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Porsche prioritizes 200,000-unit sales target over exclusivity [w/poll]

Would a Porsche still be a Porsche if it weren't as exclusive? That's the question which industry pundits are asking - and customers may soon as well - as the German automaker emerges from the fringe in pursuit of larger volumes.
A dozen years ago Porsche was barely selling over 50,000 units per annum. In a sales surge that has gathered pace as fast as a 911 Turbo, however, it was already hovering around the 100,000-unit mark a few years later. Last year it sold over 160,000, and has targeted 200,000 units by 2018. But it may not even take that long.
Automotive News reports that Porsche has advanced its targets to reach for 200,000 units by the end of this year or the next. The bump in sales would be driven particularly by the introduction of the new Macan, of which it aims to sell 50,000 units annually, starting next year. The Cayenne currently stands far and away as its most successful model. The 911 and Panamera have swapped second place a few times over the past five years, followed by the Boxster and Cayman.

'Latest production version' of Porsche 918 shown off on Twitter

Porsche posted a picture of what it is calling "the latest production version" of the 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder on Twitter. It looks like the gasoline-hybrid supercar is being driven sportively on some California back roads during Monterey Speed Week.
Whatever updates were made to this version aren't visual (except for the paint), as the one Chris Harris drove last spring and another seen hot-weather testing in Nevada both had production bodies. We presume the changes are relatively minor and more than skin deep - perhaps brake calibration, suspension tuning or tweaks to the powertrain - but Porsche didn't release any more information.
The 918 Spyder is Porsche's latest supercar, which will compete with the LaFerrari and the McLaren P1 hybrid supercars. The Porsche may be the underdog of the group when considering horsepower, acceleration, top speed and price, but the 887-horsepower brute has the most advanced hybrid drivetrain of the three.

Former Porsche CEO Wiedeking indicted over VW takeover bid

Do you recall the failed efforts by Porsche to take over Volkswagen? According to a Bloomberg report, former Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking (above) and ex-CFO Holger Haerter have finally been charged with market manipulation over the exercising of options as part of the German sportscar manufacturer's ill-fated attempt to take over the much larger VW. That failed bid eventually resulted in the reverse coming true - VW swallowing Porsche.
The charges leveled by Stuttgart prosecutors come after a three-year investigation centered around allegations that Porsche execs made a concerted effort to increase the company's share in VW to 75 percent in preparation for a hostile takeover. Porsche had previously told its investors on at least five occasions that it had no intention to buy VW.
Portions of the investigation have subsided, according to prosecutors, citing an inability to prove certain improprieties with a "necessary degree of certainty." The number of charges is down to 5 from a previous 14 counts regarding "information-based market manipulation."