Sales soar as hot new 911s takes centre stage at Dubai international gala
Porsche, which featured two regional premieres at the Dubai International Motor Show yesterday, is basking in stunning sales figures – 38 per cent increase on the first three quarters of last year – and the best seems yet to come.
The tarps will come off the Macan SUV at the Los Angeles Motor Show this month while the Cayenne’s sales continue to power like a runaway train.
Christer Ekberg, managing director of Porsche Middle East and Africa, describes the Macan as a “game changer” while the value of the Cayenne “can never be underestimated.”
“The Cayenne is our top selling vehicle with 62 percent, it’s an incredibly important model. You could not have gone into any emerging markets without a Cayenne.
“Such markets are often not performance-oriented, there’s not a sports car culture,” he told CB.
“We always want to be perceived as the sports car alternative with a vehicle like the Cayenne.”
On the soaring sales, Ekberg says: “It has truly been a remarkable year for Porsche in 2013 and it is an absolute pleasure to be sharing our achievements with the enthusiastic and knowledgeable crowds at the Dubai show.”
Representing the 911 at the auto event, (the 911 has its 50th anniversary this year), are the new 911 Turbo as well as the race track-ready 911 GT3, both taking their bows for the first time in the UAE.
“The order books are full for both vehicles. We are selling everything we can get allocation for,” says Ekberg.
To celebrate five decades of the iconic sports car, Porsche has created the most complete 911 to date – the 911 Turbo Coupe, tracing its roots back 40 years since its first appearance as a concept car in 1973.
The 911 Turbo’s 3.8-litre twin-turbo engine delivers 520hp at 6,000 – 6,500rpm with maximum torque of 660Nm. The result is a top speed of 315kmh and an acceleration from standing to 100kmh in 3.4 seconds. The optional Sport Chrono Package reduces this figure even more: to sprint from 0 to 100kmh in just 3.2 seconds.
Along with the pioneering Porsche rear wheel steering, and the GT3-specific Porsche dual-clutch transmission with the characteristics of a sequential gearbox used in motor racing, the benchmark-setting 911 GT3 now boasts an entirely new engine yielding 475hp at 8,250rpm with maximum torque of 440Nm.
As a result, the new 911 GT3 sets new performance records. Accelerating from a standstill, the 100kmh mark is reached after 3.5 seconds and the car approaches 200kmh in less than 12 seconds. A top speed of 315kmh is achieved thanks to the specially adapted PDK transmission, introduced to the model for the first time.
The new Panamera S E-Hybrid however, the world’s first plug-in hybrid in the luxury class, is showcasing another aspect of advancement; the brand’s E-Mobility strategy.
With performance features such as 416 horsepower, acceleration from 0-100kmh in 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 270kmh, it is a Porsche Gran Turismo through and through.
“We have had a very positive reaction on the stand,” says Ekberg. “But for a brand like Porsche it’s not all about selling cars here today. We interact with adults, children – a young child gets in a Porsche and one day dreams of owning one. It’s about awareness and how you want to be perceived. We love to welcome kids in the cars.”
Turning to whether we’ll see more front engines, Ekberg says: “We won’t see more front engines – if it is an SUV it will be in the front, but if it’s a sports car it will depend on body type. With Porsche, placement is due to the body type.
“And when you get into a Porsche it’s about the steering precision, the brakes, the rev counter in the centre – the feeling that it can only be a Porsche. Plus, we always build our vehicles for everyday use. A Porsche has to be user-friendly. If it’s a sandstorm or a snowstorm you can drive through it.
