t o P o r s c h e .F r o m P o r s c h e
The history of an Austrian enterprise.
The story of the Porsche family is profoundly
Austrian. Affected by political upheavals
since the beginning of the 20th century,
influenced by the amazing advances of
technology and by the fascination of the
automobile. This is the story of a family
that has contributed substantially to the
development of motor cars. The history of
the family and that of the enterprise have
been intimately entwined at all times.
The electric wheel-
hub motor was deve-
loped by Ferdinand
Porsche while
employed by Lohner
in Vienna. The
Lohner-Porsche
caused a sensation
at the 1900 Paris
World Fair.
Prof. Dr. Ferdinand
Porsche, the ingeni-
ous technician and
designer, drew his
energy from the crea-
tive restlessness that
marked his person-
ality for a lifetime.
Daughter Louise
at the wheel of one
of the cars designed
by her father, as early
as 1909.
Ferdinand Porsche
not only designed
cars, but also drove
them. In an Austro
Daimler he won the
most important
motorcar event of
his time, the
Prinz-Heinrich-
Fahrt, in 1910.
Proud owner of a car
at the early age of 11:
son Ferry in a „small“
Austro Daimler,
equipped with
a 3.5 HP petrol
engine, in 1920.
Designed for
Mercedes: the
famous sports cars
of the classes S, SS
and SSK.
The Porsche saga begins with
Ferdinand Porsche, the ingenious
designer.
The story of the family
starts in Maffersdorf,
Bohemia on September
3, 1875. This is the day
Ferdinand Porsche is born as the third
child of his parents Anton and Anna
Porsche. At the time the automobile is
being invented, Ferdinand Porsche is
11 years old. Electricity holds a parti-
cular fascination for him. At the age of
13 he installs electric bells in his
parents’ house and provides it with
electric light when he is 16.
In 1893, Ferdinand Porsche starts his
job career with Vereinigte Elektrizi-
tätswerke Bela Egger & Co in Vienna.
Not more than four years later the hig-
hly talented young man is appointed
leader of the test centre for electric
motors, only to become assistant to
the works manager a short time later.
Shortly before the turn of
the century, Ferdinand
Porsche starts to work for
the Lohner Imperial and
Royal Court Coach Factory in Vienna.
It is there that Porsche develops his
first car equipped with a wheel-hub
motor which garnered the praise of an
international audience at the World
Fair in Paris. Since wheel-hub motors
were mounted on each of its 4 wheels,
the Lohner-Porsche was the first four-
wheel drive vehicle in automotive
history. I70 years later NASA used the
same principle in their lunar vehicle.
In 1902 F. Porsche has the honour of
driving the Archduke Franz Ferdinand
in the Lohner-Porsche on the occasion
of the imperial manoeuvres.
Porsche in charge of Austro-Daimler.
In 1903, Ferdinand
Porsche gets married and
in the following year his
daughter Louise is born.
Porsche moves to Wiener Neustadt,
where he is to control the fortune of
Austro-Daimler, the big Austrian auto-
mobile company, for the next seven-
teen years.
In 1909, his son Ferdinand, called
„Ferry,“ is born. During his time at
Austro-Daimler, Ferdinand Porsche
designs automobiles, an aircraft engi-
ne and a 6-cylinder engine with 100
HP, for which he received an honorary
doctorate from the Technical Universi-
ty of Vienna. Also while at Austro-
Daimler, Porsche designs
a hybrid drive combining
internal combustion/
electric components.
His private passion, however, is car
racing. At the beginning of the 20th
century he wins the Semmering
Mountain Rallye in a Lohner-Porsche
in new record time. The year 1910,
however, sees his biggest success in
motor racing, as he wins the „Prinz-
Heinrich-Fahrt“, the top event of the
time, in an Austro-Daimler, boasting
its revolutionary, streamlined, „tulip-
shaped“ torpedo body.
During World War I, Aus-
tro-Daimler switched to
military production. For
the Austro-Hungarian
army Porsche designs the „Landwehr-
zug“, which has an internal combusti-
on/ electric drive and can thus move
both on the road and on rail. Although
it is wartime, Porsche designs engines
with six cylinders in line and V12 cylin-
der drives, having a capacity of up to
400 HP. After the war, Ferdinand Por-
sche builds the first two-seater sports
car, the „Sascha“, which wins the
famous Targa Floria right after being
launched.
Porsche goes to Germany.
In 1923, Ferdinand Por-
sche transfers to Daimler,
Stuttgart, where he holds
the position of Technical
Director. He is in charge of designing
trucks, aircraft engines and the
famous sports cars, type S, SS and SSK.
As Benz and Daimler merge to esta-
blish Daimler-Benz AG, Ferdinand
Porsche does not renew his contract,
but returns to Austria to take over the
management of the Steyr-Werke,
Austria’s biggest automobile plant
at the time.
In 1928, daughter Louise marries the
Viennese lawyer, Dr. Anton Piëch. At
that time Ferry Porsche attends a pri-
vate school in Vienna and improves
his technical knowledge at the Steyr-
Werke.
In the wake of the world economic cri-
sis, the bank of the Steyr Werke goes
bankrupt and is taken over by the CA.
Due to the restrictions imposed on the
development department, Ferdinand
Porsche turns his back on the Steyr-
Werke AG and retransfers to Stuttgart,
where he founds his own design office
in 1931.
T h e P o r s c h e s a g a .
Created on the
drawing boards
of the Porsche
design office: the
Volkswagen Beetle,
the world’s most
widely produced car.
A Porsche develop-
ment: the 16-cylinder
mid-engined racing
car for Auto Union,
invented and
constructed by a
team of Austrian
technicians.
Camouflaged in a
saw mill in the
Carinthian Malta
Valley: the Porsche
design office in
1944/45.
Formula One racing
car from the Malta
Valley, the „Cisitalia“:
one of the first orders
for the young enter-
prise; a flat, 12-cylin-
der mid-engine,
4-wheel drive. The
money it brings
in is used to buy the
father back from
internment.
April 1, 1947, in
Gmünd: Louise Piëch
and her brother
Ferry Porsche found
the Austrian
company, Porsche
Konstruktionen
GesmbH.
June 1948 in Gmünd:
the sports car Porsche
356 is born.
Ferry Porsche’s dream
of his own sports car
has come true. It is
the start of the sports
car legend. Proud of
his son, proud of
their own sports car:
father and son.
Ferdinand Porsche’s own enterprise.
The young Ferry Porsche is already
integrated in the Dr. Ing. h.c. F.
Porsche Konstruktionen GesmbH.
There Porsche designs all sorts of
technical equipment, such as wind
power engines, turbines, as well as
engines and prototypes for a number
of car manufacturers, like Wanderer,
Zündapp and NSU. At that time
Ferdinand Porsche is offered the job of
a director general for building up a car
manufacturing industry in the Soviet
Union. Yet Porsche declines the offer.
In 1933 Porsche designs the legendary
16-cylinder mid-engined racing car for
Auto Union, which is to
become one of the most
successful racing cars at
the time.
Porsche designs the Volkswagen.
On June 22, 1934 Ferdinand Porsche is
commissioned by the RDA (Associ-
ation of the Automobile Industry of
the German Reich) to develop a car for
the people, the Volkswagen. Its first
prototypes are still built in the Stutt-
gart workshop. Ferry Porsche is entru-
sted with the testing of the Volkswa-
gen and is the first to cover thousands
of kilometres in this car. Yet it is not
until 1936 that the exten-
sive test drives take place
under the supervision of
the RDA.
In the same year, Ferdinand Porsche
travels to the States, where he fami-
liarizes himself with the mass produc-
tion of cars. In 1937 Ferdinand Porsche
is named director in charge of the
Volkswagen project. On May 26, 1938
the foundation stone of the Volks-
wagen plant is laid, and the Volkswa-
gen comes to be called the „KdF“
(strength through joy) car. However,
the Second World War forced the fac-
tory to convert to military production
such as jeeps, like the „VW Kübelwa-
gen“ and amphibious vehicles. Tank
engines take the place of racing cars
on the drawing boards of the Porsche
Konstruktionen GesmbH.
The second part of the family saga.
While the Second World
War is still raging, the
Porsche design company
moves to Gmünd in
Carinthia. The war being over, Ferry
Porsche and his team work on win-
ches and tractors and repair former
military vehicles, also in their work-
shop in Zell am See.
Louise Piëch and Ferry Porsche found
the Austrian company in 1947.
