Porsche has really been making an effort to win over potential customers. The luxury sports car manufacturer wants to appeal to the green crowd by producing more environmentally friendly vehicles, and in Canada, has marked vehicles down significantly.
In acknowledgment of the Canadian dollar, Porsche dropped their prices by 10%. They realized a lot of Canadian customers were going to the U.S. to buy their cars. Porsche acknowledges there is still a price differential, but it's a lot closer now which they hope will sway customers from going across the boarder to buy. Will other car manufacturers follow suit?
Speaking of keeping up with the competition, Porsche also realized the need to go green. As fuel economy regulations get stricter in North America and Europe, and an increased awareness of global warming sweeps over the world, car companies are struggling to meet these demands. That's a little tough for Porsche whose sports cars are near impossible to make eco-friendly.
It's rumoured that Porsche is planning on adding a hybrid Cayenne SUV in a few years as well as a hybrid version of the Panamera sportscar, a model which has yet to be released.
"The Cayenne Hybrid is expected to get 25 percent better fuel economy than the non-hybrid," CNNMoney reports. "It's also expected to be able to cruise under electric power alone at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour."
The four-seater Panamera sportscar will make its debut at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show, but some images have been leaked, including the embedded video.
Porsche Cuts Canadian Prices, Tries To Go Green
Porsche Cuts Canadian Prices, Tries To Go Green
Trend Themes
1. Green Vehicles - The trend of producing more environmentally friendly vehicles in response to increased awareness of global warming presents disruptive innovation opportunities for car manufacturers.
2. Price Adjustments - The trend of adjusting prices to match currency fluctuations and reduce price differentials between countries presents disruptive innovation opportunities for car manufacturers to retain local customers and discourage cross-border shopping.
3. Hybrid Technology - The trend of developing hybrid vehicles, such as the hybrid Cayenne SUV and hybrid Panamera sportscar by Porsche, presents disruptive innovation opportunities for car manufacturers to meet fuel economy regulations and cater to the growing demand for eco-friendly cars.
Industry Implications
1. Automotive - The automotive industry can explore disruptive innovation opportunities by focusing on developing and producing green vehicles that align with increasing environmental consciousness.
2. Luxury Cars - Within the luxury car industry, the trend of price adjustments can present disruptive innovation opportunities for companies to attract and retain customers by offering competitive pricing strategies.
3. Hybrid Vehicles - The hybrid vehicle industry can capitalize on the trend of hybrid technology by developing advanced hybrid models that offer improved fuel economy and eco-friendly features.