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Golf Size Porsche Sedan Surfaces, Is Taking On BMW Part Of The Master Plan?

Agent009 submitted on 06/06/2008 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 10:20 AM
from: www.germancarblog.com

[41] user comments | category: Spy Shots

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Golf Size Porsche Sedan Surfaces, Is Taking On BMW Part Of The Master Plan?

As weird as this may sound, it seems Porsche is working on a Porsche badged Volkswagen Golf for 2012. Now, we know that the Volkswagen Golf is a huge success, but a Porsche version of the car seems like a totally absurd idea; unless of course Porsche is postioning itself to become more mainstream and compete with BMW.

The picture below is on the cover of the new AutoBild magazine. Read Article

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daytonaviolet - 6/6/2008 10:55:23 AM

+5 Boost

What's next? A Porsche badged Vespa?

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bmwdrvr - 6/6/2008 10:58:29 AM

+5 Boost

i think a variant of the Golf would be more of a threat to Audi than BMW....which the VW group does an excellent with creating overlapping products and loads of golf variants...

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0to60 - 6/6/2008 11:03:52 AM

+7 Boost

First a 4 door coupe now a 2 door sedan!!!

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Brembo - 6/6/2008 6:52:01 PM

+2 Boost

interesting!

answer - 6/6/2008 11:10:30 AMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

That looks OK, but the idea stinks of the 914.

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Threepoint1415926 - 6/6/2008 1:11:30 PM

+1 Boost

How so?

answer - 6/6/2008 3:13:35 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

Um...let's see.

A shared vehicle with VW that serves to water-down the Porsche brand.

That's not to say this car wouldn't be far better than the 914, but it isn't needed.

mwrmmg - 6/6/2008 5:00:08 PMView My AgentSpace

-2 Boost

VW beetle >>> 911

Tuareg >>> Cayenne

not that porsche hadn't done it before.

what's next, Sharan >>> ???

Threepoint1415926 - 6/6/2008 9:08:32 PM

+1 Boost

I think you're forgetting that the 914 was designed fully by Porsche and was never intended to water down the brand. Before the death of Heinz Nordhoff, the car was only to be branded a Porsche and in America, it was never branded a VW. Besides that, the 914 was one of the funnest driving cars of its time with absolutely no aspirations for utility and still great fun to drive even today. In contrast, the car the article is talking about is a Golf plain and simple. A utility vehicle (talk about watering down the brand even more) designed by VW and re badged a Porsche.

Whelan - 6/6/2008 11:44:35 AM

+2 Boost

@0to60
two door sedan? You mean 3 door hatch.

I kinda like the rendering, how this looks like a Civic I have no clue since Honda has not had a Hatchback Civic for a few years now. It would more resemble an Audi A3 and would hopefully have better power/weight than an R32. For the money you could get an STi or Evo and walk all over the R, so it never gained huge popularity cause for the price it wasn't practical.

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bmwdrvr - 6/6/2008 11:50:41 AM

+2 Boost

actually wrong there Honda has had a hatchback Civic for years just not in America, you may want to research that....its actually very nice and a bit more upscale than the version we have..and I believe he is referring to the title of the article

0to60 - 6/6/2008 6:46:51 PM

+2 Boost

I was refering to title. "Golf sized sedan"

EL34 - 6/6/2008 11:45:18 AM

-2 Boost

Porsche should make a Micro Bus with custom surfboards.

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_43LE - 6/6/2008 11:56:54 AM

+3 Boost

This is interesting, could be a great car! The pink elephant in the room of course is that won't people just consider this a rebadged VW?

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Agent001 - 6/6/2008 12:01:48 PMView My AgentSpace

-6 Boost

You'd think they read AutoSpies.com and realized they have NO answer to the 1-Series. ;)

Told all of ya!!!

EVERYBODY in the premium segment HAS TO HAVE or is GOING to have their answer soon.

We predict with gas prices high, this segment will become the hottest in the business.

Wait a minute, we predicted it 9 months ago!

;)

001

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chewy - 6/6/2008 8:19:45 PMView My AgentSpace

+4 Boost

this segment existed long before the 1 series in Europe

Rupert - 6/6/2008 8:42:21 PMView My AgentSpace

+5 Boost

The A3 came out in 1996...

bmwdrvr - 6/7/2008 12:31:06 PM

+1 Boost

if were talking years alone check when the TI versions of the 3 series were released..........not to mention ironically the 3 series defined this segment as it went along through the years it gained in sized and luxury the 1 series coupe is the closest thing to the original 3 series and 2002 as it comes

S4cabriofoxone - 6/8/2008 1:56:30 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

OK, bmwdrvr, but the 3 Series was not originally built to be in the very small class. It was built as the equivalent of its current size. All cars have gotten bigger, not just the 3. That's dumb logic. When the A3 came out, it had no competition.

mini22 - 6/6/2008 12:04:54 PM

+2 Boost

Porsche's move to be more main stream has kept them independent and the most profitable. With fuel prices skyrocketing and the market for SUV's dramatically shrinking this might be the direction Porsche needs to go in to remain profitable and independent. I would suspect that if Porsche does use Golf architecture it would be a performance development of the R32. It is true that Porsche did develop a flat 4 when developing the Boxster. Perhaps it could be a volume producing engine.

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M35MT - 6/6/2008 12:05:08 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

It would probably fail because it would be the 'cheap' porche, kinda remind me of BMW's M-Coupe - remember that piece of crap?

