Meine erste Online-Registrierung für das Speed Dating muss verschollen sein:-o

Anders kann ich mir das nicht vorstellen. Bevor ich jetzt irgendjemandem irgendetwas unterstelle, werde ich mich halt nochmals registrieren und dem Zuffenhausener Unternehmen eine zweite Chance einräumen mit mir ins Geschäft zu kommen.

Wow, das ging ja flott. Heute finde ich einen Anruf der BMW Niederlassung, meine Probefahrt betreffend, auf meiner Mailbox. Superschnelle Reaktion. Ich bin beeindruckt. Leider fehlt mir die Zeit mich umgehend zurückzumelden. Sobald es mein Terminplan zulässt werde ich das aber nachholen.

… und andere Hersteller auch schöne Autos.  Wenn das mit der Porsche Probefahrt so lange dauert, dann schaue ich mich halt mal woanders um. Mal sehen wie lange das mit einem BMW 6er Cabrio dauern wird. Schnell ist das Online-Formular für eine BMW Probefahrt gefunden…

Ich entscheide mich für ein 635d Cabrio. Listenpreis 80.800,- Euro. Das klingt vielversprechend und für einen Chef angemessen.  Auto auswählen, Kontaktdaten hinterlegen, gewünschten Vertragshändler bestimmen – fertig.

Also irgendwie kommt mir das seltsam vor. So vielversprechend waren die Probefahrten von Boxster und Cayman als Speed Dating angekündigt – aber bis heute habe ich noch keine Antwort erhalten. Irgendwie ernüchternd:-(

Ich vermute, das Bestellformular hat nicht richtig funktioniert – obwohl ich ja eine Bestätigungsmail erhalten habe. Und ja. Übe ich mich halt noch etwas in Geduld.

Die Stuttgarter Nachrichten versuchen sich heute damit, auf Basis einiger statistischer Daten eine Antwort auf die o.g. Frage zu geben. Da nur Zahlen über Umsatz, PKW-Absatzzahlen und Rendite herangezogen werden bleibt der Autor jedoch die Antwort schuldig. Die „Güte“ eines Herstellers lässt sich ökonomischen Kennziffern nun wirklich nicht ermitteln – die „Wirtschaftlichkeit“ vielleicht oder die „Marktmacht“. Da außerdem nur die Firmen Audi, BMW und Mercedes Gegenstand der Diskussion sind, bleibe ich angesichts der ambitionierten Headline etwas ratlos zurück.

Also wenn ich mich schon für kein Auto im Voraus so richtig entscheiden kann, dann gehe ich mal ganz unsystematisch an die Sache ran. Ich entscheide aus dem Bauch heraus: Porsche. Als Chef sollte man sich das gönnen dürfen. Um mich zu informieren gehe ich auf www.porsche.de und – welch Zufall – das Unternehmen lädt auf der Startseite zum Speed Dating mit Boxster oder Cayman ein. Schnell habe ich mich für die „intensive Kennenlernfahrt“ registriert. Nun bin ich gespannt was passieren wird.

So, ab heute bin ich Chef! Und jeder Chef braucht ein Chefauto, sonst ist er kein Chef. Ich mache mich nun auf die Suche nach einem solchen. Mein Problem ist nur, ich kann mich nicht entscheiden;-)

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will unveil its new Phantom Coupé at the 78th International Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday, 4 March 2008. Production of the new car will start at Goodwood in the summer of 2008.

The Coupé is the most driver-orientated model in the Phantom line. A number of subtle but significant modifications have been made that change its character. It is noticeably more dynamic, whilst still offering incredible levels of comfort.

Marrying cutting-edge technology with a beautifully proportioned, muscular body that exudes power and style, it incorporates timeless Rolls-Royce design cues in an utterly contemporary manner

Designed to cover great distances effortlessly, the Coupé is the perfect choice for a transcontinental trip. Power is provided by the Phantom’s 6.75-litre V12 that produces 453 bhp, 720 Nm of torque and has segment-leading fuel economy. A 25 per cent increase in fuel capacity, compared to the Drophead Coupé, adds significant driving range. Agile, fast, long-legged and virtually silent, the Phantom Coupé allows both driver and passengers to emerge unruffled, even after an all-day run.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chief Designer, Ian Cameron, said “Rolls-Royce has always been about pace, performance and style. For the Coupé design we gave the quintessential Rolls-Royce design a dynamic twist. This adds a sense of drama to the outstanding engineering and drivability that are fundamentals of Rolls-Royce cars. The dynamic drive of the Phantom has always come as a surprise to customers and the Coupé takes it one step further.”

