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The Porsche Experience Centre (PEC) Sepang enjoyed its most successful year ever in 2018 with an unprecedented number of track days as well as a record number of participants coming through its doors. From 41 track days, PEC Sepang welcomed 668 participants and more than 800 visitors, making the facility the main hub for the Porsche Experience in Southeast Asia.

The Porsche World Road Show (PWRS) kicked off the year, followed by the regional media launch of the Cayenne. Various Track Experiences took place thereafter, including the Media Driving Academy where Porsche invested in sharpening the driving skills of journalists. However, the highlight events for the PEC Sepang were the Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR and the 911 GT3 Cup Car trainings, which were born from a desire to further develop motorsport in the region, in response to the strong demand from enthusiasts. The 911 GT3 Cup Car training in particular was held for the first time in Southeast Asia.

 

The year wrapped up with the inaugural E-Performance Nights media event that took advantage of the night lights of the Sepang International Circuit. With this event, the PEC Sepang made history as the first Porsche Experience location operating for nearly 24 hours in a day. At this highly unique event, the PEC Sepang also collaborated with Samsung Electronics for the very first time, showcasing the state-of-the-art Samsung LED for Home (IF1.2) display, Flip, 65” UHD Smart Signage and a 49″ Curved Monitor to both media and customers for a better viewing and video analysis experience.

For all of these events, the most impressive PEC Sepang car pool ever was employed, which included cars as varied and exciting as the 911 Carrera T, 911 GT3, 718 Boxster GTS, Cayenne Turbo, Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid and 918 Spyder.

Marc Beil, Marketing Event Manager at Porsche Asia Pacific, who is also responsible for the day-to-day operations of the PEC Sepang, said: “It has been a packed year but we have enjoyed every single moment at the PEC Sepang, especially how we have found and harnessed the talent of motorsport enthusiasts to have the Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR and the 911 GT3 Cup Car trainings the first time in Southeast Asia. I would like to say a big thank you to all of the participants – fans, customers, Porsche Club members and journalists alike – who have contributed to the most successful year ever for us. I am looking forward to an even greater 2019 with more fantastic Porsche Experience events and a brand new fleet of high-performance Porsche vehicles. I would encourage anybody who has not joined us yet at PEC Sepang to get in touch, as our slots run out really quickly.” 

Making another wish come true at the PEC Sepang
Besides its everyday business, the PEC Sepang also showed its softer side by delivering the ultimate dream for a wish child in collaboration with Make-A-Wish® Malaysia. This was another milestone in a series of successful collaborations with Make-A-Wish® in Singapore and Thailand.

Yogan, an 11-year old diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, has a great fascination for fast cars, and shares a collection of toy racing cars with his younger brother. Yogan’s ultimate wish is to meet Superman, and to fly alongside with his superhero while fighting crime and upholding justice in society. Although this momentous meeting was delayed due to Superman’s busy schedule saving the world, the thrill of zooming around a racetrack in a Porsche was the closest experience possible to Yogan’s dream.

One of Superman’s abilities is that he is faster than a speeding bullet; thus, the Porsche 911 Turbo S with 580 hp and a 0-100 km/h acceleration of merely 2.9 seconds was the perfect car to deliver a thrilling ride around the Sepang International Circuit for Yogan, with Porsche Works Driver Earl Bamber behind the wheel.

Yogan spent a wonderful afternoon sharing his passion for cars with Earl Bamber, who piloted the Porsche 919 Hybrid to victory in Le Mans 2015 and again in 2017. Like Yogan, who is bravely fighting his disease against all odds, Earl’s meteoric achievements also belies his humble beginnings growing up on a farm on North Island, New Zealand.