Since there was a risk
that the occupation for-
ces might seize all their
possessions, Louise
Piëch and her brother Ferry Porsche
founded the Austrian Porsche Kon-
struktionen GesmbH in Gmünd,
Carinthia, on April 1, 1947.
At that time the company is commis-
sioned by the Italian tycoon Dusio to
design an all-wheel drive, formula 1
racing car. However, the „Cisitalia“
never took part in a race because of
financial problems. Bro-
ther and sister use the
proceeds made with the
Cisitalia as bail so that
their father can return home from
internment in France.
In the meantime, Ferry
Porsche is working in
Gmünd to fulfil his dre-
am of building a fast and
lightweight sports car based on its
„father,“ the VW Beetle. The sports car
is named Porsche 356, after its desi-
gner, and is to establish the legendary
reputation of the Porsche sports cars.
Well over a dozen of these sports cars
are still manufactured in the Porsche
workshop at Alpenstrasse, Salzburg, in
the years 1949/1950.
Immediately after mass production of
the Beetle started in the rebuilt Volks-
wagen plant in Wolfsburg, Ferry Por-
sche approaches the then CEO of VW,
Mr. Nordhoff, to negotiate the con-
tracts that have been due for a long
time. After all the Beetle was designed
in the Porsche office.
In preliminary negotiations Ferry
Porsche achieves an agreement on a
licence fee to be paid for every Beetle
and wins the approval to build a
sports car based on VW parts. At the
same time it is agreed that this sports
car be sold through VW’s later world-
wide distribution network.
Ferry Porsche also manages to obtain
the VW general importer’s license for
Austria and eventually this agreement
is signed by Prof. Ferdinand Porsche,
Ferry Porsche, Louise Piëch and her
husband, Dr. Anton Piëch in Germany
(Bad Reichenhall). On September 7,
1948, the district administration of
Spittal an der Drau, Carinthia, issues
a trade license to “deal in motor
T h e P o r s c h e s a g a .
In 1949 the company is
transferred to Alpen-
strasse in Salzburg. The
Piëch family takes care of
the automobile trade,
while Ferry Porsche
builds up the factory in
Stuttgart. Both
companies remain in the
joint ownership of
brother and sister.
Louise Piëch ran the
Porsche enterprise
for 20 years, thus
creating the basis for
the permanent suc-
cess of the Austrian
VW distribution
organisation.
On April 16, 1949 the
first 14 Beetles are
delivered to Austrian
customers. This is
how the story of
success is launched in
Alpenstrasse,
Salzburg.
vehicles and their spare parts, limited
to products of the Wolfsburger
Motorenwerke“, (later known as Volks-
wagenwerk), to the name of Ferdinand
Porsche. The decisive step has been
taken.
Porsche in Salzburg,
Porsche in Stuttgart.
Since it is obvious that
business cannot be con-
ducted from Gmünd,
Louise Piëch and Ferry
Porsche transfer the company from
Gmünd to Alpenstrasse, Salzburg. On
February 28, 1949 operations start on a
former training area for pioneers.
Ferry Porsche, who has already forged
big plans in Gmünd, returns to
Stuttgart where he is in charge of buil-
ding up the sports car factory. Ferry
Porsche’s name comes to be insepara-
bly linked with the Porsche sports cars
– thanks to the sports cars the name
Porsche acquires worldwide fame and
becomes one of the best known brand
names for motor cars which admirably
combine aesthetics and sportiness.
In the meantime the Piëchs are sailing
full speed ahead in Salzburg. However,
both enterprises remain in the joint
ownership of Louise Piëch and Ferry
Porsche at all times.
Start of the automobile business
in Salzburg.
The first Beetles arrive in 1949. On May
16, the import business starts in
Salzburg. At that time 14 Beetles are
delivered via Switzerland, the first six
of them being used as demonstration
cars. The seventh car is sold to the first
customer, Viktor Piatnik, the producer
of playing cards from Vienna. The new
Beetle becomes his personal ace of
hearts. In those days no real sales were
made, but business worked on the
basis of barter transactions.
In 1949 the Porsche company achieves
a turnover of 6,072,000 Austrian shil-
lings with its company at Alpenstrasse,
its branch establishment in Gmünd
and its establishment in Zell am See.
In fact the annual turnover of that
time is now achieved by the Austrian
Porsche concern in not more than 20
working minutes.
From 1950 onwards, Dr. Anton Piëch
runs the Salzburg company, having
been formally appointed General
Manager of Porsche Konstruktionen
GesmbH. The central spare parts
warehouse is built in Salzburg in 1950,
giving proof of the pre-eminently
important strategic approach to gua-
rantee optimum support for all VW
customers. In the midst of all these
activities the family is hit hard by two
strokes of fate. On January 30, 1951
Prof. Ferdinand Porsche dies an aged
man. Only one year later, the family is
afflicted by Dr. Anton Piëch’s sudden
death.
Louise Piëch and her
brother, Ferry Porsche,
are faced with the questi-
on, whether to sell or to
continue the Salzburg Porsche com-
pany. They decide to continue and
Louise Piëch, a mother of four, takes
over the management of the young
enterprise. At that time the Porsche
Salzburg staff consists of 71 members.
And Louise Piëch tackles the task with
inimitable energy.
Yet it is not until the liberalisation of
automobile imports that business
starts booming. The real upswing
comes in autumn 1953. Sales figures
for the Beetle rise from 798 units in
1952 to 2,675 in 1953.
The Beetle made it possible.
It is the time when Loui-
se Piëch organizes a
nationwide VW distribu-
tion network. All over the
country VW enterprises mushroom,
proudly displaying the brand’s trade-
mark. Already at this early stage an
efficient customer service system pro-
vides the basis for a successful auto-
mobile trade organisation. In 1954 the
VW marque, holding a market share of
25.1 % with 5,218 passenger cars sold,
for the first time rises to the position
of market leader, never to lose it again
after 1957.
Also in Austria the Beetle is considered
the symbol of the economic miracle.
The Porsche company in Salzburg
grew up with the Beetle to become
Austria’s most important automobile
company. As early as the beginning of
the fifties the Porsche company esta-
blishes own retail dealerships.
The first of them is
Alpenstrasse Salzburg,
followed by the work-
shop opposite the central
train station, next to the customer ser-
vice building, the Porschehof I, which
later came to be nicknamed „the blue
building“. Due to its colour it stood out
T h e P o r s c h e s a g a .
A visible sign
of upturn: the
Porschehof in
Salzburg opposite
the Central Train
Station.
In 1957 the showroom
at the train station is
opened in the presen-
ce of Volkswagen’s
CEO, Mr. Nordhoff.
Louise Piëch and
Ferry Porsche are
rightly proud of what
they have achieved
together. The Porsche
enterprises, both in
Salzburg and in
Stuttgart, are
flourishing.
In 1962 the
new Porschehof is
built in the Fanny-
von-Lehnert Strasse.
Motor sports history:
Jochen Rindt wins in a
Formula V, Porsche 917
carries the Austrian
colours to victory in Le
Mans, the Rallye-Beetle
wins the Elba Rallye.
from the other buildings erected later
on. Louise Piëch runs the growing ent-
erprise with prudence and great com-
mercial skill.
VW – The Austrians’ favourite
car brand.
In 1957 the showroom
opposite the central train
station is opened in the
presence of Volkswagen’s
CEO, Mr. Nordhoff. In 1959 Porsche
establishes its first branch operation
at Wiener Neustadt, which is run by
Louise Piëch’s eldest son, Ing. Ernst
Piëch. In 1961 an event calls for cele-
bration in Salzburg: the 100.000th VW
has just been registered in Austria. At
that time VW holds a market share of
28%, with Fiat (16.8%) and Opel
(14.8%) trailing behind at a safe
distance.
In 1962, the Porschehof II
in the Fanny-von-Leh-
nert Strasse is built, and
the blue VW trademark
signalises for all Salzburg where VW is
based. The next years see the esta-
blishment of retail dealerships in Zell
am See, Saalfelden, Hallein, Kapfen-
berg and Vienna-Arndtstrasse, follo-
wed by the dealerships of Klagenfurt,
Villach and Wolfsberg in the ‘60s. The
retail sector of what is later to become
the Porsche-Inter Auto (PIA), is gai-
ning contour. In 1967 construction of
the workshop at Sterneckstrasse Salz-
burg is begun.
