2023 Porsche Cayenne SUV
Let’s go back to the numbers briefly to get an understanding of what kind of a playing field Porsche India operates in. To begin with, the brand has sold 350 cars up till now in 2023. Platen further confirmed that overall, Porsche has between 4,000 to 6,000 active customers here in India and almost all of the cars they have sold here, are currently operational. This is enough to establish that Porsche is at the top shelf of the Indian ultra luxury segment presently. Despite not being a volumes player, the German automaker offers cars in the sedan, SUV, sports, electric and supercar segments here in India and that shows a lot of confidence from the brand in the country. Platen said, “As a brand, our positioning is that of an exclusive and unique luxury brand. A Porsche is not just a car, it is an experience. Today, we personally know and shake hands with each of our customers here in India and that goes a long way in building trust and reputation, how many luxury brands can say that?”
Detlev Von Platen, Member of Executive Board, Sales and Marketing, Porsche AG
Broadly what Platen and Vujicic believe, is that in the ultra luxury space, the new-generation customers are buying into more than just a car or brand, they are also buying into an experience. Porsche has been organising track experience and cross country drives for prospective and existing buyers in India and these exercises have been a hit. The drives allow customers to experience the cars first-hand and have an intimate understanding of the technology and engineering behind each model. While we spoke at length about Porsche’s efforts to seek out passionate customers and provide them with memorable experiences, we also wanted to understand how the brand hopes to keep the enthusiasm going among Porsche fans out here in India.
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Long story short, Porsche is paving the way towards an electrified future as sustainability is a top priority. The brand aims to be net carbon-neutral by 2030 (including supply chain) and as the years progress the portfolio will become increasingly electric. The existing Taycan EV currently makes up for 10 percent of Porsche’s total sales volumes, however, with newer electric models incoming, this number is expected to grow to 50 percent and by 2030, Porsche expects 80 percent of its volumes to come from battery electric vehicles (BEVs). In terms of what is planned for India, Platen told TOI Auto, “We will look at cars specifically for India in the near future, we are working very hard with our colleagues on the homologation side. We are also considering bringing brand shaper models or limited editions specific to India.” On a more immediate timeline, we can expect the Porsche Cayenne EV to be launched soon. It should be noted that Porsche presently imports all its vehicles under the 2,500 homologation-free policy by the Government of India. However, this number is at a group level and also includes brands such as Audi, Lamborghini, Volkswagen and Skoda. Naturally, with increasing demands for the Cayenne SUV and limited import quota, Porsche is looking at increasing car allocation in India.
Manolito Vujicic, Brand Director, Porsche India
The automaker is also working on the electric versions of the Macan SUV which will come in 2024 and an electric 718 roadster. Sharing some extra details, Platen also said that Porsche is working on a large SUV that would be positioned above the Cayenne.
Porsche Taycan EV
On the home front, both Platen and Vujicic assured us that India is an important market for the brand and that they are focusing on building awareness, customer relations and reputation. Commenting on reports suggesting that Porsche could plan to produce cars in India, Platen cleared the air and said that Porsche currently has no plans of producing cars or making production investments in the country, as they seem to be happy with their growth percentage and market share.