For the first time in Detroit Porsche unveils the 911 Cabrio to the public

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is being carried out with 2012 world premiere. The sports car manufacturer is introducing version of the new 911 Cabriolet for the first time at the International Auto Show in Detroit (9-22 January). As one of the greatest spectacles in the world of cars, the Detroit traditionally marks the beginning of the year's new car. The show in the capital of the automotive industry is considered an important international market and a forum for opinions trends and is of particular importance to the U.S. market.

 “The USA is and remains an important market for Porsche with good growth prospects,” said Bernhard Maier, Porsche AG Board of Management Member for Sales and Marketing. “Detroit was deliberately chosen for the world premiere of the new 911 Cabrio because the USA is far and away our largest 911 Cabrio market.” The Coupé variant of the sports car classic will be available in the USA starting in February 2012 with the Cabriolet following a few months later, providing a fresh impetus.

In 2011, Porsche’s dealers in the USA sold 29,023 Cayennes, Panameras, 911s, Boxsters and Caymans to US customers. That was 15 per cent more than in the previous year. The most successful model in 2011 was the Cayenne with 12,978 units (+55.6%). Shortly before the change of model, Porsche even managed to boost 911 sales by 4.9 per cent to 6,016 vehicles. In the New Year 2012, the Zuffenhausen company anticipates selling more than 30,000 vehicles in the United States.

To achieve this, the sports car manufacturer is fielding numerous new models in the United States: the premiere of the new 911 will be followed by the 430 HP Panamera GTS in spring. This will subsequently be followed by the Cayenne Diesel as Porsche’s first compression-ignition car in the USA. The compact Cajun off-road vehicle will also be celebrating its debut in 2013.

“By building a new headquarters in Atlanta in the US State of Georgia we are underlining our growth ambitions in the region,” said Bernhard Maier. The complex, adjacent to the new terminal of Atlanta’s international airport, will comprise not just modern, energy-efficient s for approximately 400 employees but also the technicaldepartment as well as a training centre and circuit where customers can test the Porsche vehicles’ outstanding driving characteristics. The new US headquarters, which will for the first time centralise all administrative, training and sales functions and financial services, is scheduled for completion in the second half of 2013. Porsche Cars North America has been based in Atlanta for the past 13 years. Porsche also plans to build an additional customer test facility in Carson in California, between the airports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Porsche is investing more than 100 million US dollars in the Atlanta head office and test facility in Carson.