Porsche to launch Panemera in Shanghai, not Europe
The Panemera was recently spotted wafting around Shanghai, so its no wonder that its going to be launched in Shanghai instead of Geneva:
From Autoweek.com
Porsche says it has decided to switch the debut of the Panamera four-door coupe to the Shanghai auto show next April from the Geneva show in early March, as had been planned.
Porsche says the switch reflects the growing importance of China, India and Russia in its global sales strategy. Porsche sold 8,190 vehicles in China in fiscal 2007-2008, more than twice as many as in the previous year.
At the same time, sales fell sharply in the traditional markets of Europe and North America. In Germany, sales fell 5.4 percent from a year earlier to 13,524 units, Porsche said.
Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking says he is hoping for “new market opportunities” and a “stronger presence” in regions like China and the Middle East.
Despite the change in launch venue, Porsche said the driving presentation for the international press still will take place in Germany in June.
Porsche is sticking with its target of selling 20,000 Panameras per year despite the economic crisis. In the text of the company’s financial statement for fiscal 2007-2008, however, Wiedeking offered a qualification.
“In no case will we produce too many,” he said. “In that case, I would intervene myself.”
Reflecting its equity stake in Volkswagen, Porsche generated more pretax profit in the fiscal year ended Sept. 30 than revenue. The company said it had a profit of nearly 8.6 billion euros, or about $11 billion, on revenue of nearly 7.5 billion euros, or $9.6 billion.










This switch in presentation is one of many signs that influence is switching over to China and other countries that had not been on the way to dominance as they are at this time. Porsche would only make a decision such as this after calculated analysis of the future marketing capability in the new location(s) of launch.
Read this Wheels report of the Panamera
http://wheelsmag.com.au/News/Panamera+steps+out.html?open&template=domWheels