Porsche pulls out of Detroit’s auto show

Porsche said today it is pulling out of the North American International Auto Show in favor of marketing efforts that more directly reach potential buyers.

The luxury sports car maker plans to focus on shows in areas where it has more customers, spokesman Tony Fouladpour said.

Also, he said, Porsche gets better results when it spends its marketing dollars getting prospective customers into vehicles — such as at performance-driving lessons held at local dealerships — than at passive events like the auto show.

"People are much more apt to buy if they drive the cars," Fouladpour said.