Set for further growth in 2019
In 2019, the PEC Sepang is set to offer more premium events, including the Track Experience and the Porsche Motorsport GT Day that offer money-can’t-buy experiences with rarefied sports cars like the 911 GT3 Cup and the 911 GT3 RS. Supporting this, it will boast a brand new fleet of Porsche vehicles that will include legends such as the 911 GT3 RS and the new 911, introduced just recently in its World Premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

One significant role that the PEC Sepang will play is being an E-Performance competence centre, focusing on the increasing electrification of the Porsche model range. Besides plug-in hybrid Porsche vehicles which are already available in the market, such as the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, the fully-electric Taycan will make its debut in the region in the beginning of 2020.

For more information and to register your interest for PEC Sepang experiences, please visit the website here: www.porsche.com/experienceAPAC

The second electric Porsche from Zuffenhausen is going into series production! At a meeting on 18 October, the Supervisory Board of Porsche AG gave the green light for series production of the concept study Mission E Cross Turismo. The sports car manufacturer will create 300 additional jobs at its headquarters in Zuffenhausen for production of the vehicle, which was presented at the Geneva Motor Show 2018.

The road-ready concept study Mission E Cross Turismo was a highlight in Geneva and was well received by both visitors to the show and the media. The four-door Cross Turismo has an 800-volt architecture and is prepared for connection to the fast charging network. It has a system output of 600 hp and a range of 500 km (NEDC). The vehicle is a derivative of the Taycan.

The first purely electric Porsche will be launched on the market in 2019. The introduction of the Taycan is generating 1,200 new jobs in Zuffenhausen. Great importance is attached to sustainability in production, which will therefore be carbon-neutral. Porsche plans to invest more than 6 billion euros in electromobility by 2022.

Thanks to a strong third quarter, Porsche AG once again increased its operating result, revenue, deliveries and number of employees in the first nine months of 2018. The operating result compared with the same period in the previous year grew by around 11 per cent to 3.3 billion euros, with revenue increasing by 12 per cent to 19.1 billion euros. The return on sales was 17.4 percent. Deliveries grew by six percent, with the company handing over 196,562 vehicles to customers by the end of September. The workforce grew around eight per cent to reach 31,753 employees.

“The Panamera and our icon, the 911, enjoyed a particularly noticeable increase in demand,” says Oliver Blume, CEO of Porsche AG (above). “Behind all of this is our strong workforce, which is expanding towards a record level of 32,000 total employees. Around a quarter of the 1,200 jobs for our first purely electric sports car, the Taycan, have already been filled. Now that the Supervisory Board has given the green light for the Taycan Cross Turismo – the series-production version of our second electric sports car – we plan to take on an additional 300 people,” adds Blume.

According to Lutz Meschke, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board and Member of the Executive Board, Finance and IT at Porsche (above), the result for the third quarter is attributable in particular to positive mix effects and increased volume. A negative impact was caused by unfavourable currency fluctuations and high investments in electrification, as well as the development of new business fields.

“This result gives us momentum for the year-end sprint, which will be very challenging for us,” says Meschke. “In addition to economic and political uncertainties, we also have to deal with the changeover to the new WLTP test cycle and gasoline particulate filters, as well as the farewell to diesel.” The new emissions legislation has been in force in Europe since 1 September. As part of the changeover, the new models will be introduced in stages, resulting in a temporary restriction of the product range.

Porsche recorded particularly strong growth in deliveries in Europe in the first nine months of 2018, with an increase of nine percent to 66,551 units. Overall, the sports car manufacturer increased deliveries by six percent to 196,562 vehicles. In Germany alone, deliveries increased by 13 percent to 24,709 vehicles. Growth in China, the largest single market of Porsche, was also up four percent with 56,254 vehicles delivered.

In terms of the model ranges, the Panamera showed the largest percentage increase: up to the end of September, deliveries of the four-door sports car increased by 60 percent. In Europe, more than 60 percent of these vehicles were equipped with a plug-in hybrid drive. The 911 also saw double-digit growth with an increase of 19 percent. The highest-volume model ranges remain the Macan with 68,050 delivered vehicles and the Cayenne with 49,715 units.