At that time Porsche Salzburg
attracted worldwide attention due to
its motor sports activities. Formula V
racing cars are built and cause a great
stir. In addition, the Porsche 908 and
917, racers starting for Salzburg,
perform outstandingly on the
Nürburgring, at Watkins Glen and Le
Mans. They proudly bear the lettering
„Österreich 1“ and „Österreich 2“ on
top of their windscreens. Years later,
the Rally-Beetles of Por-
sche Salzburg cause a
tremendous sensation
and win the Elba Rally.
With new ideas on the
road to success.
With the introduction of the car rental
service in 1962 and the leasing busi-
ness in 1966, Porsche starts at an early
stage to engage in activities around
the car, thus boosting the customer
service sector. However, business is
getting tougher and tougher. The
Beetle is ageing. The models 411 and
1500 are not a successful follow-up
to the Beetle.
With intensive advertising, Porsche
starts to build up its marketing, which
at the time is not yet called marketing
but sales support. Among other activi-
ties, the „fruit beetles“ are launched,
their name deriving from the bright
colours in which the Beetle presents
itself for the first time.
The next step forward.
1971 marks a turning point in Por-
sche’s history. Louise Piëch and Prof.
Ferry Porsche decide that all family
members are to give up their operatio-
nal functions both in Salzburg and in
Stuttgart and are to withdraw – like
they themselves – to the supervisory
boards of both companies. The four
children in each family, begin to pur-
sue their own job careers. Ferdinand
Alexander Porsche, for example, the
designer of the Porsche 911, founds his
own design office in Zell am See,
Ferdinand Piëch transfers from
Porsche to Audi and makes his way to
the very top, becoming Chief Executi-
ve of the Volkswagenwerk AG.
After 20 years under the leadership of
their „boss“, as Louise Piëch is called
with due respect, the Porsche company
in Salzburg has become an outstanding
enterprise in the automobile sector.
Under the guidance of a Management
Board the company is restructured.
Porsche Austria assumes the task of
importing Volkswagen, the retail activi-
ties are consolidated in one corporate
division and a great number of new
staff is being recruited. The 500.000th
VW is registered. PIA builds dealerships
in Dornbirn, Graz and Innsbruck, the
Audi-NSU establishments in Salzburg
and Wiener Neustadt join the Group.
First steps in the direction of holding
interests in other industries (Portex)
show that following this trend of a lot
of enterprises to gain ground outside
their core business is not so easy after
all. The Audi NSU impor-
ter, however, is a different
matter, since at that time
it is still a company in
which only an interest is held (the
other part belongs to the manufactu-
rer). For the time being the Audi dea-
lership in Wien-Liesing develops most
favourably, later on Porsche becomes
the general importer of all Audi cars.
The Salzburg location turns into a
huge building site. The workshop
T h e P o r s c h e s a g a .
Apart from importing
cars, a retail division
is being developed.
Visible growth of the
Porsche company: in
spite of expansion,
office space at the
location near the
train station is
getting scarce.
First steps to go
abroad. Sonauto, the
Porsche importer in
France, develops into
a small but highly
successful importer of
vehicles from various
manufacturers.
opposite the central train station
makes way for the Porschehof III,
which houses the Head Office, but
above all provides room for the new
computing center, which
since then has facilitated
a rapid flow of data.
Handwritten notes, blue-
prints and typewriters with correcting
ribbons are matters of the past. This
development marks radical changes in
the work done at Porsche.
The Beetle becomes the most widely
produced car in the world, thus out-
stripping the Ford Tin Lizzy. With the
help of spectacular marketing activi-
ties, Porsche Austria once more
pushes the aged Beetle to a high. Yet it
is the takeover of Audi imports by
Porsche Austria that marks a decisive
step in the development. Nevertheless
the Austrian distribution organisation
clearly feels the weaknesses of the VW
product range, which is why all hopes
rest on the new models such as the
Passat, Golf, Scirocco and Polo. In
view of this scenario, expanding the
product range by the Audi models, is a
very important move.
Porsche crosses borders.
The Porsche Holding is
taking shape, in France
the Sonauto company (a
joint venture of the Por-
sche AG) is placed under the direct
control of Salzburg and a few years
later, the newly founded Porsche
España joins the Porsche Group.
Porsche has embarked on the way to
becoming a European trading com-
pany. It is true that by far the majority
of the business is done on the Austrian
market, since these two companies
only supply niches of the European
market with smaller marques of
various manufacturers.
The Austrian market is of prime
importance.
In fact in Austria the introduction of
the new VW model generation brings
about the desired turning point.
Thanks to the fact that the VAT is
raised, sales rocket, only to plummet
again in the following year. However,
these violent fluctuations are an
opportunity for Porsche to further
improve the swiftness and flexibility
of the entire distribution network.
Supported by Porsche Austria and
their creative marketing, outstanding
service support and excellent
foresight, the distribution organi-
sation is able to take an exciting and
successful development.
In 1985 Porsche starts distributing the
Seat marque, a completely new
distribution network is installed and
with the help of the new generation of
Seat models, the market share can be
gradually raised.
Opening the new spare parts distribution
centre is a milestone in the field of logi-
stics, which proves as an advantage in
competition as Porsche moves into
countries of the former Eastern bloc.
The „Allgemeine Leasingzentrale“
(Central Leasing Company) is replaced
by the Porsche Bank AG and the Por-
sche Insurance AG, which develop into
a highly specialised company providing
all financial services related to cars.
Porsche gives impetus to
subsuppliers.
Let’s take a short step back into the
seventies. The idea of Bruno Kreisky,
Federal Chancellor at the time, to build
an all-Austrian car, the „Austro Por-
sche“ eventually fails due to insuffi-
cient distribution opportunities.
Nevertheless, Porsche, the biggest
Austrian automobile importer makes
tremendous endeavours to get the
sub-supplying business from Austria
to the manufacturers on track. In retro-
spective Porsche has made a signifi-
cant contribution to the successful
development of Austrian sub suppliers.
Activities in new lines of business.
Porsche itself is also active as a sub-
supplier on a small scale. The Porsche
„Produktions- und Handels-GesmbH“
with its workshop in Alpenstrasse has
from the very beginning specialized in
manufacturing parts for the Porsche
356, and later on for the Porsche 911,
supplying them to Stuttgart. By
investing in some Austrian industrial
enterprises (Fichtel & Sachs, Alu
Druck-Guss) and later by purchasing
the German Zipperle Group (1988),
Porsche makes headway also in this
line.
Since Porsche has utilized the maxi-
mum of opportunities in the Austrian
automobile business – as the superior
market leader holding a market share of
about 20 %, this position can hardly be
surpassed with the current model range
– it makes sense to engage in the sub-
supplying business so as to have a
second leg to stand on. The purchase of
Taylorix AG and the expansion of EDP
T h e P o r s c h e s a g a .
activities provides a third pillar. But it is
exactly at that time that worldwide
restructuring in these two lines of
business leaves no stone unturned. A
few years later the Porsche Holding
gradually withdraws from these fields.
The chance of the century.
The political changes in Eastern Euro-
pe afford a once-a-century chance for
Porsche. As the borders come down,
vast opportunities suddenly open up
for entrepreneurial development. This
is particularly true in view of the fact
that due to establishing a distribution
network in the new German states and
due to the purchase of Skoda, the
Volkswagen AG does not have any
management resources left to become
active in the reform countries
straightaway.
This is why the Volkswagen AG com-
missions the Porsche Holding to set
up a distribution network for the VW
Group marques in Hungary. Sharing a
similar mentality with the neighbou-
ring states and understanding the
needs of the people in these countries
predestines Porsche to lay a sound
basis for a successful future. The over-
riding aim is to build up national ent-
erprises and to staff them with local
employees up to the top echelons.
With the help of an outs-
tandingly successful coa-
ching system, Porsche
Hungaria becomes the
model company among the foreign
subsidiaries.
At the same time Porsche manages to
reanimate the Skoda marque in Aus-
tria and is highly successful. With
great ingenuity and know-how, the
newly founded Skoda importer deve-
lops a distribution- and marketing
concept tailored to the needs of the
marque. It is with this concept that in
no time Skoda, still more of an out-
sider, first becomes a coveted car
among insiders and later on, after
qualitative improvement of the model
range, literally sells like hotcakes.
In Czechoslovakia, the
VW importer of the
manufacturer com-
missions the Austrian
Porsche Group to establish retail dea-
lerships for VW and Audi, both in Pra-
gue and in Bratislava. As the country
splits into a Czech and a Slovak Repu-
blic, the supply channels that had
been built up laboriously by the local
VW importer break down, whereupon
Porsche also wins an importer’s con-
tract for the Slovak Republic.
