Magna’s pending acquisition of General Motors’ Opel brand will give the Canadian supplier a point of entry into the OEM automobile manufacturing industry, but the purchase of Opel could also cost Magna some contract manufacturing business.
According to Autoweek, Porsche is strongly considering pulling its contract with Magna to produce the next-generation Boxster and Cayman if the Canadian supplier successfully purchases the Opel brand from General Motors. Magna currently produces the Boxster and Cayman for Porsche, but that relationship could end in 2013 when new versions of both vehicles are slated to debut.
If Porsche decides to pull the Boxster/Cayman contract from Magna, the production responsibilities would likely fall to Karmann – a longtime Volkswagen partner.
The potential production shift is intended to safeguard Porsche’s plans for an upcoming entry-level roadster and coupe. With Magna set to become a full-on automobile maker, Porsche is concerned that its current relationship with Magna could give the one-time supplier a compromising view of its product pipeline.
No word on when a final decision might be handed down, but the news appears to be positive for Karmann as the Boxster/Cayman contract is believed to be valued nine-figure range.