Porsche expects deliveries for 2018 as a whole to reach the record level of the previous year again; in 2017, the sports car manufacturer delivered 246,375 vehicles to customers. Despite the major challenges in the fourth quarter, the company expects an increase in revenue for the 2018 fiscal year compared with the previous year due to improved mix effects. The aim is to achieve a stable operating result compared with the previous year. The strategic goal of an operating return on sales of 15 percent remains unchanged.

Positive development over the course of the year: Porsche AG increased its vehicle deliveries by six percent to 196,562 vehicles in the first nine months of 2018. The performance of the Sports Car manufacturer was particularly strong in Europe: the growth here was 9% to 66,551 units. In Germany alone, deliveries increased by 13 percent to 24,709 vehicles. Growth in China, the largest single market of Porsche, was also four percent with 56,254 vehicles delivered. In the model ranges, the Panamera showed the largest percentage increase: up to the end of September, deliveries of the four-door Sports Car increased by 60 percent. The 911 also saw double-digit growth with a plus of 19 percent. The highest-volume model ranges remain the Macan (see below) with 68,050 delivered vehicles and the Cayenne with 49,715 units.

“In Germany and Europe overall, our attractive product range meant that we were very well positioned to meet the strong demand for our Sports Cars in the first nine months,” says Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board for Sales and Marketing. “We are also extremely satisfied with our growth rates in the USA and China. There are a number of significant challenges that await us in the fourth quarter, and we will take proactive steps to ensure that we face up to them successfully. This includes the changeover to the new WLTP test cycle and petrol particulate filters and the farewell to diesel engines,” says von Platen.

The new emissions legislation has been in force in Europe since 1st September. The launch of new models will be staggered after the changeover. At Porsche, this will start with models from the two-door 911 and 718 Sports Car series as well as the new Macan (above & below), which was presented at the Paris Motor Show last week. Porsche has not had any diesel models in its product range since the middle of February 2018. At the end of September, the Executive Board took the final decision to no longer offer any diesel-powered vehicles in future.

At the same time, Porsche is experiencing a great increase in customer interest in hybrid models. For example, more than 60 percent of vehicles from the Panamera model range were delivered with plug-in hybrid drive in Europe. In spite of the challenges, Detlev von Platen, the Member of the Executive Board responsible for Sales, assumes that Porsche will again achieve the record of last year when 246,375 vehicles were delivered to customers.

PORSCHE AG
Vehicle deliveries
January – September
2017 2018 Difference (%)
World 185,898 196,562 +6%
Europe 60,838 66,551 +9%
Germany 21,880 24,709 +13%
America 50,386 52,417 +4%
USA 41,237 42,626 +3%
Asia-Pacific, Africa
and Middle East
74,674 77,594 +4%
China 54,090 56,254 +4%

 

 

VIDEO on the new Porsche Macan…

 

Porsche Classic has built a highly desirable collector’s item: the last 911 Turbo with an air-cooled engine – 20 years after the end of series production. The design of the 993-generation 911 Turbo is based on an original body-shell, and the vehicle’s appearance is just as unique as its history: Painted in Golden Yellow Metallic, it references the 2018 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series. The black wheels are highlighted by Golden Yellow design accents, while the seats and interior trim are finished in black with Golden Yellow details. Check out the video below!

The bodyshell features the characteristic side air intakes of the 993 Turbo S that were also available as an option for the regular 911 Turbo in 1998. Developing 450 horsepower, the classic sports car will celebrate its world premiere at the Porsche Rennsport Reunion in Laguna Seca (USA) on September 27, 2018. The collector’s item, which is limited to use on private tracks, will then be auctioned off by RM Sotheby’s at the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta on October 27, 2018. The proceeds will be donated to the Ferry Porsche Foundation, a non-profit organization established this year to mark the “70 years of Porsche sports cars” celebrations.