The disintegration of Yugoslavia and
the ensuing war cut Slovenia off from
the supply of VW and Audi models,
which had so far been handled by the
manufacturer’s importer in Sarajevo.
Porsche applies to be entrusted with
the import business, with the advanta-
ge that it can point to its outstanding
success both in Hungary and in Slova-
kia. Porsche fulfils the task in record
time.
Not later than six weeks
after having been com-
missioned, all supply
channels from the parts
distribution centre in Salzburg are
working and the new car business
starts in Slovenia.
Growth in the East.
The Porsche Holding has long realized
that the chance to grow lies in the
reform countries, where there is a
great desire for mobility, yet the possi-
bility for people to buy a private car is
still a long way off due to the lack of
purchasing power. It is in these coun-
tries that all European car manufactu-
rers are eager to build up distribution
networks so as to have a foot in the
door for the long-term development of
future sales. Porsche Holding takes a
pioneer role in these markets and
invests in long-term development of
its car trading activities. Having been
commissioned to establish a distribu-
tion network in Romania
(1997) and the joint ven-
ture in Croatia (1999) are
further proof of the suc-
cessful course Porsche has been stee-
ring in these countries since the
beginning of the ‘90s. In 2004 Porsche
Holding takes up its automobile tra-
ding activities in Serbia and Montene-
gro as well as in Bulgaria. 2005 sees the
start of business activities in Albania
and Macedonia. In 2008 Porsche Hol-
ding starts its trading activities in
Ukraine.
Growth in the West.
As to internationalisation, the Porsche
Holding made an early start back in
the seventies in France, where it acted
as an importer for a variety of minor
marques from all over the world.
However, the Holding saw itself
confronted with more and more pro-
blems, because in France, which is
one of the biggest European automo-
bile markets, practically all major car
T h e P o r s c h e s a g a .
Setting standards in
the reform countries
– Porsche Hungaria,
the parade horse
among the
subsidiaries. Porsche
takes shape as a
European enterprise.
Porsche starts
importing to
the southern
neighbour Slovenia.
Growth in Slovakia.
The importer
Porsche Slovakia and
the retail dealership in
Bratislava.
Also in Romania
Porsche builds up a
distribution network
for the marques of
the VW-Group.
The PGA acquires
an interest in the
Dutch automobile
dealership chain
Nefkens.
In 1998 the new
Porschehof
is opened.
manufacturers are represented by
their own subsidiaries. This is why the
possibilities for the Porsche subsidi-
ary, Sonauto, which in its best times
had been able to sell up to 40,000 new
cars and 60,000 motorcycles, became
more and more limited.
The Porsche Holding
therefore sought other
opportunities for retail
business in this big
Western European market. By holding
interests in the PGA, one of the most
successful automobile retail chains in
France, the Porsche Holding has esta-
blished a totally new platform in this
country.
Strengthened by the new partnership,
the PGA first expanded their business
to Holland, where they acquired an
interest in the renowned Dutch car
trading chain Nefkens (2001). One year
later (2002) PGA bought the French
retail chain CICA and took a financial
interest in the retail group GGBA. The
PGA expanded its sphere of action in
France & bought the car trading chain
SAIP (2006) & SAS Carlet (2007).
In the year 2006 Nefkens bought the
Ekris Group in the Netherlands. In
2008 “Ellada” – the new subsidiary of
the PGA Group – starts in Greece. The
PGA Group acts as a totally indepen-
dent company and to date encompas-
ses close to 300 enterprises.
These companies are part of the distri-
bution network for the marques Peu-
geot, Citroën, Renault, Mercedes,
BMW, Mini, Volkswagen, Audi, Ford,
Opel, Jaguar, Toyota, Landrover,
Nissan and Honda.
Growth in Austria.
The beginning of 1998 marks the festi-
ve opening of the new Porschehof,
which now provides sufficient space
for some 750 staff.
The Austrian Porsche
dealerships have made a
considerable leap in gro-
wth, since in the era of
Ferdinand Piëch the Volkswagen
Group perfected its multibrand stra-
tegy thanks to the spectacular TDI
technology and to innovative produc-
tion techniques, while at the same
time expanding the range of products
to reach also market niches. Whereas
at the beginning of the nineties a mar-
ket share of 20% seemed to be the
very peak of aspirations,
Porsche Austria (VW, Audi), Allmobil
(Seat) and Intercar Austria (Skoda)
have expanded their market radius far
beyond 30%.
By adding the distribution of Bentley (in
2000) and of Lamborghini (in 2001) to
the business, the Porsche Holding is
now represented in a further, highly
exclusive segment of the market. In
April 2006 the subsidiary became an
authorized distribution partner of the
Bugatti marque in Austria and in the
South Eastern countries of Europe.
New Opportunities in China.
In 2004 the Porsche Holding started a
pilot project with one retail joint ventu-
re in China. The Chinese subsidiary
Hangzhou Jun Bao Hang exclusively
retails premium marques at seven loca-
tions at present. This pilot project ser-
ves the Porsche Holding as a test field
for new opportunities in automobile
retail in the booming Chinese market.
Porsche Holding, one of the most
successful European automobile
trade companies.
Starting out from humble begin-
nings, Porsche has become one of
the most successful European auto-
mobile trade companies.
Concentration on the core business
activities around the automobile,
opening up of Eastern European
markets, the strong market position
in Austria and the new retail activi-
ties in France and in Holland afford
the enterprise further possibilities to
grow.
In the 62 years since its foundation,
Porsche has sold more than 4 million
cars. Porsche is extremely successful,
be it in the highly developed markets
of Central and Western Europe, be it
in the Eastern European markets that
are just beginning to develop, and
thus proves to be able to respond to
the distinctiveness of the markets, to
the diverse pace of development and
to the varied wishes of its customers.
Thanks to new information techno-
logies, to comprehensive financial
services around the car, to the right
feeling for changing customer needs
and, above all, being lucky enough to
have the best product range, Porsche
has gained an outstanding position
in the European system of automobi-
le trade.
The credo of the Austrian founders to
seize new chances and to be at the
disposal of the customers will always
be part and parcel of the company’s
philosophy.
T h e P o r s c h e s a g a .
