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VW makes $23K on every Porsche sold, more than Bentley or Lamborghini

It's a good time to be in the luxury car business. In Volkswagen Group's financial report for the 2013 fiscal year, it is revealed that that Porsche enjoyed an operating margin of 18 percent. That means the Stuttgart brand made on average about $23,200 per car sold, according to BusinessWeek. Bentley wasn't far behind, and Audi (which was combined with Lamborghini) posted a 10.1 percent margin. This compares to only around 2.9 percent for the Volkswagen brand.
"Luxury brands are on fire," said Dave Sullivan, an industry analyst at AutoPacific. He said that the average profit margin is between six and eight percent. Brands like Porsche and Bentley have the benefit of competing in rarefied markets. Buyers looking at one their vehicles have fewer models to shop against and don't care as much about price. They can also charge more for options, which further boosts income, according to BusinessWeek.
In a way, we should be more impressed by the continued success from Audi. Its models generally have direct competitors in every segment from the other premium automakers. Plus, their buyers aren't the captains of industry who are shopping for a Bentley. Still, the Four Rings is leading rivals in sales so far this year.

Porsche forum claims eco-friendly 911 Blu coming to Frankfurt

The fiftieth anniversary of the Porsche 911 has been a nearly year-long affair, with unique tributes and even a special anniversary edition with plenty of retro throwbacks. The party is expected to continue through the end of 2013, and if one 911 enthusiast forum is right, we'll see yet another special edition model near the anniversary of the original car's September 1963 debut, when it arrives at next month's Frankfurt Auto Show.
It's called the 911 Blu, and where the 911 50 Years Edition was more expensive than a 911 Carrera S hardtop, the Blu would be an entry level special edition. That's right, a limited run car that actually slots in at the very bottom of the 911 range. According to Porsche forum 911UK.com, the new car would be priced at 74,600 euros ($98,718 at today's rates) or 64,750 pounds. That undercuts the price of a base 911 in Germany by nearly 16,000 euros and in the UK by nearly 8700 pounds (although to be fair, it's roughly identical to the price of a base 911 C2S in the US).
This 911 will reportedly feature a detuned flat-six with 300 horsepower and 211 pound-feet of torque.

Porsche celebrates 5M Facebook fans with crowdsourced one-off 911

Porsche's Facebook fan base appears to be accelerating as quickly as the cars it builds. The German automaker has just unveiled a special 911 Carrera 4S designed with crowdsourced input as a way to thank its five million Facebook fans.
The 911 features special Aquablaumetallic paint from Porsche Exclusive, contrasting 20-inch white Carrera S wheels and pinstriping, along with an aero package including a fixed rear wing. Inside, there are unique backlit sill plates and the obligatory dashboard engraving that says "Personally Built by 5 Million Porsche Fans."
As a way to turn at least one virtual thumbs up into its more meaningful physical-world equivalent, Porsche is holding a contest to win the chance to drive the car at Britain's Silverstone racetrack - and bring a friend - and nine lucky runners-up will win 1:43-scale models of the 911. If you want to enter the contest, click here.