“Project Gold” showcases the comprehensive skill of Porsche Classic in fascinating fashion”, says Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board responsible for Sales and Marketing at Porsche AG. “This project clearly demonstrates our strategic approach. Although we are starting a new chapter in our sports car history with the Porsche Taycan, the story of how the company evolved is no less significant. On the contrary, this Golden Yellow 993 demonstrates how incredibly passionate we are about the tradition of our brand.”

“Project Gold” represents Porsche Classic’s spectacular contribution to the “70 years of Porsche sports cars” celebrations: With this anniversary in mind as well as the forthcoming market launch of the Taycan as the first purely electric Porsche sports car, the experts at Porsche Classic came up with the idea of constructing a completely new vehicle based on an existing genuine type 993 body-shell, showcasing both tradition and innovation. The experts were able to rely on a selection of over 6,500 genuine parts that Porsche Classic offers exclusively for 993 generation models. Overall, the Classic division currently stocks some 52,000 parts, which can be sourced via Porsche Classic Partners and Porsche Centers around the globe to repair and restore classic Porsche cars.

Construction of the unique vehicle took approximately one and a half years. The bodyshell was first put through the corrosion protection and painting process applied to today’s series-production vehicles. The collector’s item was then assembled and tuned by Porsche Classic specialists at the Porsche restoration workshop in Stuttgart. A brand new 3.6-liter twin-turbo flat-six engine developing 450 hp was installed, delivering the performance the vehicle originally had when it was in production. The manual transmission and all-wheel drive were also sourced from the Porsche Classic range of genuine parts. The hand-stamped chassis number follows the last series-production model of the 993 Turbo which rolled off the production line in 1998.

The exterior and interior elements were coordinated with the workshop’s dedicated Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur experts who were responsible for creating the 2018 911 Turbo S Exclusive series, which was limited to 500 units worldwide. To complement these elements, the designers at Style Porsche worked on the color gradients and positioning of badges as well as other interior details.

The 993 remains a sought-after collector’s item to this day, and is considered a particularly sophisticated and reliable vehicle. It was the first 911 to feature a redesigned aluminium chassis, giving it exceptional agility at the time. The 911 Turbo version of the 993 was also the first to have a twin-turbo engine, making it the lowest-emission standard automotive powertrain in the world in 1995.

The front section is lower-slung than on the earlier 911 models, thanks to a switch from round to poly ellipsoidal headlights. Hollow-spoke aluminum wheels, a first for any car with aluminum wheels, were another innovation of the all-wheel drive 911 Turbo version. Only 345 units of the 911 Turbo S with its 450 hp performance-enhanced engine were built.

Due to the ever increasing sophistication of automotive technology, car thieves have had to resort to more ingenious methods to circumvent newer security systems. A background in electronics and wiring are now part of the job requirements for any successful car thief.

Gone are the days when a car jacking was attempted by petty criminals armed with a screwdriver and a pair of pliers. Nowadays, they are equipped with laptops and cutting-edge hacking tools to breakdown a car’s security system.

Such was the case for a repair shop in Birmingham, where thieves broke in and stole a number of cars, including a Porsche 911 that costs £100,000 (RM549,788). After some initial tampering with the cars’ systems, they managed to drive the vehicles from the centre to a dump site not very far away.

There, they got to work at removing the telematics devices and number plates, rendering said vehicles, virtually untraceable by authorities. CCTV evidence that was gathered captured the crime, from the breaking and entering of the repair shop, to the cars driving into the dump site.

These thieves were able to perfectly conceal the identity and location of all the vehicles that were taken with the exception of the 911. See, this particular car, was equipped with another covert device from a company called Asset Protection Unit or (APU). This tracking device was hidden well enough that nobody was aware of its presence.

Once the vehicle was reported stolen, APU was able to track the vehicle’s data and relay it back to the authorities. The Porsche was found in a hotel parking lot in Coventry just two days later. Unfortunately, the culprits have yet to be apprehended. But APU is working with law inforcement to identify the suspects.