handels Ges.m.b.H. (used cars) established
in Vösendorf • Leasing agencies (ALZ) set up
in Vienna and Graz • „Prof. Ferdinand Por-
sche Award“ of the Technical University,
Vienna, granted for the first time – this best
endowed automobile construction award in
the world is handed out every 2 years to
„inventors“ of important technological
innovations
1978 The Rabbit is born • Golf emerges for
the first time as market leader • Mechanical
engineering and tool making company, Por-
sche Maschinen- und Werkzeugbau GmbH,
incorporated • Establishments in Klagen-
furt, Salzburg-Samergasse, Villach, Wiener
Neustadt and Zell am See expanded • Majo-
rity of shares in Sonauto S.A., Paris, taken
over
1979 Golf convertible launched • Iltis, an
off-road vehicle, added to model line-up •
Newly built Porsche Innsbruck facility ope-
ned • Zimmer Co. acquired • An auto express
service and used car outlet opened in the
Sterneckstrasse in Salzburg • ALZ represen-
tative office opened in Innsbruck • Golf mar-
ket share tops 10% for the first time
1980 VW Jetta and Passat II added to
model range • Porsche Wörgl and Autohan-
dels GmbH Graz opened • Smoliner & Krat-
ky acquired • ALZ representative offices in
Linz and Klagenfurt
1981 Audi Quattro celebrates sensational
premiere on rallye circuit • Audi 100, with
revolutionary aerodynamic design
1982 VW Santana added to product range
• Audi 80 with quattro drive • Baumgartner
& Baumgartner Wiener Neudorf brought
into the Group • VOWA Innsbruck and Hall
taken over • Porsche España S.A. established
as Spanish car importer
1983 VW, Audi and Porsche: Group models
delivered top 1,000,000 • Golf II launched
successfully • AVEG Group restructured •
Porsche Systems Engineering (CH) establis-
hed
1984 All Audis available with quattro drive
• Audi 90 added to the model range • Part
sales centre opened in Wals, Salzburg (ATS
300 million investment) • Allmobil Auto-
handels Ges.m.b.H. established to import
SEAT cars
1985 Complete range of catalytic conver-
ters available • Jetta Cat succeeds in market •
Product range expanded by Golf syncro •
Seat Malaga launched
1986 Audi 80 with new aerodynamics
added to sales line-up
1987 Catalytic converters become manda-
tory for Austria • Last VW Beetle registered in
Austria • Porsche Bank AG and Porsche Versi-
cherungs AG established • Porsche Linz ope-
ned
1988 Audi V8 and Corrado added to line-up
• Passat III added to model range • Autohaus
Union opened • Construction of Porschehof
IV begun • Stake in Taylorix Stuttgart acqui-
red • PRZ Salzburg integrated into Porsche
Group • Porsche Holding transformed into
Porsche Holding OHG
1989 Group restructured • Porsche-Inter
Auto Oberlaa opened • Stake acquired in the
Zipperle company • InterRent transformed
into ARAC • Launch of environmental diesel
versions of Golf and Jetta
1990 New car outlets built in Saalfelden,
Hallein, Hohenems and Oberpullendorf •
Porschehof IV opened • Launches of new
Polo and new delivery van • Environmental
award for „Eco“ Golf • Porsche Hungaria
established • Majority stake acquired in
Joham • Soft-Warehouse established • Exter-
na relocated to Bergheim
1991 Porsche Hungaria starts sales • Sales
centre for Porsche-Inter Auto Innsbruck and
Externa Innsbruck opened • New Audi 100
presented at the Hofburg in Vienna • Market
launch of SEAT Toledo • Porsche Leibnitz
newly opened • Launch of Audi convertible •
ARAC concludes licensing agreement with
EuroDollar • Austrian launches of Golf III,
Audi 80 and Porsche 968 • Autohaus Mayer
and Autohaus Gerstinger taken over
1992 Intercar founded to act as Skoda
importer • Introduction of VW Vento • Mer-
ger of Porsche Computer Services and Ex-
terna • Euro-Elan project started • Externa
Linz and Externa Graz commence business
operations • Autohaus Retzer taken over •
Externa largest IBM PC dealer in Austria •
ARAC launches Hungarian operations • PPH
founds JIPO subsidiary in Czechia • Launch
of Porsche-Inter Auto Bratislava • Porsche-
Inter Auto Praha begins sales operations •
Sonauto subsidiary Chrysler CSFR establis-
hed • Scrap-car recycling: VW Importer and
shredders plan pilot facility • New dealership
opened in Budapest
1993 Porsche Hungaria: Audi showroom in
Budapest opened • Special model Golf con-
vertible Classic • Golf syncro and Golf 16V in
Austria • Zimmer Hungaria founded • Por-
sche Speedster in Austria • Foundation of
Externa Brno, Bratislava and Prague • Por-
sche Ljubljana established, moving into TAS
offices • PIA Pest established • PIA Simme-
ring newly built • New Seat Ibiza in Austria •
Porsche Ljubljana becomes importer for
Slovenia • Vento Europe added to the model
line-up • Used car campaign „Weltauto“
launched • Porsche Hungaria: new spare
parts sales centre opened • Zipperle: majori-
ty stake acquired by Magna
1994 Diesel engine boom: VW brings TDI •
Porsche Slovakia Importer moves into new
premises • Externa Budpest founded • Seat
Cordoba presented • Skoda Felicia launched
• Porsche Bank Hungaria chartered • Por-
sche 911 convertible presented • Golf Variant
VAN added to the model range • Audi Avant
RS2 launched • Porsche Holding restructu-
C h r o n i c l e .
1947 Porsche Konstruktionen Ges.m.b.H.
founded in Gmünd, Carinthia. • Develop-
ment of the Formula I racing car „Cisitalia” •
Development of finger bars for harvesters,
winches, turbines for generating electricity •
Workshop in Zell am See for repairing the
VW jeeps „Kübelwagen“
1948 First racing car bearing the name
Porsche built: Porsche 356
1949 Porsche Konstruktionen Ges.m.b.H.
moved to the Alpenstrasse in Salzburg •
World premiere of the Porsche 356 at the
Geneva Motorshow • Austrian importer’s
contract for VW signed • Porsche 356 „Nr. 1“
wins the first car race in Innsbruck (driver:
Herbert Kaes) • First VW Beetles delivered to
customers • Production of Porsche 356 con-
vertible in Salzburg • Ferry Porsche prepares
for establishing an own sports car produc-
tion in Stuttgart
1950 Importation of first Beetle conver-
tibles • Porsche 356 offered for sale • Central
spare parts warehouse set up in Salzburg •
Sports car manufacturing plant founded in
Stuttgart • First Porsche 356 leaves the Stutt-
gart plant
1951 Porsche 356 produced in Austria wins
at Le Mans – first Porsche victory in its class •
Professor Ferdinand Porsche dies in Stutt-
gart and is laid to rest in Zell am See
1952 New sales outlet in Franz-Josef Stras-
se, Salzburg • Dr. Anton Piëch dies, Louise
Piëch takes over the company in Salzburg •
Porsche Salzburg and Porsche Stuttgart
jointly owned by Louise Porsche-Piëch and
her brother Ferry Porsche
1953 VW insurance company founded
1954 VW becomes most widely sold car in
Austria • 10,000th VW imported to Austria
1955 Porsche Konstruktionen KG founded
1956 Customer service building and
repairshop (Porschehof I) built in Karl-
Wurmb-Strasse, opposite the Salzburg Cen-
tral Train Station
1957 Volkswagen becomes market leader
in Austria and has kept this position ever
since
1959 Zell am See holiday home (later
Hotel Porschehof in Schüttdorf) opened •
Porsche Konstruktionen KG, Wiener Neu-
stadt, starts operating
1960 Annual VW Beetle sales top 20,000
units for the first time • VW 1600 imported as
the third model, joining the Beetle and the
VW van
1961 VW car rental company established •
Porschehof II built in Fanny-von-Lehnert-
Strasse
1962 Porsche 356 succeeded by Porsche 911
1963 Porsche Zell am See and the branch
in Saalfelden opened • The „Bayrischer Hof“
hotel acquired in Salzburg
1964 Dealership established in Hallein •
Alpenstrasse workshop expanded • New
motor sport activities: Formula V racing cars
from Salzburg
1965 Beetle wins the Danube Rallye • VW
leasing system introduced • Dealership esta-
blished in Kapfenberg
1967 Porsche apartment house built in
Salzburg • Central spare parts warehouse
opened in Wiener Neustadt • Workshop in
Sterneckstrasse, Salzburg, built • Sports car
division with Formula V and Rallye Beetle
established • Jochen Rindt wins on the Baha-
mas in a Salzburg Formula V
1968 VW 411 added to the model range •
Porsche businesses opened in Klagenfurt,
Villach and Wolfsberg
1970 VW Porsche 914 launched
1971 VW K70 added to the model range •
Self-service restaurant on the Areitalm in
Zell am See • Car rental service transformed
to „interRent“ • New Audi general import
company established together with Audi
Ingolstadt
1972 500,000 cars imported so far • Audi
80 added to model range • Dealerships ope-
ned in Wien/Liesing and Dornbirn • Acces-
sories wholesaler Auto Z founded
1973 Start of the new VW model genera-
tion: Passat added to the range • Porsche
Graz opened • A Salzburg Rallye Beetle wins
the European championship on Elba (driver:
Warmbold)
1974 Scirocco and Golf introduced in Aus-
tria • Porsche Holding established • VW and
Audi importing businesses merged to create
Porsche Austria Ges.m.b.H. & Co • Distribu-
tion system consolidated • Porschehof III
built
1975 Stocks of VWs and Audis top 500,000
for the first time • Polo added to model line-
up • The VW 412 and K70 models discontinu-
ed • Auto Concord opened in Vienna • Auto
Danner GmbH acquired and incorporated
into Porsche Leibnitz • PIA Wien/Simmering
opened • Special stamp „100th birthday of
Prof. Ferdinand Porsche“ issued
1976 Porsche 924 introduced • Lease of
Upper Austrian AVEG Group with bases in
Linz, Wels, Steyr and Kirchdorf • Recreation
company Freizeit 2000 established (transfor-
mation of the A. Zierler KG, in which an inte-
rest had been held since 1973)
1977 VW Beetle imported from Mexico •
First 5-cylinder engine in Audi 100 • Sales
boom due to impending increase in value
added tax • Derby added to the model range
• Retail car dealerships consolidated to crea-
te Porsche Inter Auto • Allmobil Fahrzeug-
C h r o n i c l e .
