Topic
24 facts from 4 episodes, in date order. These are what speakers said on the shows, each linked to the moment it was said. They aren't independently verified.
1930s
Adolf Rosenberger, an early financial backer of Porsche, was Jewish, was arrested by the Gestapo and escaped to America, and his stake was appropriated during the war.
“Rosenberger was Jewish and he gets arrested by the Gestapo. He gets imprisoned. He eventually bribes his way out and escapes to America.”
1931
Ferdinand Porsche founded an engineering and design consulting firm in 1931, which became the Porsche company.
“in 1931, he starts a consulting firm to kind of advise other car companies”
late 1940s
After the war Volkswagen gave the reinstated German Porsche company a royalty on every Beetle sold worldwide.
“In return, they give that German Porsche company literally the sweetheart deal of a lifetime. A royalty on every beetle sold worldwide.”
postwar
The hosts say postwar West Germany set a 95 percent marginal tax rate on high-earning industrialists to push reinvestment.
“Germany sets the marginal tax rate at 95 percent.”
1954
In 1954 Porsche sold 588 cars in the United States, about 40% of its total production that year.
“Porsche sells 588 cars in the U S, which was 40% of their entire production for the year.”
1964
Hamilton Helmer noted that the first Porsche 911 came out in 1964, when Porsche was not yet the world's leading sports car maker.
“The 911 first one came out in 1964, 60 years ago. Porsche wasn't sort of the sports car leader of the world at the time by any means.”
1970
In 1970 Ferry Porsche and Louise Piëch led a family decision to stop running Porsche's operations while keeping ownership.
“the families are going to completely and jointly exit operating the business.”
early 1990s
During its slump, Porsche built the Mercedes-Benz 500E sedan at its Zuffenhausen factory, which helped keep the lines running.
“Porsche built a Mercedes-Benz, which was called the 500E. It was a midsize sedan.”
1992
Porsche's US sales fell to about 4,100 cars in 1991 and 1992, worse than in 1965.
“They dipped in 91, 92 to 4,100 units.”
2007
Under Wendelin Wiedeking, Porsche's market value grew from under 400 million euros to about 32 billion euros by 2007.
“Porsche goes from death's door, less than 400 million euro market cap when he takes over to by 2007, Porsche's market cap is 32 billion euros.”
2011
Volkswagen completed its purchase of Porsche's car business in 2011 for about 8.5 billion euros in total.
“Three years later, in 2011, they complete the purchase. It ends up being about eight and a half billion euros total.”
2023
The hosts cite gross margins of 17% for BMW, 23% for Mercedes-Benz, 29% for Porsche and 48% for Ferrari.
“Mercedes is a little bit better at 23%. Porsche is at 29%, so about 50% higher than BMW. Ferrari is 48%.”
2023
Car reviewer Doug DeMuro joined Acquired as an expert guest for its 2023 Porsche episode.
“Thank you to Doug DeMuro for consenting to join the crazy acquired episode process for Porsche.”
Undated
Porsche's US headquarters is in Atlanta, which is why Porsche Digital operates there.
“the Porsche headquarter is there, right? That's the reason why we are there, because we have a very close collaboration with the headquarter in in the United States, in Atlanta”
Undated
Porsche uses AI to predict orders so the right cars reach dealerships, which Ulbrich says is difficult in China.
“how we can predict for order to deliver markets, uh, to have the right cars in the dealerships. That is not easy, for example, in China.”
Undated
Porsche's design studio in Weissach uses AI to support design ideas.
“I was in the design uh studio here in Weissach uh two weeks ago, and we had a long discussion how they use AI to really support their design ideas.”
Undated
Porsche designers can reshape digital models with AI support before building the first physical model.
“they can use different models and and really reshape the digital model before they go into the first physical model.”
Undated
Porsche has an acoustic anomaly assistant that works with engineers to understand noise anomalies such as those in car doors.
“we have, for example, an acoustic anomaly assistant that works really with the with the engineer to understand um anomalies, uh, that we have, for example, in the door”
Undated
Porsche R&D staff said they could not listen for door noises overnight, which motivated the acoustic AI project.
“we are listening to our door all the day, but we can't listen at the night, for example, because we are not there.”
Undated
About 200 people work on Porsche's AI program.
“the AI program is, um, let's say, it's 200 person that really work on that in in the Porsche organization”
Undated
Some engineers moved into Porsche's IT organization to help run its AI platform.
“The they they moved from engineering to the IT to drive this as a platform. We have an AI platform”
Undated
Ulbrich says about 40% of his organization are new people and 60% were already at the company.
“we have maybe 40% new people and 60% that were already in the organization.”
Undated
Ulbrich says finance needs more external hires for AI because it has less technology knowledge than engineering.
“In finance, for example, you have totally different approach, and you have to bring more external people to really drive those ideas”
Undated
Ulbrich cites the Porsche Taycan as an example of Porsche's effort to put better cars on the road for sustainability.
“Porsche is doing a lot to to getting better cars on the road, like the Taycan, for example”
Episodes