Porsche to delay entry-level roadster, report says

Porsche plans to delay the introduction of an entry-level roadster amid worries that the car could dilute the brand's image, CEO Matthias Mueller was quoted as saying in a German magazine.

"Possibly we need to wait until the next generation of customers before the idea of a small roadster will work for Porsche," Mueller was quoted the business publication Wirtschaftswoche on Jan. 15.

Last February, Mueller told Automotive News Europe that the company was assessing a small mid-engine sports car as a possible successor to the iconic Porsche 550 of the 1950s. He said such a model could launch in 2014.

The roadster, along with the Cajun small SUV, was seen as an attempt by Porsche to broaden the appeal of the luxury brand as it strives to boost annual global sales to more than 200,000 units by 2018 from 118,867 in 2011.

Mueller told Wirtschaftswoche that he expects annual sales of 50,000 for the Cajun, which launches next year.

He said Porsche is considering launching a new sports car positioned above the 911. The new car would cost between $380,000 and $506,000 (300,000-400,000 euros), compared with $316,600 (250,000 euros) for the top-range 911 GT2 and $950,000 (750,000 euros) for the 918 Spyder.

By David Jolley- Automotive News