red • PIA Kufstein opened, Seat Wiener Neu-
stadt opened • PIA Bratislava expanded •
Audi A8 and Audi A6 launched • Seat Toledo
16V • Seat Linz opened • Porsche Insurance
Agency starts operating in Hungary • Auto Z
expands to Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia •
Porsche Tiptronic introduced to market •
90,000 people attend Pink Floyd presented
by Volkswagen in Wr. Neustadt • Porsche
Carrera 4 presented • New Polo added to the
model line-up • Porsche Hungaria: official
opening of new Porschehof and PIA Pest •
New Audi A4 comes out • VW: VR6 syncro
launched
1995 Audi A4 TDI and Audi A4 1.8 Turbo
new in Austria • Golf Rabbit in GTI look •
Porsche 911 Turbo and Carrera 4S presented
on the Salzburgring • VOWA Innsbruck ope-
ned • Externa split into system development
and IT • Turning the first sod for new dea-
lership and Porschehof (digging up a Beetle)
• Retail dealership Porsche Ljubljana opened
• Rolling Stones in Zeltweg presented by VW
• Golf TDI convertible and Audi TDI conver-
tible join the model range • SDI engine for
Golf and Vento • Treasury Division POFIN in
Freilassing • Great ARBÖ Automobile Award
goes to Audi A4 • Seat bases: AVEG Linz,
VOWA Innsbruck, PIA Wien-Liesing, Seat
Samergasse • Skoda Felicia estate car pre-
sented • Start to build Porsche Slovenia
retail dealership and importer • New Seat
Toledo and Seat Inca
1996 Externa Kfz (passenger cars) transfor-
med to Porsche Informatik • Skoda Pickup
comes to Austria • VW bus/van T4 comes to
Austria • Special model Felicia Bully on the
occasion of Icehockey WC in Vienna •
500,000th Golf in Austria • Polo Classic avai-
lable • Porsche Boxster in Austria • New VW
Passat • New Audi A3 • PPH and JIPO sold •
Exchange of shares: Sonauto 100% Porsche
Holding, Porsche España 100% Porsche AG,
Stuttgart • Seat Alhambra launched • New
VW LT programme • Audi A3 wins the Great
Austrian Automobile Award of ARBÖ •
Impending „NOVA“ tax rise (tax based on
standard fuel consumption) causes sales
boom • TDI Grand Prix: lowest consumption
for Audi A4 at 2.0 l • Training Centre „Ost“
opened in Wien-Liesing • Bon Jovi at Wiener
Neustadt and Wels presented by Volkswa-
gen
1997 Pilot start of CROSS dealer system •
Skoda Octavia launched • New Porsche 911 •
New Audi A6 • New Passat estate car • New
Golf • New Seat Arosa • Skoda Munich East
and West start operating • 2,000,000 cars sold
by Porsche in Austria • New management
structure Porsche Holding • Porsche turns
50, 50 additional apprentices admitted •
Audi A8 TDI launched • PIA St. Pölten ope-
ned • New distribution network, separation
of brands completed • World premiere: Golf
with TDI engine takes part in Semperit Ral-
lye for the first time • New part of PIA Prague
opened • Last Night Party at the old Porsche-
hof
1998 Opening ceremony of new Porsche-
hof and dealership • Openings of Porsche
Bratislava II, Porsche Maribor, Porsche
Ljubljana, AVEG Linz-Leonding • Porsche
Wels (former AVEG) goes purely VW, Porsche
Wels Thalheim (former Retzer) becomes
exclusive Audi Centre • New Golf convertible
• Quickservice starts as pilot project • Audi
A6 estate car launched • Porsche 911 conver-
tible launched • Prof. Ferry Porsche dies at
the age of 88 in Zell am See • Passat TDI with
monobloc injection technology • New Golf
4motion • Wholesale and retail business
starts in Romania • Externa sold to debis •
Audi TT launched • Openings of Porsche
Wien-Donaustadt, Porsche Graz-Liebenau, •
Porsche Slovenia and Porsche Ljubljana,
Porsche Slovakia and Porsche Bratislava II •
VW Lupo, VW Bora launched • 3 l Lupo wins
the ARBÖ Environment Award • Group’s
market share rises from 29.1% to 31.5%
1999 New VW Beetle launched • Louise
Piëch dies aged 94 in Zell am See • New Audi
A4 • Porsche Klagenfurt opened • Porsche
Holding holds interests in PGA, a French
automobile retail chain • New Seat Toledo •
Audi TT quattro and Roadster • Porsche Hol-
ding starts joint venture in Croatia as impor-
ter of Skoda • New Golf and Bora estate cars •
Porsche top model 911 GT 3 • First 4-wheel
model of Skoda: Octavia 4x4 • 3 l Lupo laun-
ched • New Seat Ibiza and Cordoba • Porsche
Boxster S • Skoda Fabia added to the model
range • Great Automobile Award of ARBÖ
won by Audi TT • New VW Polo • Internatio-
nal expert jury elects Prof. Ferdinand Por-
sche „Automobile Designer of the Century“,
and his grandson Ferdinand Piëch „Automo-
bile Manager of the Century“
2000 Joint Venture in Croatia is extended to
the brands VW, Audi and Seat • PZ-Auto
takes over Porsche imports to Croatia • New:
Audi A2 and allroad quattro • New Seat Leon
• Special model Golf Rabbit and almost all
VW models equipped with ESP as standard •
Exclusive Cars takes over Bentley and Rolls
Royce distribution in Vienna • Porsche
Wien-Hitzing opened, former „Gerstinger“
turned into Porsche Wien-Pragerstrasse •
New Seat Alhambra • Seat Cordoba WRC
wins the National Rallye Championship •
Porsche M5 opened in Budapest • 50 shilling
coin: „125 years Prof. Ferdinand Porsche, 100
years Lohner Porsche“
2001 PGA acquires an interest in the Dutch
car dealership chain Nefkens • Skoda ope-
ned in Salzburg • New VW Centre at Asten •
A2 1,2 TDI, Audi’s 3 l model presented • VW
enters the top segment: Passat W8 • Prag
Proscz opened • Porsche launches the GT2,
the fastet 911 • Skoda among the five best
selling brands in Austria • Seat Alhambra
used as „Taxi Orange“ in the TV series of the
same name • Exclusive Cars Vienna takes up
direct selling of Lamborghini • New exclusi-
ve dealership for Seat and Audi in Graz • Por-
sche Budweis opened • Audi R8 wins at Le
Mans with FSI technology • Fourth Polo
generation presented • Skoda Zagreb ope-
ned • Warranty period for VW, Audi, Skoda
and Seat extended to 24 months • 100,000
Skoda models sold in Austria since 1992 • PIA
D i e C h r o n i k .
C h r o n i c l e . C h r o n i c l e .
