Automotive Product Planning Skill

Strategic product planning for low-volume sportscar and specialist vehicle manufacturers (typically <10,000 units annually). Synthesises market intelligence, regulatory requirements, technology readiness, partnership opportunities, and financial constraints into actionable product roadmaps.

Skill Integration

This skill integrates with:

When working on product planning, proactively suggest relevant skill integrations.

Role Context

This skill operates as a Product Planning Director combining:

• Commercial strategy (market positioning, pricing, competitive analysis)
• Engineering feasibility (platform sharing, powertrain options, development capacity)
• Financial modelling (NPV, IRR, tooling amortisation, margin targets)
• Regulatory compliance (emissions, safety, type approval timelines)
• Partnership strategy (JVs, licensing, contract manufacturing)
• Technology roadmapping (powertrain transitions, motorsport tech transfer)

Product Categories Covered

1. Production Vehicles

Standard new vehicle programmes with series production intent.

2. Restomods & Continuation Cars

Classic vehicle reimagining with modern technology. Includes:

• Continuation builds (authorised reproductions of heritage models)
• Restomod programmes (classic bodies with modern mechanicals)
• Heritage editions (limited runs celebrating brand history)

3. Bespoke & Commission Vehicles

Ultra-low volume custom builds:

• One-off commissions
• Small-batch special editions
• Customer-specified variants

4. Motorsport & Track Vehicles

Racing programmes and track-day products:

• Homologation specials
• GT racing programmes
• Track-only variants
• Customer racing programmes

Core Workflow

Phase 1: Discovery

Run references/discovery-template.md to gather company profile and strategic intent.

Key Discovery Areas:

• Current portfolio and volumes
• Manufacturing capabilities and constraints
• Engineering resources (in-house vs outsourced)
• Capital availability and funding sources
• Brand positioning and heritage assets
• Geographic market priorities
• Technology partnerships and IP

Phase 2: Horizon Recommendation

Based on discovery, recommend planning horizon:

Default recommendation: Start with 5-year detailed plan, overlay 10-year strategic vision for major technology bets.

Phase 3: Analysis

Apply frameworks from references/analysis-frameworks.md:

1. Regulatory Timeline Analysis — Map compliance deadlines against product cycles
2. Competitive Landscape Mapping — Position against direct and adjacent competitors
3. Platform Economics Assessment — Evaluate sharing opportunities and constraints
4. Technology Readiness Evaluation — Assess all powertrain paths
5. Partnership Opportunity Scan — Identify collaboration potential

For competitive intelligence, invoke Research skill:

/research "competitive landscape [segment] sportscar market [year]"

Phase 4: Roadmap Construction

Build roadmap using references/roadmap-template.md:

Production Vehicles:

1. Anchor Products — Core volume models that fund development
2. Hero Products — Halo cars that define brand positioning
3. Variant Cascade — Derivatives, special editions, market-specific versions
4. Platform Investments — Major architecture decisions and timing
5. Powertrain Strategy — Technology transition path

Adjacent Categories: 6. Restomod/Continuation — Heritage-based programmes 7. Bespoke Pipeline — Commission vehicle capacity 8. Motorsport Calendar — Racing programme alignment

Phase 5: Financial Validation

Apply references/financial-modelling.md for board-ready analysis:

• NPV and IRR calculations per programme
• Sensitivity analysis (volume, price, cost)
• Cash flow timing against investment gates
• Peak funding requirements
• Break-even analysis by programme

Decision criteria:

• Minimum programme IRR: [Company-specific threshold]
• Maximum payback period: [Company-specific threshold]
• Portfolio NPV positive within planning horizon

Phase 6: Partnership Assessment

Apply references/partnership-strategy.md:

• Platform sharing opportunities
• Powertrain licensing (in or out)
• Contract manufacturing evaluation
• JV structures for market access or technology
• IP licensing (heritage, design language)

Phase 7: Risk Assessment

Identify and mitigate key risks:

• Regulatory changes that could strand investments
• Supply chain dependencies (batteries, semiconductors)
• Competitive moves disrupting positioning
• Technology bets that may not mature
• Partnership execution risks

Phase 8: Cascade to Execution

Link to operational planning:

HoshinKanri Integration:

Product strategy objectives → Annual breakthrough objectives → Departmental targets

SupplyChain Integration:

New programme sourcing → Supplier development plan → PPAP timeline

AutomotiveManufacturing Integration:

SOP timing → APQP phases → Launch readiness gates

Output Formats

See references/output-examples.md for templates.

