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The dream of the '90s is alive in Porsche 968 retro review

Only a month after Porsche confirmed that the next-generation Boxster and Cayman will get four-cylinder engines, it is apt that we have a MotorWeek retro review of the 1992 Porsche 968. Porsche hoped the 968 – nee 944 – and its naturally-aspirated, 3.0-liter, four-cylinder would revive sales of its entry-level line, but that didn't happen: going on sale in 1992, 1995 was its last year on the market. This was at a time when a stock 968 coupe cost $39,850, surpassing the out-the-door price of a loaded Chevrolet Corvette. The 968 convertible cost $51,000. That didn't stop MotorWeek's unanimous support of the 968, praising its design, the delivery of its 236 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque, and its handling - MotorWeek called it "Pure 90s performance," in spite of some fiddly switchgear and a noisy, firm ride. You can watch the review above. We have a feeling Porsche's four-cylinder fortunes will go much better this time around.

Porsche CEO hints at Macan GTS, expects brand sales growth to 200K+

Porsche is expecting big things from its little Macan, with CEO Matthias Mueller announcing that not only is a sportier GTS model being considered, but that the CUV will almost certainly help push Porsche beyond its 200,000-unit-per-year sales goal three years earlier than expected.
"We're transferring the genes of the Porsche brand into a new market segment," Mueller said during a speech to kick off Macan production, according to Automotive News Europe. Macan demand should push the brand past 200,000 sales, Mueller said, confirming what we reported back in August. And if Porsche really has a hit on its hands, it is able to boost production of the sporty crossover beyond its initial capacity of 50,000 units, according to the brand's CEO.
Provided that the Macan is the success Porsche hopes it will be, Mueller hinted that the range could expand beyond the initial Macan S and Macan Turbo. "GTS versions have a tradition at Porsche," Mueller said. "We haven't made a final decision yet regarding the Macan, but I'm sure it makes a lot of sense."

Volkswagen Group's Vision 2030 strategy could bring revolution to the brands

One would expect a corporate plan called "Vision 2030," looking 11 years ahead through wildly tumultuous times, to involve great change and numerous forks in numerous roads. According to Automobile's breakdown of Volkswagen's path forward, though, the plans contain some lurid potential surprises. The ultimate aim is return on investment, and that means ruthless reorganization of a conglomerate with eight primary car brands, two car sub-brands, and Ducati motorcycles. The first two Vision 2030 cornerstones Automobile mentions are near boilerplate: Production network restructuring, and "streamlining of key technologies." The latter two are the ones that could upend what we know as the Volkswagen Group: focusing on the Group's core brands — meaning Audi, Porsche, and VW — and transitioning to EVs, autonomy, and other mobility solutions. Based on the report, a quote from Audi's CTO referring to the Audi brand could cover how the Group plans to handle all of its brands: "We need to find a sustainable solution for the indefinite transition period until EVs eventually take over." The boutique divisions adjacent to carmaking, Ducati and Italdesign, look likely to be spun off. For the halo car brands — Bentley, Bugatti, and Lamborghini — apparently shareholders want double-digit returns on investment, and the trio doesn't have long to hit the target. One eyebrow raiser is when the report states, "Bugatti is tipped to be gifted to [ex-VW Group Chairman] Ferdinand Piech." Piech fathered the Veyron during his tenure at VW, and it was thought he commissioned the La Voiture Noire, but he's lately stepped so far back from VW that he sold all his shares in the Group. Automobile quoted a senior strategist as saying of money-losing Bentley, "Why invest on a backward-looking enterprise when you can support a trendsetter? A proud history and excellent craftmanship alone don't cut it anymore." We guess no one at Ferrari, McLaren, or even Porsche got that memo. Bentley is reportedly close to being put in time out, and if brand CEO Adrian Hallmark can't right the Crewe ship, the hush-hush Plan B is to prop the Flying B up enough to lure a buyer. As for Lamborghini, caught between two masters at Audi and Porsche, even record-breaking numbers at the Italian supercar maker barely staved off sacrilege. It's said that VW brand CEO Herbert Diess considered putting a 5.0-liter Porsche V8 into the Aventador successor.