Incidents such as these are symptoms of an underfunded police force that lacks the manpower needed to keep its streets safe. In fact, 40 police forces in England and Wales recently revealing that car theft was up 30% from 2013, the theft also represents a case-study of how criminals are finding such success on UK roads.

Neil Thomas, Director of Investigation at Asset Protection Unit Ltd, said, “This latest incident is worrying evidence of thieves becoming increasingly savvy. When organised gangs of thieves go to these lengths it can make tracking and recovering the vehicles almost impossible.”

APU’s services are currently being employed by police forces and insurance companies in the UK to compensate for their lack of resources and skills. This knowledge can be used to interrogate telematics data and package it into usable evidence in court.

This way, the good guys still have a fighting chance of getting the better of the baddies who are becoming increasingly more crafty with each passing year.

Silverstone Auctions is collaborating with the world’s biggest car club, Porsche Club GB, for an event that will see 59 of the finest Porsche vehicles roll onto the auction floor, which is sure to garner quite a bit of attention.

These vehicles range from an entry-level 2003 Porsche 911 (996) Carrera 2 Tiptronic, right up to a prestine 1998 Porsche 911 (993) Turbo S. That said, out of the 59 cars, 3 of them a little more special then the rest and should fetch a significant amount of money over the reserve price.

First off is the Turbo S, which is 1 of 26 built in right-hand drive, and is considered one of the most desirable and powerful version of the 993 generation. estimated at £245,000 – £285,000, (RM1,372,478 to RM1,596,556) it features one of the last of the air-cooled generation engines, the car boasts 450bhp , Ocean blue body colour with a grey leather and carbon-fibre clad interior.

The second car, is a 1985 Porsche 911 (930) Turbo SE that is owned by Glenn Tipton, lead guitarist of the legendary rock band, Judas Priest. He has owned the car since new and happens to be very fond of it. In fact, this was the very car that was the inspiration for the platinum-selling album ‘Turbo’, and the hit single ‘Turbo Lover’, both penned by Tipton.

Despite his fondness for it, Tipton has decided to sell his prized possession and probably move on to something else. The car has an estimated value of between £180,000 – £220,000 (RM1,008,351 to RM1,232,430) and should fetch a similar figure at auction.

Lastly, one of the rarest cars at Silverstone, is a 1992 Porsche 911 (964) RS Touring. It is one of six UK-supplied cars that are in right-hand drive and has a black body colour as well as a black interior. It is an extremely desirable vehicle that has been featured in several specialist magazines and road tests, estimated value is between £185,000 – £210,000 (RM1,036,361 to RM1,176,410).

Silverstone Auctions will take place on the 21st of October and will see 59 Porsche cars roll on and off the auction floor with substantial money changing hands as they are are sold to their new owners.

Porsche North America has issued a statement regarding the recall of Cayenne vehicles built between 2003-2006. The reason for the recall is due to an issue pertaining to the fuel pump filter. The automaker has found that, overtime and extended usage, hairline cracks could develop on the flange of the fuel pump filter of affected vehicles.

If this does happen, a ‘very small quantity’ of fuel could seep through these cracks, which can cause a noticeable fuel odour. Though the automaker is playing down the issue, when problems regarding fuel seepage arises, they shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Porsche’s remedy for the problem is to have an authorized dealer replace the fuel pump filter flange at no cost to owners. The procedure should take approximately one and a half hours to complete, which means that inconvenience to Cayenne customers should be kept at a minimum.

So far, the German automaker has identified that 50,145 Cayenne vehicles are affected by the recall in North America. It is treating the rectification process as a ‘voluntary recall’, meaning that the issue isn’t of immediate concern to Cayenne owners.

That said, this problem seems to be isolated to the North American market. As for now, vehicles sold in other parts of the world don’t seem to have inherited this defect. Vehicles built in that part of the world, rarely share similar parts or suppliers with identical models sold in other markets.