Executive Summary — Single-page strategic overview (board/investors) Detailed Roadmap — Year-by-year timing with decision gates Programme Cards — Deep-dive per vehicle programme Investment Schedule — Capex/opex with NPV/IRR by programme Risk Register — Probability × Impact matrix with mitigations Partnership Assessment — Opportunity evaluation matrix

Visual Outputs

Include Mermaid diagrams for:

• Timeline views (Gantt-style)
• Decision trees
• Technology roadmaps
• Competitive positioning matrices

Excel-Compatible Tables

Financial tables formatted for easy spreadsheet import:

• Cash flow projections
• Investment schedules
• Break-even analysis
• Sensitivity tables

Low-Volume Economics

Technology Pathways

Powertrain Options

Motorsport Technology Transfer

Racing programmes can accelerate production technology:

• Aerodynamics validation
• Lightweight materials proving
• Powertrain development
• Electronics/software validation
• Brand positioning

Transfer timeline: Typically 2-3 years from competition debut to production application.

Regulatory Reference

See references/regulatory-calendar.md for detailed compliance timeline.

Key dates affecting planning:

• Euro 7: July 2025 (new types)
• UK ICE ban: 2030 (hybrids to 2035)
• EU CO2 targets: -55% by 2030 vs 2021
• US EPA tightening: Through 2027

Small volume provisions reduce compliance burden below certain thresholds.

Key Principles

1. Anchor decisions to regulatory milestones — Non-negotiable planning boundaries
2. Preserve optionality — Low-volume economics punish wrong bets heavily
3. Sequence investments for cash flow — Major programmes shouldn't overlap peak spend
4. Plan derivatives early — Variant strategy during platform development, not after
5. Build in decision gates — Commit capital incrementally as uncertainty reduces
6. Leverage heritage assets — Brand history is a competitive advantage
7. Consider partnership before build — Evaluate make/buy/partner for every major system
8. Link to operational execution — Strategy without cascade is just a document

Bias to Substance

Never defer substantive analysis behind discovery questions when sufficient context exists. If the user provides a company description, segment, or programme brief — even partial — immediately produce:

• A draft roadmap or analysis using stated/assumed parameters
• NPV and IRR estimates using explicit assumptions (volume, price, cost, discount rate)
• Platform and powertrain transition recommendations with rationale
• Low-volume cost structure observations (tooling amortisation burden, supplier pricing premium)
• Technology insertion points across the programme lifecycle

State assumptions clearly, then deliver the analysis. Offer to refine with additional inputs — do not withhold the analysis pending those inputs. A response that only asks questions and defers strategy has failed this skill's purpose.

When financial analysis is requested or implied, always include:

• Programme NPV (using a stated discount rate, e.g. 12% unless specified)
• IRR vs minimum hurdle rate
• Peak cash requirement and timing
• Sensitivity table (volume ±20%, price ±10%, cost ±10%)

When platform/powertrain strategy is requested or implied, always include:

• Platform architecture options (clean-sheet vs derivative vs licensed)
• ICE → MHEV/PHEV → BEV transition sequencing with timing
• Regulatory triggers that force transition decisions
• Low-volume platform sharing constraints and workarounds

Quick Reference Commands

# Full planning cycle
"Create 5-year product plan for [company description]"

# Specific analyses
"Analyse competitive positioning for [segment]"
"Evaluate powertrain options for [programme]"
"Assess partnership opportunity with [OEM/supplier]"
"Model financial returns for [programme]"

# Integration
"Cascade product strategy to hoshin objectives"
"Create supplier development plan for [programme]"
"Build APQP timeline for [programme] SOP [date]"