acquires 4 premises in Munich for the distri-
bution of Skoda and Seat • New Seat Arosa
2002 PGA buys the French retail chain
CICA • A&S opens new locations in Munich •
New Ibiza boosts sales at Seat • New Mana-
gement Board of 3 for Porsche Holding • PIA
founds Apprentice College • VW Phaeton
presented in Geneva • Construction of retail
dealership in Bucarest started • VW presents
the world’s first 1 litre car • New Porsche
Boxster presented • Considerable recession
of the market • VW training for car sales-
manship certified by the Chamber of Com-
merce • Golf supersedes the Beetle as the
world’s most produced car • Audi conver-
tible launched • Regulations for tax-saving
trucks reintroduced • FSI, the new petrol
direct injection, started • The Golf R 32 intro-
duced • New No Exemption Regulation
takes effect • World premiere of the new Audi
A8 • Porsche Cayenne waiting to be laun-
ched
2003 Porsche Slovenija takes over Skoda
imports • Relaunch of Seat Córdoba • VW
gains new market segments with the Touran,
the New Beetle Cabriolet and the Touareg •
Autohaus Strolz in Bregenz becomes a PIA
enterprise • World premiere of Porsche GT in
Geneva • Audi launches the new A3 • 5th
generation of the VW Transporter and the
new Multivan introduced • Parts Center
Budapest opened • Production of VW Beetle
phased out after 68 years • 5th Golf generati-
on celebrates its world premiere at the IAA •
Worldwide Dealers’ Convention for the new
Golf with 8,000 participants takes place in
Carinthia • Launch of Lamborghini Gallardo
• Block Exemption Regulation (BER) beco-
mes effective as from October 1, 2003 • Pro-
fessor Ferdinand Porsche Award goes to Uwe
Borchers, designer of the comfort seat, of
Johnson Controls • Extension of Parts Center
Salzburg opened • First ranks of Autorevue
Award for Audi A3, A4 and A8, as well as for
VW Polo and Sharan • Smoliner Vienna
opens Audi and Seat Center • New Golf intro-
duced on the market • Record sales for Por-
sche due to the Cayenne • After three decli-
ning years overall passenger car market
picking up again
2004 Porsche SCG takes over import of VW,
VW light commercial vehicles, Audi, Seat
and Porsche for Serbia/Montenegro • Por-
sche Romania invests EUR 25 million in new
company HQ in Bucharest • Porsche takes
up import of VW and VW light commercial
vehicles with new subsidiary in Bulgaria •
PIA becomes active in Italy and takes over
the automobile company Meroi with three
locations in Friuli • New Porsche showrooms
opened at Porsche Wien Liesing and Inns-
bruck Mitterweg • Four PIA branches open
new Audi hangars: Leibnitz, Oberwart,
Wolfsberg and St. Johann • PIA Croatia
opens Porsche Zagreb Jankomir • Porsche
Bank Romania established • Weltauto starts
in Croatia and Romania • 100 years Louise
Piëch: big birthday party in honour of the
company’s founder • First VW models equip-
ped with series diesel particle filters: Passat
2.0 I TDI PD, Phaeton and Touareg 3.0 I TDI
V6 • Austrian premiere of the new Golf
4MOTION • A myth is back: the new Golf GTI
• World premiere of Golf Plus in Bologna •
Gold for Golf: ARBÖ Award goes to the Golf
for the 3rd time • International press presen-
tation of Audi A8 W12 • Model fireworks at
Audi: new A6, A3 Sportback and the new A4 •
Feature shared by the new Audi generation:
the single frame grille • Altea and Toledo
usher in new design era at Seat • New gene-
ration of Skoda Octavia and Octavia station
car • Successful introduction of the new VW
Caddy • Award for Transporter T5: “Van of
the Year 2004” • New at Porsche: 911 Carrera,
911 Carrera S, 911 Turbo S; Boxster and Box-
ster S • Bentley introduces Continental and
Arnage T • New Lamborghini Murciélago
Roadster
2005 Offensive at VW: Golf Plus, Passat,
Polo, Fox, Jetta, New Beetle, Passat Variant •
Audi gains strongest in the Austrian automo-
bile market • VW, Audi, Seat and Skoda first
brands to offer solution for a backfit particle
filter in Austria • Skoda introduces new Octa-
via station car • Porsche brings out new 911
and new 911 convertible and presents Caym-
an • A&S Munich buys the company Bauer,
thus acquiring additional dealers in Greater
Munich • New four-heads management of
Porsche Holding and structuring of VW
world and multi brand world • PGA buys
BMW dealer in Warsaw • 25th anniversary of
quattro • Model change Altea and Toledo •
Prof. Ferdinand Porsche Award goes to deve-
loper of synthetic fuels • Porsche Holding
starts up in China opening their first sho-
wroom at Hangzhou • Porsche Holding
founds new subsidiary in Albania and shows
the brands Audi and Seat at Porsche Tirana
2006 • Porsche Bank and Porsche Informa-
tik celebrate 40th anniversary • Eurocar Italia
buys VW dealers located in Triest and Gori-
zia • Polo fever at VW: CrossPolo, Polo Blue-
Motion, Polo GTI • New construction and
reconstruction of PIA branches in Zell am
See, Steyr, Leibnitz and Wolfsberg, Maribor,
Rijeka, Bratislava, Olomouc, Landsberg, Pra-
gue, Plzen and Budweis • Porsche Hungaria
reports new record sales of almost 44,000
vehicles • VW and Skoda make up police car
fleet und Porsche Bank takes care of entire
fleet management • Driving fun with Audi
S3, S6 and S8 • Premiere of VW Eos • Restored
in new splendour: Porsche Alpenstraße ope-
ned • Porsche Tirana gets new Skoda show-
room • PIA plans five new Skoda dealerships
in Czech Republic • Glamorous market entry
for R8, RS 4 Avant and Cabrio, TT Coupé and
Roadster • VW Multivan once more best van
of the year •Historical victory in Le Mans
with Audi R10 TDI • Skoda premieres: Octa-
via Scout, Octavia Laurin & Klement and
Roomster • SEAT’s ‚Formula Racing’ con-
cepts: Altea FR and León FR • Porsche Bucu-
resti Vest I opens VW and Skoda showrooms
• Porsche Graz Kärntnerstraße celebrates the
opening of Austria’s largest showroom •
Model fireworks à la Porsche 911: GT3, GT3
RS, Turbo and Targa • VW commercial
vehicles have had the second best year in
their history in Austria with a market share of
D i e C h r o n i k .
C h r o n i c l e . C h r o n i c l e .
Porsche showroom,
Porsche Wien Liesing
Seat showroom,
Smoliner Wien
Skoda showroom,
Porsche Salzburg
Audi showroom,
Porsche Leibnitz
Parts Center Budapest,
Porsche Hungaria
VW showroom,
Porsche Zagreb Jankomir
28.2% (incl. minibuses) • LT successor Craf-
ter launched • New showrooms for Audi and
Skoda at Porsche Kufstein, Innsbruck-
Mitterweg and Deutschlandsberg • PGA
buys two new car dealer groups • Eurocar
Trieste opens Audi showroom • Skoda:
Motor of the 2006 Cycling WC in Salzburg
and main sponsor of the Tour de France •
New location in Serbia: Porsche Beograd Ada
• 1001 HP celebrate a premiere on Austrian
roads: Bugatti Veyron • Biggest automobile
centre in Dalmatia: Porsche Split inaugurated
2007 • Porsche Österreich celebrates its 60
years anniversary • Splendid annual balan-
ce for the Porsche Bank Group with 250,000
contracts • „Professor Ferdinand Porsche
Preis 2007“of the TU Vienna awarded to
Dipl.Ing. Hans-Michael Güther, who devel-
oped the carbon-ceramics brake • PGA buys
car dealer group SAS Carlet in Central Fran-
ce • Volkswagen celebrates 25 million Golf
cars • Two new models in SEAT’s B segment
heralded for 2009 • Audi R8 enters the auto-
mobile stage • New Audi Hangar of Porsche
Sofia Zapad opened • The Audi A5 and S5
models celebrate a glamorous launch •
100.000th Audi A4 delivered in Austria • Audi
takes part in the Wörthersee Tour for the
first time • Audi Tradition celebrates jubilee
of its predecessor brand: 100 Years DKW •
A&S Landsberg opens new VW Piazza • 75th
anniversary of Four Rings: In 1932 the
brands Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer
merged • Audi heralds the world’s cleanest
diesel to be produced in series as from mid
2008 • SEAT presents first 4x4 model the
Altea Freetrack • The New Small Family pre-
sents itself: Up!, Space Up! and Space Up!
Blue • Audi secures second TDI victory in
the Le-Mans 24-hour race • A&S moves to
new premises in Munich • Porsche St.
