Porsche sales zoom as lineup expands.(News)(Porsche Cars North America Inc.)

Automotive News, May, 2006 by Kurylko, Diana T.

Byline: Diana T. Kurylko

Three years ago, Porsche Cars North America Inc. got both a new chief executive and a new vehicle in a segment where it had never competed - a combination that has taken the luxury carmaker to new heights.

In the past three years, Porsche's U.S. sales have grown nearly 50 percent, from 21,318 units in 2002 to 31,933 last year. Dealer profitability has risen significantly, says CEO Peter Schwarzenbauer.

The Cayenne, Porsche's first SUV, contributed greatly to the leap in sales. During the past three years, dealer return on sales grew from 1.9 percent to 2.5 percent, Schwarzenbauer says.

The 46-year-old German native previously ran Porsche's Spanish subsidiary and spent three years at BMW of North America LLC....

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