Porsche expects China sales to exceed U.S. market
China is on track to surpass the United States as Porsche's biggest market, said Porsche's sales and marketing chief, Bernhard Maier.
"In two to three years I expect a shoulder-to-shoulder race with China," Maier said in an interview with Automotive News Europe during the Shanghai auto show. "And this is despite the fact that the U.S. is really developing superbly."
Last year, Porsche sales in China soared 60 percent to 13,856 units. Meanwhile, U.S. sales totaled 25,000 units last year.
China, with its rutted roads, already is Porsche's top market for the Cayenne SUV. Last year, Porsche sold 8,351 Cayennes in China.
To expand sales, Porsche is increasing its Chinese dealer network, where it had 31 stores by the end of last year. In a January interview, Porsche China CEO Helmut Broeker said the company plans to open 10 new dealerships a year.
Porsche will add dealerships in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, where a newly prosperous middle class is generating strong demand for vehicles.