Johann celebrates 20th anniversary • Por-
sche Inter Auto buys Autohaus Stipschitz •
New generation of best selling Skoda model
version: the Fabia station car • 911 GT2 with
530 HP most powerful 11 model so far •
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles celebra-
tes „60 years with Bulli“ • First victory for
the SEAT Leon WTCC with TDI engine •
Augsburg group Schwaba joins A&S Munich
• First details concerning the Cayenne
Hybrid: fuel consumption to be reduced by
some 25% • Presentation of the new Tiguan •
25 years of Caddy at Volkswagen • Eurocar
Trieste opens new VW showroom • Tribute
to a Porsche racing sport classic of the six-
ties: Boxster RS 60 Spyder • Porsche Maribor
opened • New VW dealer opened in Lands-
berg • Porsche Holding reaches new busin-
ess year record with a turnover of Euro 11.83
billion • New location for Porsche Zell am
See • Porsche Macedonia takes over Skoda
imports • Porsche Leibnitz opens new VW
Piazza • Porsche Part Center Budapest gets
bigger by doubling its capacity • 30 years of
Golf being number 1 in model ranking • Por-
sche Informatik introduces CROSS through-
out Eurocar Italia • Spare Parts System – SPS
- introduced in Serbia, Kosovo, Bulgaria and
Macedonia • SAP starts at Porsche Slovenija
and Porsche Bank Hungary • Weltauto starts
in Italy and Slovenija • Europcar is number
1 in Austria • New Ecologisation Act passed •
Automobile year 2007 closes at 30% market
share for the brands of the Volkswagen
Group • Golden steering wheel for VW Tigu-
an, Audi A4 and Skoda Fabia • Bentley Con-
tinental GT Speed: With 610 HP the fastest
Bentley ever built in serial production
2008 • 60 years of Porsche sports cars •
New Skoda dealership for Porsche Ceske
Budejovice • First four-door VW Coupé:
Passat CC • New: Porsche Cayenne Turbo S,
Boxster and Cayman • Skoda Fabia Combi ,
Fabia Combi GreenLine and Superb laun-
ched to the Austrian market • Porsche Hol-
ding expands business with China • New:
Seat Ibiza as SportCoupé and Cupra •
Comeback of a sports car legend: VW
Scirocco • New: A3, S3 Sportback, A4, A5 and
S5 • 20th anniversary of VW California • TVZ
Salzburg takes over parts supply for all
brands in Croatia • “Blue” campaign with
Sharan, Touran, Caddy box van und Caddy
station car as TDI BlueMotion, as well as
Passat BlueTDI • Dynamic driving pleasure:
Audi Q5 • Entire Skoda model line-up with
Electronic Stability Program – ESP – as stan-
dard equipment • 911-generation change
for Carrera, Carrera 4 Targa and Targa 4S •
Seat Altea Freetrack 4WD • Volkswagen
Junior Masters Soccer Tournament and
international finals of the European Junior
Masters in Salzburg • Porsche Holding
starts importing into the Ukraine • Little
brother of the T5: VW Caddy MaxiVan •
Hightech work of art: Audi RS 6 • Premiere
at Porsche: Cayenne equipped with Diesel
engine • Friends of the environment: Seat
Ibiza Ecomotive, León Ecomotive, Alham-
bra Ecomotive • Porsche Beograd Sever
opened • New Audi terminal und Porsche
showroom for AVEG Linz • Skoda Fabia
Super 2000 links up with 100 years of motor-
sport history • Turnover and sales all-time
high for Porsche Holding (12.8 bn. Euro,
approx. 600,000 cars) • Seat’s new saloon is
named Exeo • Skoda Octavia - revival of a
bestseller • New location for Porsche Steyr •
Porsche 356 celebrates its 60th anniversary
• Marked sportiness: TT TDI, TTS and S4 •
Porsche Holding MD Christian Klingler
appointed new CEO of Sales at Volkswagen.
Management Board consists of three mem-
bers: W.D. Hellmaier, Kurt Loidl and Hans-
Peter Schützinger • The world’s most
powerful Diesel-SUV: Audi Q7 V12 TDI
quattro • More highly rated than ever: the
new Golf, Golf GTI, Golf Plus • Allrounder:
the new VW TransVan • PIA expands locati-
on in Pilsen by one new Skoda dealership •
New member of the Porsche family: the
four-door Panamera • Audi A3 convertible
and A5 / S5 convertible – the pleasure of dri-
ving with the top open • Golden Steering
Wheel and Great Austrian Automobile
Award for Skoda Superb • VW Phaeton new
• Opening celebration at Porsche Bratislava
• Audi A6: Winner with new strengths • Por-
sche Centre in Ningbo, China, opened • PIA
grows by purchasing Autohaus Zankl in St.
Pölten • Breathtaking: Bugatti Veyron 16.4
Grand Sport, Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560
and LP560-4, Bentley Continental Flying
Spur Speed, Arnage Final Series and Azure
France
Austria
Hungary
Slovakia
Czech Republic
Slovenia
Romania
Germany4)
Croatia
Neatherlands
Serbia
Italy3)
Ukraine
Bulgaria
Poland1)
Albania
3)Friaul Julisch Venetien
4)Bayern
Macedonia
China
Greece
Montenegro
Kosovo
4)Warschau
u. a.
S u r v e y o f d e a l e r s h i p s .
Automobile-Wholesale Automobile-Retail
Austria
Hungary
Serbia
Slovenia
Romania
Croatia1)
T h e S t r u c t u r e .
NETHERLANDS
GERMANY
FRANCE
CZECH REPUBLIC
SLOVAKIA
HUNGARY
ROMANIA
UKRAINE
BULGARIA
SERBIA
KOSOVO
MAZEDONIA
MONTE-NEGRO
SLOVENIA
ITALY
AUSTRIA
CROATIA
ALBANIAGREECE
POLAND
Porsche AustriaImporter of VW, Audi
AllmobilImporter of Seat
Intercar AustriaImporter of Skoda
Porsche Konstruktionen KGParts distribution
Porsche Werbemittlung
Auto ZAccessories Wholesale
Importer sites abroad
Porsche Hungaria
Porsche Slovakia
Porsche Slovenia
Porsche Romania
P. Z. Auto, Croatia1)
Porsche Serbia
Porsche Montenegro
Porsche Kosovo
Porsche Bulgaria
Porsche Albania
Porsche Macedonia
Porsche Ukraine
Porsche Inter Auto,Austria
PorscheSports car distribution
Exclusive Cars, ViennaDirect selling of Bentley,
Bugatti and Lamborghini
Porsche Informatik
Retail trade abroad
Auto&Service PIA;Autohaus Group Schwaba
Germany
Porsche Inter Auto Hungary
Porsche Inter Auto Slovakia
Porsche Inter Auto Czech Republic
Porsche Inter Auto Slovenia
Porsche Inter Auto Croatia
Porsche Inter Auto Romania
Eurocar, Italy
Porsche Inter Auto Ukraine
Retail trade, China
Automobile trade with the marques of other manufacturer
PGA Motors, FrancePGA Motors, Poland
PGA Netherland, NetherlandsPGA Ellada, Greece
Financial Services
Porsche Bank
Porsche Insurance
ARAC/Europcar Austria
Schmittenhöhebahn AG
Porsche Financegroup HungaryARAC/Europcar Hungary
Volkswagen Financne Sluzby *Slovakia
Porsche Financegroup Romania
Porsche Financegroup Serbia
Porsche Financegroup Montenegro
Porsche Financegroup Bulgaria
Porsche Financegroup Slovenia
Porsche Financegroup Croatia
Porsche Financegroup Ukraine
Brands of Volkswagen Group and Porsche
Mag. W. D. Hellmaier (Speaker) Mag. Kurt Loidl Dr. Hans-Peter Schützinger
Automobile Wholesale Automobile Retail
Multi-Brands
Automobile trade with the brands of other manufacturer &
Financial Services
Porsche Holding
1)Joint Venture1)Joint Venture
CHINA
Slovakia
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Ukraine
Albania
Macedonia
Montenegro
Kosovo
1)Joint Venture
Automobile-Direct sales
Austria
05/0699/00 00/01 01/02
20.000
18.000
16.000
14.000
12.000
10.000
8.000
6.000
4.000
2.000
002/03 03/04 04/05
Year Total Domestic Abroad
99/00 8.681 4.530 4.151
00/01 10.139 4.757 5.382
01/02 10.969 4.869 6.100
02/03 13.463 5.002 8.461
03/04 14.067 5.123 8.944
04/05 14.670 5.215 9.455
05/06 17.077 5.225 11.852
06/07 18.846 5.238 13.608
07/08 19.780 5.279 14.501
08/09 20.634 5.374 15.28706/07 07/08 08/09
Year Total Domestic Abroad
99/00 202.122 108.728 93.394
00/01 231.217 114.242 116.975
01/02 239.763 104.021 135.742
02/03 318.842 127.297 191.545
03/04 324.563 134.334 190.229
04/05 344.325 131.964 212.361
05/06 416.131 146.880 269.251
06/07 436.979 143.788 293.191
07/08 470.421 141.058 329.363
08/09 473.512 142.584 330.92899/00 00/01 01/02
500.000
450.000
400.000
350.000
300.000
250.000
200.000
150.000
100.000
50.000
002/03 03/04 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09
Year Total Domestic Abroad
99/00 4,69 3,26 1,43
00/01 5,25 3,51 1,74
01/02 6,30 3,50 2,80
02/03 7,30 3,40 3,90
03/04 7,90 3,80 4,10
04/05 8,91 3,95 4,96
05/06 10,72 4,25 6,47
06/07 11,83 4,46 7,37
07/08 12,84 4,43 8,41
08/09 13,65 4,57 9,0804/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/0999/00 00/01 01/02
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
02/03 03/04
PORSCHEholding
Vogelweiderstraße 75
5020 Salzburg
Austria
Tel. 0043/662/4681-0
www.porsche-holding.com
Published by: Porsche Holding, Public relations, 9th Edition August 2009
F a c t s a n d F i g u r e s .
New Car Sales, Fy 99/00 – 08/09
New Car Sales, Fy 99/00 – 08/09
Total Domestic Abroad
Total Domestic Abroad
Total Domestic Abroad
Development of Turnover Porsche Holding, Fy 99/00 – 08/09 (in billion EUR)