Luxury sports carmaker Porsche is banking on its new product offerings to help it maintain sales at previous year's level amid a slowdown in the country, according to a senior company official. Porsche, which is set to launch its Cayenne Coupe model in India on Friday, has relied heavily on the Cayenne range to maintain its sales at a "stable" level this year. "Some of the new brands are selling very well (in India). It tells that while the market is stagnant or reducing, people are appreciating newer offerings," Porsche India Director Pavan Shetty told PTI when asked how the slowdown in Indian auto industry has impacted the company's sales.
Citing the company's own case, he said since the third generation (E3) of Cayenne, Porsche's flagship range in India, was launched in October last year the company is delivering "one car every two days". "The Cayenne sells at a price point of Rs 1.18 crore. At that price point we have been selling one car every two days," Shetty claimed. The company had also launched its compact SUV Macan priced at Rs 69.98 lakh in July.
When asked about the sales prospects of this year, he said, "With new cars coming in our portfolio is fresh. This helps sales remain stable compared to last year. While the market would see a drop we would at least try to remain stable (selling the same as last year). The new products are helping in that direction," Shetty said. Last year, the company sold 348 units in India.
Commenting on the upcoming Cayenne Coupe, he said the vehicle has the looks of a sports car with the performance of an SUV. "Performance has improved by 0.2 seconds. Earlier the Cayenne turbo did 0-100 kmph in 4.1 seconds and now it does in 3.9 seconds," he said. Stating that the Cayenne range is the most popular model for Porsche in India since inception, he said, "With the new one (Coupe) coming in, there would be a wider choice for the customer, some might shift. This variant will, of course, be more expensive but it also attracts a few people who want an SUV."
Shetty said Cayenne is suited for the kind of infrastructure prevalent in India due to its higher ground clearance. The Cayenne Coupe, he said is more like a sports car with higher ground clearance and with the aesthetics of a coupe. "It has an active spoiler which gets deployed at speeds beyond 70kmph and retracts when it comes at a lower speed. It is a great sports car with high ground clearance," Shetty claimed. Porsche will be launching its electric car Taycan in India by the end of May 2020.
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