[INTERVIEW] ‘Personalized Porsches' will wow Korean clients, says board member

Industry

Published: 26 Nov. 2023, 15:54

[INTERVIEW] ‘Personalized Porsches' will wow Korean clients, says board member

Detlev von Platen, right, member of the executive board for sales and market at Porsche AG, and Alexander Fabig, head of Individualization and Classic at Porsche, talk during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on Saturday on the sidelines of the German luxury carmaker’s unveiling of the newest Panamera held in Shanghai, China. [SARAH CHEA]

SHANGHAI — The newest Panamera is the car that reflects all the needs of Korean customers, says Detlev von Platen, member of the executive board for sales and market at Porsche AG.

“Korea is a very important market for Porsche, and especially for Panamera,” von Platen said on Saturday during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on the sidelines of the German luxury carmaker’s unveiling of the newest Panamera held in Shanghai, China.

“Korean customers are distinguished with their high demand for personalization.”

Porsche AG has a total of seven board members and von Platen is one of them.

Detlev von Platen, member of the executive board for sales and market at Porsche AG. [PORSCHE KOREA]

The Shanghai event was accompanied by an extraordinary surprise — a one-of-a-kind Turbo model — which comes under the project of Sonderwunsch, translating to "special request" in German.

“The Panamera Turbo Sonderwunsch shows how flexibly and precisely Porsche can fulfill wishes as a vision of a customer’s dream,” von Platen said. “This one-off car will inspire people to make their own very personal dream of a highly individual Panamera a reality.”

The competition in the auto market is intensifying, and Porsche is offering “personalization” as the answer.

“About 80 percent of Porsche Panamera owners have at least one exclusive personalization factor,” von Platen said. “And impressively, among Korean owners, 96 percent have included at least one personalized feature in their Panameras.”

A total of 9,690 Porsche cars were delivered in Korea this year through the end of October, making it the fifth largest market in the world after China, Germany and the United States.

The newest Panamera, the first fully revamped version in seven years. [PORSCHE KOREA]

In terms of Panamera sales, Korea is the No. 4 market.

The executive board member also hinted at opening a Porsche Experience Driving Center in Korea. Porsche has a total of nine driving centers all over the world, which come with a racing track and various different programs that allow drivers to experience the car’s dynamic driving.

“We are looking for a location in Korea,” he said, “Though it is too early to discuss the timing.”

Porsche recently opened a driving center in Tokyo. Shanghai has one, while Singapore will have one soon.

“On top of the popularity of classic cars, we are aware that Korean customers’ demand for motor sports is growing,” von Platen said. “The popularity of GT models proves it.”

When asked about customer concerns that personalized Porsches lose price competitiveness when reselling them, the executive said it actually increases residual value.

“Personalized Porsches are unique, and we make life cars for customers,” von Platen said.

The Sonderwunsch program received the spotlight in Korea last year when the German automaker developed a customized Taycan 4S Cross Turismo just for Jennie, a member of the K-pop girl group Blackpink.

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]