The Phantom Coupé features rear-hinged coach doors which add considerably to the ease of access to the rear lounge seats as well as to the overall aesthetics. Crucially, they aid the overall stiffness of the body as the rear hinged doors allow for an uninterrupted A-pillar helping to make this the most torsionally rigid Rolls-Royce ever. A brushed steel finish of A-pillar and bonnet, as seen for the first time on 100EX, is also available for the Coupé.

At the rear is a spacious picnic boot. A split tail compartment that opens in two parts, gives easy access to 395 litres of space. The lower tailgate also provides a comfortable seating platform for two adults when lowered.

At the core of the Phantom Coupé is an advanced aluminium chassis, perhaps the single most significant component in delivering the marque’s legendary refinement. Lightweight and exceptionally strong, it impacts positively on ride comfort, handling and safety. Hand made, it requires over 130 meters of welding to create each body.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chairman and Chief Executive, Ian Robertson, said, “The Coupé has been designed and engineered to be the most dynamic interpretation of our values. Our 2007 sales figures illustrate how successful the entire model range has been with an increase of 25 per cent over the previous year.” – 01 February 08

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today announced that Graham Lenden (41) will join the company as the new Head of Marketing. He will assume his position at Rolls-Royce later this month, replacing Paul Ferraiolo, who was recently appointed President of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars North America.

In his new position, Lenden will be responsible for all Rolls-Royce worldwide marketing activities. He will be based at the company’s head office and manufacturing plant at Goodwood, West Sussex in southern England. Lenden brings almost 20 years of sales and marketing experience to Rolls-Royce, the majority spent working for global luxury brands. His previous position was as Head of Operations at Aston Martin, managing the sales, marketing and aftersales functions for the UK and Asia Pacific regions.

„We are delighted to welcome Graham to our team at a pivotal moment in the company’s recent history,“ commented Graeme Grieve, Director, Sales & Marketing. „Graham’s worldwide role will be a vital one as we prepare for the launch of our new products in the coming years.“

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today announced that Graham Lenden (41) will join the company as the new Head of Marketing. He will assume his position at Rolls-Royce later this month, replacing Paul Ferraiolo, who was recently appointed President of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars North America.

In his new position, Lenden will be responsible for all Rolls-Royce worldwide marketing activities. He will be based at the company’s head office and manufacturing plant at Goodwood, West Sussex in southern England. Lenden brings almost 20 years of sales and marketing experience to Rolls-Royce, the majority spent working for global luxury brands. His previous position was as Head of Operations at Aston Martin, managing the sales, marketing and aftersales functions for the UK and Asia Pacific regions.

„We are delighted to welcome Graham to our team at a pivotal moment in the company’s recent history,“ commented Graeme Grieve, Director, Sales & Marketing. „Graham’s worldwide role will be a vital one as we prepare for the launch of our new products in the coming years.“

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars saw sales in 2007 increase by 25 per cent, compared to 2006, with retails of 1010 cars. This is the first time that annual sales have reached four figures and the fourth successive sales increase since the company was launched in 2003.

There was strong demand for all Phantom models, with the four door versions (Phantom and Phantom Extended Wheelbase) remaining the best sellers and accounting for 75 per cent of the total. However, it was the exceptional demand for the new Phantom Drophead Coupé, launched in the summer, which drove the volume increase. Production capacity at Goodwood was maximized by working extended shifts.

„Everybody at Rolls-Royce is delighted with this tremendous result which marks our fifth anniversary in the best possible way,“ said Ian Robertson, Chairman and Chief Executive. „It confirms Rolls-Royce as the most desirable brand in the super luxury market and is a credit to the passion and dedication of our teams at Goodwood and around the world. The customer reaction to the Drophead Coupé has been astonishing, exceeding all our expectations.“

North America remained the biggest single market for Rolls-Royce in 2007, accounting for 40 per cent of sales and showing growth of 22 per cent. Exceptional performances were seen in the United Arab Emirates and in China which grew by around 70 and 50 per cent respectively.

The Rolls-Royce dealer network expanded to 80 in 2007, with new showrooms including St Petersburg, Kiev and Dresden. The top selling dealers worldwide in 2007 were, respectively, Beverly Hills, London, Abu Dhabi, Tokyo and Dubai. Abu Dhabi saw the highest annual increase, with sales more than doubling.

Looking ahead in 2008, Rolls-Royce has announced its intention to launch a two-door coupé model, based on the Phantom, in the summer. Further into the future a new Rolls-Royce model series, to sit alongside the Phantom models, will be launched in 2010, currently named RR4.