Porsche's new Boxster. Image: Porsche AG
Attention, brand snobs: your 2012 Porsche Boxster may come wearing a Porsche crest on the hood, but that doesn’t mean it was lovingly assembled by Porsche’s craftsmen in Stuttgart. In fact, it’s likely that your new roadster was assembled (with equal care) by line workers in Volkswagen overalls, at the company’s Osnabrueck, Germany plant. While some Boxster models will be assembled in Stuttgart, Wards Auto (via Left Lane News) reports that overflow production will go to the former Karmann plant now owned by VW.
There’s really nothing new about this strategy, as Porsche had previously contracted with Finnish company Valmet to build the previous generations (986 and 987) of Boxster. Valmet is perhaps best known for building the extended-range EV Fisker Karma under license for Fisker, but the company previously handled contract production of both the Porsche Boxster and the Porsche Cayman.
Volkswagen and Porsche have a lengthy history of cooperative products, including such cars as the Porsche 914 (ofter referred to as the “VolksPorsche”) and, later, the Porsche 924 (which Volkswagen ultimately withdrew support of, leaving Porsche to finish development on its own). Currently, Volkswagen owns 49.9-percent of Porsche, and there’s on-again, off-again talk of an entry level roadster to be shared between Volkswagen, Porsche and Audi.
Also, don’t forget that you can get discounted new car pricing with a free quote through qualified local dealer partners.
