2012 Porsche Panamera C on 2040-cars

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Dodge Viper and Jaguar XK revival | Autoblog Podcast #543

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Green Editor John Beltz Snyder and Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. We talk the possible rebirth of the Dodge Viper and Jaguar XK, as well as the recent goings-on at Tesla. Then we share some of our experiences driving in Europe. We also discuss the cars we've been driving, and help spend another listener's hard-earned dough in this week's "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #543 Your browser does not support the audio element. Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Dodge Viper and Jaguar XK to make a return? Tesla Model 3 braking issues and Elon Musk vs. media Driving in Europe Cars we've been driving: Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo, Infiniti QX50, Range Rover Velar Spend my money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: Auto News Green Podcasts Dodge Infiniti Jaguar Land Rover Porsche Tesla Car Buying Used Car Buying Driving Safety Performance jaguar xk infiniti qx50

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.

Petrolicious explores long-term living with Porsche's 914/6

After its last video starred none other than the spectacular Ferrari 250 GTO, where was there for the video team at Petrolicious to go? Certainly, in the realm of classics, there are only a few other vehicles that can match the badge and pedigree of the ultra-rare Ferrari. Maybe a Jaguar D-Type or an Aston Martin DBR1? No, this latest video doesn't star either of those British icons. It stars an oft-misunderstood, occasionally derided entry from Germany's most sporting manufacturer - Porsche.
Yes, we've gone from a Ferrari 250 GTO to a Porsche 914/6. As is often the case with Petrolicious, though, the story told about the car by its owner are often more important than the make or model of car being highlighted. That's exactly the case here, as Jack Griffin talks about the 38 years he's spent with this particular Porsche.
Having been born into the Volkswagen fold and introduced to Porsche in the best way possible - behind the wheel of a 356 - Griffin has some interesting stories (including his attempt at running the 12 Hours of Sebring), and he knows a fair bit about some of the 914's attributes.