Though many consider it as a point against Porsche’s Quality Control procedures, this goes to show that customer satisfaction is a priority for Porsche. Unlike some automakers, the company isn’t fully focused on sales profit, instead, it is still concerned with the safety of customers who have older models and are content with keeping them.

A rare and unassuming 1992 Porsche 911 (964) RS Touring will be one of the first cars to grace the Silverstone Auctions Porsche Sale taking place at the Wing, Silverstone on 21st October. Only 11 such cars have ever been made, fewer still that are in right-hand-drive.

Porsche started selling the car to customers as a way to homologate the model for the Porsche Carrera Cup race series. Customers could choose between two different variants, namely the Sport and Touring. Though lighter and more bare-bones than the Touring, the Sport wasn’t as appealing to many customers.

It’s punishing ride quality and stripped out interior wasn’t to everyone’s tastes. Rather, the Touring variant with its more refined equipment, sound proofing and creature comforts similar to that in the Carrera, made it the favoured choice.

Compared to the standard 964, the RS Touring had a blueprinted 3600cc air-cooled engine, lowered and stiffened suspension, ‘Uniball’ top strut mounts, strengthened engine and gearbox mounts, and uprated brakes.

Though fewer weight saving measures were carried out on the RS Touring compared to the Sport, the former still managed to be lighter than the standard 964. Porsche worked on the engine by re-chipping the engine management system and fitting a lighter, single mass flywheel.

Though the improvements only added 10bhp to the overall performance, the engine’s torque was significantly higher than that found in the standard car. As such, it’s a nimble sports car that is able to hold its own on racetracks.

The RS Touring that is up for sale sports a black body colour, black interior, sports leather seats with triple colour inlays, tinted windscreen and a sunroof, as well as unique magnesium 17-inch wheels rims and low-profile Michelin N3 tyres.

Earlier on, certain performance upgrades were carried out on the car by JZ in King’s Langley, which included a “de-cat system and Supply and fit performance chip.” As a result, power is now rated at 279 bhp at 5909 rpm.

“This is a very special Porsche, the rarest of the rare,” declares Guy Lees-Milne, general manager of Silverstone Auctions. “These cars are actively sought after by serious Porsche collectors all over the world, and this is a truly superb example.”

Current estimates peg the asking price for this particular 964 RS Touring at £185,000 (RM1,048,211) – £210,000 (RM1,189,861), which is a significant amount of money for that has not isn’t really a classic Porsche. If you would like to know more about this or the auction, please visit www.silverstoneauctions.com

Porsche has made it known that it is mulling over the idea of joining Formula 1 as an engine supplier for the 2021 season. The news was reported by Autosport where it mentioned that changes to engine regulations for that time, will allow the automaker to step in.

The article also reported that, Lutz Meschke, deputy chairman of Porsche’s executive board and member of the board for finances and IT, met with a number of key people in the Formula 1 fraternity.

His meeting was with Ross Brawn and a number F1 boses at the Italian Grand Prix to help gauge the feasibility of getting involved this late in the game. Porsche has not been directly involved in F1 since the early 1990s but has played a smaller roll in the sport.

This decision to participate was probably due to the F1 governing body moving to simpler and more affordable engines for the start of the 2021 season. Cost is a serious concern for less established teams, which means the new ruling could be beneficial to all.

The Stuttgart based automaker will be pulling out of the LMP1 class of the World Endurance Championship at the end of 2017 citing poor return on investment. It will however, have a works team in Formula E for the 2019/2020 season.

At the moment, Porsche has no plans to field a works team in F1, rather it will be content with supplying engines to teams who are looking for a business partner that will allow them to remain competitive.

Teams like Williams and Red Bull are considered potential customers for Porsche but nothing has been set in stone as yet. Though this may seem like exciting news, the automaker hasn’t given a definite answer of its involvement in the sport.

Source: Autosport

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