Ok. Thanks I missed that.


Thanks for posting the other data.


I do think everything is interrelated (i.e. the world picture). Porsche can only produce X number of 911s. If demand is very high in China and softer in the US, they are going to shift allocations to China from the US. The appearance to us looking at only the US sales figures from Panamera magazine is that the 911 is not doing so well when in fact it may be doing very well world wide. China is the center of gravity and focus of Porsche right now. That is where the growth it.

 

911 sales worldwide are slightly up. Like I mentioned, reduced US allocations have been adjusted to more closely meet demand.

The allocations are out there. I had no problem finding two configurable ones in 15 minutes a few weeks back with one delivering in January. Some dealers play into the narrative and try to play the "hard to get game" a bit much.

At this point, I'm just running around in circles with the same info.

Will report back once November sales are posted. Later!

 

Thanks STG, I appreciate your input and knowledge.

 

All things are relative in life...and relatively speaking...Porsche AG is faring pretty well, is it not - given the discombobulating political and economic news across the World ?

Whilst concerns about over-supplied hi-end Cayennes, lack of supply of Gen 2s in certain markets, Macans bought by cross-shopping Porsche wannabees, over-inflated prices for options and slumping 991.2 sales are all present & correct, it does put me in mind that 911 owners seem to fall into two main mindsets.

(1) Those that focus on residuals, discounts, pricing and lease deals (and consequently formulaic specifications) and (2) those that just get on with buying their new car to their personal spec and celebrating that such a car - still uncontaminated by part-bin core components - remains out there to buy for a third of a 488 GTB. There are, indeed, reasons to be cheerful.....

 

A few have posted that US dealers were notified in 2015 that their 911 allocations were going to be reduced for 2016 with Macan allocations being increased. With the move to 3.0 liter engines, that made the 911 market in China more viable (due to restriction there on engines with larger displacement), so my gut tells me that with a finite amount of 911's being able to be produced, Porsche made the conscious decision to reduce 911 allocations here in 2016, while increasing 911 allocations in China in an effort to get an improved foothold there. They knew that for the short term, P dealers in the US could survive with more limited 911 allocations as long as they had more Macan allocations to help offset.

My feeling is that it was targeted 911 market share improvement in China that is driving the US situation more than it is Porsche's attempt to curtail US supply to better meet anticipated lower demand. It will be interesting to see how allocations and sales in the US are in 2017 as a comparison.

 

Not sure how you came to your conclusions, but happy and grateful to be part of contingent #2.

 

Well, technically it is demand related.

By restricting supply, it can create more demand. As in, "we always want, sometimes more, what we cannot have."

To use your Rolex example, there is nothing inherently significant, from a horological standpoint, about the Daytona -- esp. the all-steel iteration -- but because the supply of the Daytona is less vis-a-vis other Rolex models, there is this heightened sense of uber demand for what is otherwise a rather pedestrian watch.

 

Yes, technically demand related. Porsche building less and granting less allocations based on demand but at the same time not having many excess cars. This creates stronger margins and resale prices. Don't think it's driving any "additional" demand.

I've yet to see one post of anyone saying they CAN'T get a build to spec 991.2

I've yet to see any dealer "market adjustments" on the 991.2 as well.

Rolex? Same as the GT cars, they can make more, just decide not to. Just like the pedestrian Daytona, except the Daytona is much more reliable.

 

I have to agree with STG. In this case moving the supply curve (i.e. less allocations) from S2 to S1 (opposite direction from this generic example) shifts the supply curve left resulting in increased prices but less sold (assuming demand curve is constant). I don't think the demand curve is really moving at all but Porsche is definitely moving the supply curve left..

 

Is it possible that Porsche themselves are acknowledging the fact that, even though the 911is their iconic vehicle, the 718s are filling the role of the true sports car, and are being produced in higher volume and at a more reasonable price? They're still offering 911 variants for the die hards or people who have always wanted a 911, but by increasing the capabilities of the 718s, and keeping the prices lower, and getting them out in higher numbers, they're gradually shifting the public's perception of a true Porsche sports car? Maybe it's an acknowledgement that the 911 is being shifted toward GT/ supercar status. In coming iterations will we even be able to get a "base" model, or will they start out with higher optioned, higher hp variants?

 

This news release seems to support what you are saying about sales success of the 718's during 2016.

https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/comp...ase-13048.html

Specifically.....

 

Except the vast majority of those Boxster sales were 981s, not 718s. And half of that 'growth' would be accounted for by the Spyder alone. The 718 hasn't been available long enough to draw any sales conclusions yet.

 

IMO, this is a common misconception. And it's usually attached to an over blown idea called "Protecting exclusivity."
Porsche will make as many 911's as there are customers who have the money to pay for them. China buys more 911's than the US because (sad to say) they have more customers with the money to pay for them than the US has.
In a nutshell, Porsche will put 911's where there is money, regardless of "exclusivity." Simple as that.

 

Given the current situation at Zuffenhausen, where all 911's are made, along with all Boxsters and all Caymans, on the same production line. There is a real hard limit. IIRC they run a 2 shift system right now, so they perhaps would have some room to grow, if the supporting infrastructure could also grow along with a 3rd production shift.

Interesting in that Zuffenhausen is being expanded, big time, but to support the Mission-E. Perhaps the light at the end of the tunnel is electric?

 

So I guess you didn't read the linked article quoting Porsche about restricting supply to maintain exclusivity of the brand...

Your last sentence would be correct if you added "...at an exorbitantly high premium due to exclusivity."