With Porsche’s sales volume rapidly expanding, “exclusivity” seems to be a central concern for the majority of fans of the brand.
But that doesn’t seem to be a pressing issue to Porsche CEO Matthias Müller, whose recent statements about working with the legendary German marque were published recently in a press release. Exclusivity aside, the number one most important attribute of the Porsche sportscar to Matthias Müller is that they must be “fascinating.”
Remarked the executive: “Whether you’re just observing [a Porsche] from the outside or sitting behind the wheel and driving it—our sports cars always generate positive emotions. Each and every one of our models reflects the pioneering achievements of Ferdinand and Ferry Porsche, the legendary status of our brand, and the countless victories on the track.”
It would indeed be hard to argue that this core attribute of the German automaker is in any immediate danger, even while the traditionally limited brand branches out into more domesticated territory, making sedans and SUVs. But breaking into those less lofty markets has had an effect on brand image and perceived attainability; just since Mr. Matthias Müller took the reigns 4 years ago, Porsche sales have more than doubled.
So how can the automaker possibly expect to maintain exclusivity even while its wares are becoming inarguably more plentiful on public roads? Says Matthias Müller: “Exclusivity is a crucial brand value for Porsche which we will certainly not carelessly put at risk. Take Porsche’s share of the global market for passenger vehicles: today we’re at under 0.3 percent… We still have room to grow without compromising the brand’s exclusivity—above all, in emerging markets with low Porsche densities.”
As superficial an admission as it may be, for Porsche, brand image is everything. Moving forward, as the automaker attempts to surpass 200,000 annual unit sales, integrate more hybrid technology, and implement other fuel-saving measures, we the fans can rest assured that CEO Matthias Müller – along with every other executive – will hawkishly watch over and defend the iconic crest.
“We don’t look at market segments that don’t fit with the Porsche brand,” says Müller. “We will continue to focus exclusively on what we do best: the development, production, and sale of highly emotional premium sports cars with which we can thrill our customers around the world.
“They can rest assured: when the board gives the green light for a new vehicle project, the result will always be a true Porsche.”
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