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bmwdrvr - 6/6/2008 12:23:17 PM

+5 Boost

the M coupe was never the cheap bmw, maybe you mean the 318ti

M35MT - 6/9/2008 7:48:38 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

It wasnt worth shit, go to ebay and steal one for next to nothing.

richardp996 - 6/6/2008 12:12:49 PM

+2 Boost

That illustration is a couple years old. I wouldn't trust AutoBild as they are notorious for getting things wrong.

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robertb - 6/6/2008 12:17:01 PM

+6 Boost

The title for this article should be "Porsche jumps shark!"

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91z4me - 6/6/2008 12:31:16 PM

+2 Boost

Could this be a MR or RR compact based on the VW UP! concept as apposed to the FWD based Golf?

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DROOPYSAKK - 6/6/2008 12:46:58 PM

+3 Boost

just seems like an excuse to overcharge for a VW to me

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BMW4me4ever - 6/6/2008 1:00:21 PMView My AgentSpace

+6 Boost

what is the point? dont they already have VW and Audi. talk about diluting market share for their auto group.

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Audiphile - 6/6/2008 1:19:35 PM

+5 Boost

That is a very good point.

VISO - 6/6/2008 2:05:48 PM

+2 Boost

You have to realize that Porsche might have other plans. If its goal is to be a main stream premium brand (Cayenne, Panarama, etc.) then this is the direction they will head. Of course, this could pose serious problems for Audi as Audi is the direct competitor for Porsche. Why do both?

Larry - 6/6/2008 1:38:49 PM

+2 Boost

I agree with you BMW4me4ever what is the point??

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TheSailor - 6/6/2008 1:43:40 PMView My AgentSpace

+5 Boost

Talk about selling out!

I can see why they are doing it, because as 001 mentioned,with the skyrocketing gas prices, this segment is going to be huge and some people would want a "super executive" compact with lots of equipment in a small package. But I think they should just use Audi for that as they already have an "upmarket Golf". This will seriously dilute the Porsche brand! But of cause, with a Porsche badge it will probably sell like crazy! But at the expense of the hardcore fans!

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mini22 - 6/6/2008 3:03:07 PM

0 Boost

First of all Porsche is not Ferrari. They do not sell close to the price range as Ferrari.They have always sold more volume. People said when they came out with the Caynene it would dilute the Porsche brand. Guess what it didn't.Now they are coming out with the Panamera. It will probably not dilute the Porsche brand either. What you're not realizing is that Porsche needs to become a mainstream brand like Audi and BMW in order to remain independent. Why is it ok for Audi to market and R8 but it's not ok for Porsche to market a smaller sedan? BMW has the M3,M5,M6 and Mini.Mercedes has all it's AMG,Black Line SLR etc.as well as Smart!Certainly companies have branched into Porsches territory. So now Porsche is branching into mainstream. From a business perspective it makes a lot of sense. So everyone needs to get their head out of their ass and realize that Porsche is not going to continue to only make limited production high performing sports cars.To stay afloat they need to play with the big boys and they intend to do just that.

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TheSailor - 6/6/2008 6:10:21 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

You honestly don't think that the cayenne has diluted the brand? The Cayenne was every soccer moms shortcut to a porsche! Sure, the 911 is still what it has always been, but today, when people say "I drive a Porsche", it might as well be a revolting SUV, as a 911.

Porsche has no need to become more mainstream to survive! Porsche is THE brand earning the most per car, so if anything, they are the brand who should care most about keeping their status and brand image! Porsche has VAG for the mainstream part! Don't forget just how big a stake Porsche holds in VAG!
The reason why they are doing this is because somebody is getting greedy and want to earn more money off the badge! And in trying to do so, they might very well do the exact opposite! Porsche's survival has been their ability to charge such a huge premium for their cars! Making a true high volume car might earn them money, but they won't get the same revenue pr unit as they do with their present cars and If you can suddenly have a Porsche for the price of a 1-series, do you think that the buyers looking for the relative exclusivity of the brand will continue paying such a high price for a car which is just the bigger brother of a mere high-end Golf?!
IMHO, this is a very bad idea!

amazinBimmer - 6/6/2008 4:24:34 PM

-3 Boost

hahah. comdeic to see the others scramble. BMW still the strategy kings

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Matthew1 - 6/6/2008 6:26:35 PM

+4 Boost

Don't you guys get it?

By creating smaller cars, Porsche is reducing its fleet emissions by off-setting the CO2 from its larger cars.

It's in the same vein as the Polo BlueMotion, to restore a respectable level of fleet emissions which rose with the likes of the Touareg and Cayenne.

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Matthew1 - 6/6/2008 6:28:07 PM

+3 Boost

They wouldn't do it otherwise, but have European governments breathing down their necks and ready to impose heavy fines if they don't reduce CO2.

daytonaviolet - 6/6/2008 9:59:29 PM

+2 Boost

Very good point Matthew1.

Also they had to build the Cayenne to help create the financial stability that they need to stay indepent, and be able to continue their heritage of building sports cars. No doubt, this car will also help with that.

daytonaviolet - 6/6/2008 11:40:01 PM

+2 Boost

*Independent. lol.

S4cabriofoxone - 6/6/2008 11:39:57 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

I don't understand this and don't believe it. With the A3/S3 and GTI/R32 already available, not only would it unnecessarily water down the Porsche brand but it would be competing directly with its cousins.

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mwrmmg - 6/7/2008 4:49:36 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

FWD porsche??? Best driven in reversed

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