Revving up the Porsche identity

When you think of Porsche, you may think of sleek German engineering; style and power crafted together in a machine that redefines the driving experience. Perhaps your car of choice is a red 911 Turbo, or perhaps a black-tinted Cayenne S that allows you to sit up a bit higher when passing others on the road.

While this image remains a fantasy in the minds of many consumers, managing the Porsche brand has been no easy task, especially in 2009.

Earlier this year, the company made a revolutionary move by unveiling its first ever five-door sedan product, the Porsche Panamera, at the 13th Shanghai International Automobile Show in Shanghai, China. Breaking with the traditional two-door designs that have kept Porsche at the top of the market for the last 78 years, the Panamera release was a risky move; one that could have easily appeared as a sell-out of the company’s classic brand identity, appealing to soccer moms rather than speed-hungry road warriors. The move was even riskier given the financial challenges the company was facing at the time. With approximately $12bn (AED 44bn) of debt as of July 2009, the company’s first quarter sales in 2009 fell by 27.6 per cent compared to the same period last year. A long-running takeover saga involving fellow German carmaker Volkswagen has also been a pressing issue. The two companies are due to merge in 2011 but have been going back and forth on price and share distribution. In October, Norway's sovereign wealth fund – a major Volkswagen shareholder – said the deal should be cancelled because the terms were “unfair”.

So how does Porsche respond to such concerns? Like it always has—with force.

For one, the marketing of the Panamera has by all accounts been a success, despite the initial hesitation of some consumers. With major international releases and large ad campaigns getting drivers to at least test the new model, buyers are finding that the vehicle itself makes few compromises in terms of shattering power and great handling (the car includes a first-for-the-market segment double-clutch gearbox, adaptive air suspension, and a fuel-efficient, direct-fuel injection V8 engine). An amazing flash website complements the body innovations, and major auto publications have given the car a big thumbs-up. Riding that wave of success, Porsche was also able to successfully complete a contract with the Qatar Investment Authority in August to buy a 10 per cent stake in Porsche as part of a €7bn (AED36.52bn) deal.

Over the past three months, the company has even been able to boost its market share in three of its four traditional product areas—the Boxster, Cayman, 911, and Cayenne models. In fact, the main effect of the recession on the Middle East market was to cut waiting lists for Porsches from a pre-crisis average of six months to two months.

Check out the amazing marketing campaigns that have made 2009 Year of the Porsche.

Awesome Porsche Flash Website!

Official Facebook Website of the Porsche Panamera

“Motor Trend” online review