Extras on Demand

Buyers will soon no longer have to decide right away about every detail of their new car’s features. Many extras can now be activated on a temporary basis at the click of a button, says Klaus Zellmer. In the interview with the digital magazine from Porsche Consulting, the Volkswagen Board Member for Sales, Marketing and After Sales describes what car ownership will soon be like. "Future car generations will be produced with considerably fewer variants," he says. "Individual configuration will no longer be defined by the hardware at the date of purchase. Cars will essentially have everything on board already and customers will be able to activate additional functions on demand via the digital ecosystem." This also benefits the manufacturer. "That will significantly reduce complexity in production," he notes.

Zellmer wants to make access to individual mobility even easier. "We're offering an entire range of options—from buying or leasing cars to subscription and share-and-ride services. That's enabling us to reach and delight many people who are not yet Volkswagen customers. I'm convinced this is a good instrument for building loyalty to the brand, as well as fostering interest and pleasure in electric mobility. I spent five years in charge of Porsche Cars North America, where our experience with subscription models was very positive. Many of the subscribers had never set foot in a Porsche dealership before, but ended up buying a car because we were able to inspire enthusiasm for the product in connection with a subscription."