As one of the world’s most iconic luxury car brands, Porsche attracts ‘enthusiasts and fans’ with a passion for design, performance and the highest quality exclusive product.
In Qatar and the Middle East, many of these enthusiasts and luxury sports car lovers make patronage for newly-launched or classic cars remain at a high percentage.
“If you look at the Porsche world, and I narrow it down to the Middle East, there are a lot of car enthusiasts. In Qatar, it’s the same thing — probably even more than the rest of the Middle East,” CEO of Porsche Middle East and Africa, Dr Manfred Bräunl, told The Peninsula in an exclusive interview.
From left: Salman Jassem Al Darwish, CEO Porsche Centre Doha, Dr Manfred Bräunl, CEO Porsche Middle East and Africa, and Ahed Dawood, Brand Manager Porsche Centre Doha, during the launch at GIMS Qatar on Friday.
“I have talked to many customers and fans of the brand, and you can already feel the enthusiasm people are bringing here to Porsche. Qatar really has lovers of sports and luxury sports cars, so we always have great responses when we launch new models and do events here. Porsche probably does not have customers — Porsche has fans and enthusiasts, which distinguishes us a bit. Whether you own a Porsche or not, I think these fans and enthusiasts are as important to us as anybody else,” Dr. Bräunl, who is in Qatar for the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS), added.
Porsche, marking its 75th anniversary, launched the fully electric Mission X Hypercar, which Dr. Bräunl said has not been decided whether it would be commercially built. Besides, the brand also presented a new model of the 911 ST to mark 60 years of the 911 based on the GT3 RS with 525 horsepower, stick shift, touring package and lightweight. Only 1,963 of the limited edition models have been made to commemorate the car’s birth year.
“It continues a tradition for the 911 of launching a new model every 10 years,” Dr. Bräunl added.
Porsche also presented the Taycan fully electric, which Dr. Bräunl said: “is doing very well in the region.” The car ignites the feeling of a pure Porsche when driven, Dr. Bräunl stressed.
Meanwhile, the Porsche executive added that the 75th anniversary of the luxury brand themed ‘Driven by Dreams’ would be celebrated on November 25-26 in its now popular ‘Icons of Porsche’ event. Last year, the event attracted around 15,000 guests over two days, and Dr. Bräunl noted that more fans are expected in next month’s edition.
“It’s a big festival. This year we’re going to have even more people because it has become more popular. We have a world premiere for the first time in the Middle East with the new Panamera, which will be launched. So, we are looking forward to this,” he added.
“We are going to have most likely more than a thousand Porsches there again this year to just share this passion about the brand and its 75 years existence.”
On presence in the Middle East, Dr. Bräunl said the brand has enjoyed significant growth in recent years. In 2021, Porsche delivered 6,841 sports cars across the region marking a 10% increase compared to the previous year and the second highest retail results in the past seven years. Last year, sales grew by another 20%, according to Dr. Bräunl.
“We had a very good growth rate last year. We always talk about what we have achieved, not what we might achieve. So last year we grew Porsche, Middle East and Africa by 20%, which is very significant. We will also have, I assume, a good year this year.”
Speaking about the GIMS Qatar, Dr. Bräunl said, “It’s great to be here at the first Geneva Motor Show in Doha. I have been in the automotive industry for a few years and I have been to the Geneva Motor Show in Geneva and always enjoyed it there. To see that this is coming here; I think is a great experience.”
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