Porsche 911 Carrera Voted Top Dream Vehicle by Canadian Auto Owners

ATLANTA, April 8 /CNW/ -- Members of the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) selected the 3.6-liter, 320-horsepower 2002 Porsche 911 Carrera as the No. 1 Dream Vehicle in the organization's 2001 Vehicle Ownership Survey. CAA, a federation of 11 automobile clubs serving over four million members through 130 offices across Canada, received more than 19,000 responses to the 100,000 surveys mailed to CAA members. Sports cars, including the Porsche 911, fared well, taking five of the top 10 spots. Four family vehicles and a sport utility vehicle rounded out the list.

"The 911 is very important to Porsche, as it has a very long history -- nearly 40 years," said Frederick J. Schwab, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America (PCNA). "We're honored that Canadian motorists placed the 911 at the top of their dream list. Canada and the rest of North America is a key market for Porsche and for the 911, which enjoyed a 17 percent increase in sales in 2001."

PCNA sold a total of 24,143 vehicles in North America in 2001, 11,293 of which were 911 sports cars. By comparison, in 2000 PCNA sold 23,693 cars -- including 9,649 911 models -- in North America.

"For this year's survey, our members threw price and practicality to the wind, and five times out of 10 they selected sports cars as their dream vehicles," said David Flewelling, CAA president. "The Porsche 911 led the pack as it motored through the minds of our respondents."

CAA's 2001 Vehicle Ownership Survey also revealed that 65 percent of the respondents drive a passenger car, and 35 percent drive a light truck or minivan. Fifty percent cited reliability as the most influential factor when choosing a vehicle, and 35 percent indicated performance and handling as the second most influential factor. CAA began conducting its annual Vehicle Ownership Survey in 1982.

PCNA, based in Atlanta, Ga., and its subsidiary, Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd., are the exclusive importers of Porsche vehicles for the United States and Canada. A wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, PCNA employs approximately 200 people who provide Porsche vehicles, parts, marketing and training for its 204 dealers in North America. They, in turn, provide Porsche owners with best-in-class service.