Marton Pettendy•23 Apr 2013
NEWS
Porsche slashes prices, aims to double sales
Price cuts of up to $36K and next year's all-new Macan to more than double Porsche's Australian salesPorsche has axed as much as $36,000 from the price of some models as part of a range-wide price reduction that, along with next year’s all-new Macan (pictured), it hopes will more than double sales by 2020.
Due to take effect from June 1, price cuts of between 5.1 and 12.9 per cent will apply to the Boxster, Cayman, 911 and Cayenne model ranges, with the facelifted Panamera line-up (including Porsche’s first plug-in hybrid, the Panamera S E-Hybrid) also to be cheaper when it arrives here in late July.
The price cuts range between $5500 for the cheapest Boxster (now $101,500 plus on-road costs) and $36,300 for the 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet (now $244,600), and will also make the entry-level Cayenne $9200 more affordable at $100,200, the base Cayman $8400 less expensive at $107,100 and the cheapest 911 no less than $22,900 more accessible than before.
The price of the most basic Carrera Coupe version of Porsche’s latest 991-series 911 – launched here little more than a year ago in February 2012 – is now $206,500 (down from $229,400), making it the cheapest new 911 here since 2008, when the base 997-series 911 cost $201,000.
Porsche says its new June 1 price list, which comes without change to specification levels, is in response to sharper pricing from its key rivals.
But it also follows a renewed focus on the prices of new Porsches in Australia, where consumers pay far more than in other countries – including the US, where the price of the most basic 911 is listed at $US84,300 – and a recent admission by Porsche Cars Australia itself that its pricing structure was in danger of being viewed as “elitist” at a time when the strong Australian currency should be pushing prices down not up.
While the North American price doesn’t include US sales tax of about 8.5 per cent, Australian taxes including import duty of five per cent, GST of 10 per cent and luxury car tax of 33 per cent over the $59,133 threshold still don’t account for the yawning gap to the new Australian price of $206,500.
Although it says it will not reimburse buyers who recently purchased a new model, Porsche Cars Australia and its new customers nonetheless appear to have achieved a pricing win with its Stuttgart head office, despite its inferior bargaining position as a relatively small right-hand drive market.
Porsche admits the June 1 price reductions may slow sales in May as buyers hold off their purchases, but the more competitive price list will ultimately drive sales growth.
In fact, along with the mid-size Macan SUV, which will join Australia’s booming SUV segment in a little over a year from now, Porsche hopes to more than double its Australian sales by 2020, as part of its parent company’s plan to increase global sales to 200,000 by the end of this decade.
Last year, Porsche sold just 1373 cars in Australia – up 2.2 per cent on 2011 but down on its best annual result of 1380 in 2007 – but hopes to increase that to more than 2500 within five years or so.
The Macan, Porsche’s fifth model line, is expected to play a major role in the sales upswing, with a sub-$100,000 starting price that will make it Porsche’s biggest selling model.
Porsche says its dealers will also contribute to the growth plans with investments in their showrooms and workshops to accommodate the arrival of the Macan.
“The arrival of the exciting new Macan SUV is key to driving growth in Australia,” says PCA Managing Director, Michael Winkler.
“But we are not waiting until next year when the Macan comes. We are activating our growth plans now with what is currently the best range of Porsche models we have ever had.
“Porsche globally has set its sights on sales beyond 200,000 cars before the end of the decade, and we in Australia have now commenced our contribution to that goal.
Porsche said the varying price cuts, including 10 per cent across the Cayenne range and between 7.5 and 13 per cent for 911 models, “take into consideration each model’s sales performance and what PCA sees as realistic opportunity for responsible growth”.
PCA said it was mindful of undermining resale values and customer loyalty, and also announced it will reduce by 25 per cent the price of all high-demand genuine Porsche parts sold through official Porsche outlets in an effort to cut the cost of ownership.
However, it is yet to confirm reductions in options prices.
“Exclusivity is determined not by volume but by ensuring we always sell one car less than the market demands,” said Winkler. “This has long been our business approach and will continue to be.
“Porsche is heading for an exciting time in Australia. Deliveries of the exciting all-new Cayman commence later this month, we have the updated Panamera range coming and all-new versions of our 911 performance icons – the GT3 and Turbo – arriving by early next year.
“Add the Macan into the mix and it’s not difficult to see why our team and our dealers are excited about the future.”
2013 Porsche pricing (plus on-road costs):
| Old price | New price | Price cut | |
| Boxster | $107,000 | $101,500 | $5500 |
| Boxster S | $133,300 | $125,600 | $6800 |
| Cayman | $115,500 | $107,100 | $8400 |
| Cayman S | $150,400 | $139,900 | $10,500 |
| 911 Carrera Coupe | $229,400 | $206,500 | $22,900 |
| 911 Carrera S Coupe | $262,600 | $243,100 | $19,500 |
| 911 Carrera Cabriolet | $254,600 | $228,900 | $25,700 |
| 911 Carrera S Cabriolet | $287,800 | $266,200 | $21,600 |
| 911 Carrera 4 Coupe | $255,400 | $222,200 | $33,200 |
| 911 Carrera 4S Coupe | $289,400 | $258,800 | $30,600 |
| 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet | $280,900 | $244,600 | $36,300 |
| 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet | $315,000 | $281,900 | $33,100 |
| Cayenne | $109,400 | $100,200 | $9200 |
| Cayenne Diesel | $110,400 | $101,100 | $9300 |
| Cayenne S | $151,900 | $139,000 | $12,900 |
| Cayenne S Diesel | $155,500 | $142,300 | $13,200 |
| Cayenne S Hybrid | $164,400 | $150,400 | $14,000 |
| Cayenne GTS | $164,400 | $150,400 | $14,000 |
| Cayenne Turbo | $247,500 | $222,100 | $25,400 |
| Cayenne Turbo S | $294,000 | $259,600 | $34,400 |
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Written byMarton Pettendy
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalists
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