Reality Check: Porsche did not have to start making SUV's to survive. Nor did they have to make Panameras. When the Cayenne was introduced, Porsche's two cars, the Boxster and the 996 (911) were very profitable. In fact, the 996 was the most profitable per unit of any car in the world. They didn't need to start making SUV's to offset the sports cars. That is a false assumption repeated endlessly. The reason they started making SUV's is because ego maniac CEO Wendelin Wiedeking wanted to grow Porsche and take over VW and Audi. His plan failed and the exact opposite happened and Porsche lost their independence and he was out. Wendelin Wiedeking is the same reason the first Panamera was such an ugly humpback -- he insisted he could sit his 6'5 self in the back seat and be chauffeured around. As a lifelong classic air-cooled 911 enthusiast and serial owner I don't mind, and have never minded, that they did an SUV. It is a SPORTS Utility Vehicle after all. However knowing what it all led to is annoying. As is the constant repetition of the lie that Porsche needed to start making an SUV to survive and keep making sports cars. NO. THEY. DIDN'T.
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