Exciting times ahead for Porsche
It has been eight months since Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP) assumed control of the Porsche franchise in Malaysia, and in that interim, the company has fought aggressively to bring the latest and the best from Stuttgart to our streets at remarkably competitive prices.
As a result, not only are we getting a very complete line-up of Porsche vehicles official on sale in Malaysia, we are getting them at pretty good prices. Although a Boxster is still not exactly within reach of the middle-class wage earner, the pricing range of the Porsche line-up puts some of their models within reach of those looking at higher end offerings from Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
A good example is the BMW X5. Before insurance, the X5’s price starts at a shade under RM580k. The Porsche Cayenne goes for RM940k before road tax, insurance and registration, but that’s the top of the range Turbo version. If you are willing to settle for the 3.5 V6 petrol or the 3.0 V6 diesel variants, the sticker price on the windscreen goes below the X5 to RM550-560k. Changes your perspective a little, doesn’t it?
The good news does not end there though, unless you’ve just bought one of the following models. At a press conference held last Saturday evening, SDAP announced price reductions between RM30k and RM120k for certain Boxster, Cayman, 911 and Panamera models. Prices for the Cayenne are thus far maintained, which we suspect is due to the SUV being the brand’s best-selling model in our market.
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A point for potential buyers to note is that these low prices are possible due to the current weak state of the Euro. The Euro has been experiencing a massive drop against the ringgit this year, declining from an all-time high rate of EUR/MYR 5.20 to as low as EUR/MYR 3.90 at one stage. Current exchange rates stand at EUR/MYR 4.20 – 4.30, and if it goes back up to 4.50 and above, SDAP may be inclined to revise their prices upward as well.
It is a commonly accepted consensus that ownership of a Porsche is a money-draining exercise, and that does not end with the massive price tag. Tyres, for example, are likely to cost a bomb every time they go, and for a Porsche, they don’t go any smaller than 19 inches. However in the first four years of ownership of Porsches purchased from SDAP, tyres will be the only parts that will cost you as the company bundles in a 4-year free service and maintenance package with all new Porsche vehicles.
Porsches that entered our market via the back door, i.e. grey imports, are similarly offered access to SDAP’s after sales support via a ‘Grey Market Welcome Package’. Of course, as you would rightly expect, servicing your Porsche under this programme would not be nearly as cheap as those brought in by the official franchise holder.
For 2011, Porsche fans can expect the arrival of no less than 8 new Porsche models, which include the recently introduced 911 Carrera GTS and Cayman R along with the soon-to-be-introduced Panamera Hybrid.
