports car manufacturers. No doubt VW will have them profitable and going from strength-to-strength, but in many ways the company will most likely become a shadow of its former self and just another brand in VW's portfolio. This is bad news, people.

Porsche has been heavily influenced by VW for a long time.

For example, the climate control in a 02 911 I drove today is exactly the same my Audi A3

I don't think your average joe will notice the change in ownership.