<a href="http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060424/20060424005850.html?.v=1"><span class="t">Porsche Earns Top Spot as Most Prestigious Luxury Automobile Brand in 2006[/quote]
</a><span class="tt">Monday April 24, 10:17 am ET[/quote]


<span class="t2">Luxury Institute Survey Rates Porsche as Most Exclusive and Unique Luxury Marque[/quote]



<div class="ar">ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 24, 2006--In the results of an independent, nation-wide survey just released by the New York-based Luxury Institute, America's premium income earners rated Porsche&reg; the most prestigious luxury automobile for 2006. Porsche topped an impressive field of thirteen luxury automobile brands including Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mercedes, Saab, and Volvo. Porsche captured the title based on its brand uniqueness and exclusivity, and as a marque most often driven by people who are admired and respected. Porsche was also singled out for making customers feel special throughout the entire ownership experience. </div>
<div class="ar"></div>
<div class="ar">'We are gratified that for the second time in a row, a majority of discriminating, sophisticated owners has rated Porsche the number one luxury brand,' said Peter Schwarzenbauer, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America. 'It reaffirms our belief that by remaining true to our sports car values and history, the Porsche brand maintains its position as one of the world's most respected and desirable names.' </div>
<p class="ar">An independent research entity, the Luxury Institute serves as the objective voice of the wealthy consumer. It is the creator of the Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI), a proprietary survey methodology developed to measure the value and equity of leading luxury brands, based upon statistical data collected from wealthy consumers. The LBSI incorporates four main pillars of value: consistently superior quality, exclusivity and uniqueness, a measure of enhanced social status, and a measure of the ability of a brand to make a customer feel special across the customer experience with the brand. Using the LBSI, the Luxury Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of more than 500 households with a $200,000 minimum gross annual income, and a minimum net worth of $750,000.
<p class="ar">Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, GA, and its subsidiary, Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd., are the exclusive importers of Porsche sports cars and Cayenne&reg; sport utility vehicles for the United States and Canada. A wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, PCNA employs approximately 300 people who provide Porsche vehicles, parts, service, marketing and training for its 212 U.S. and Canadian dealers. They, in turn, provide Porsche owners with best-in-class service.
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<br clear="all" />Contact:
<pre>Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
Bob Carlson, 770-290-3676
or
Paul Seredynski, 770-290-3514</pre>
<hr align="left" width="200" size="0" /><span class="ps" align="left">Source: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.[/quote]

So that begs the question of the wisdom of introducing more and more models at the risk of reducing 'exclusivity and uniqueness'. Will adding the base Cayman, for example,hurt or help in the long run? I guess that Porsche has crunched all the numbers and know what they are doing. As far as making 'a customer feel special across the customer experience with the brand' my experience with Lexus tells me that they have aways to go yet. Funny that racing and racing heritage wasn't on the list.

Don't woory, the CBase won't take that exclusity away, as long as it's priced with or more than the Boxster.