Porsche unveils flagship GTS variants of Boxster, Cayman in Auto China 2014

Beijing, China—It’s amazing what three seemingly innocuous letters can do. Porsches are fast and special cars. But add the letters “G-T-S” as a suffix to a Porsche model name and it absolutely transforms the car. Not only does it instantly become a rare and collectible model, it also morphs into the fastest and most powerful Porsche in that model range.

At the ongoing Auto China 2014 held in this Chinese capital, Porsche is celebrating the endowment of those three special letters to its roadster and coupe models, which will now be called the Boxster GTS and the Cayman GTS, which make their world debut

Along with the two new flagship mid-engine sports cars, four other exclusive new Porsches for the Chinese market are making their debut, including three Gran Turismo models: the Panamera Executive and Panamera 4 Executive with long wheelbase as well as the Panamera 4S Sport Edition.

A very fuel-efficient base model of the Macan – the new compact SUV from Porsche – with a four-cylinder engine – will launch on the Chinese market. The sporty Porsche show presence in Beijing is rounded out by two new race cars, the 919 Hybrid endurance racer and the 911 RSR, as well as the 918 Spyder super sports car. 

The Boxster GTS and the Cayman GTS assume the top positions among the mid-engine roadsters and sport coupés. Each has the most powerful engine of its respective model series as well as the adaptive PASM chassis and very dynamic exterior styling. Their world premiere in Beijing is a testament to Porsche’s commitment to build up and extend sports car culture in China—and it is being rewarded by strong growth rates.

In 2013, the number of 911 deliveries grew by nearly 50 percent to 1,418 vehicles. At 2,603 units, over twice as many Cayman vehicles were delivered to customers as in the previous year. Porsche customers in China represent an exceptionally young sports car customer group: nearly 30 percent of all 911 drivers are under 30 years of age, and around 28 percent more are between 30 and 40. In the case of the Boxster and Cayman, one-third of customers are under 30, and 32 per cent are in the 30 to 40 age group. 

Porsche’s two strongest and fastest mid-engine sports cars are now the new sporty benchmarks in their segments with power-boosted engines and an excellent PASM chassis.

The independent front-end styling and a modified rear body, smoked bi-xenon headlights – with the Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS) as standard – and the exterior badges in silky gloss black make an understated but clear statement that these are the new top models. The name says it all: at Porsche “GTS” stands for Gran Turismo Sport and has always delivered outstanding Porsche performance ever since the legendary 904 Carrera GTS street-legal race car of 1963. In the 1980s and 1990s, the 924 GTS and 928 GTS cultivated this principle. It was reborn in 2007 in the form of the Cayenne GTS, and was subsequently also implemented in the 911 series and the Panamera. Porsche is renewing its commitment to authentic sports cars for the race track and everyday driving with the new two-seaters.

The Boxster GTS and Cayman GTS combine top dynamic performance with the typical Porsche spread of undiminished ride comfort and exclusive features. For instance, the standard PASM and Sport Chrono package combine to let drivers switch between progressive sportiness and long touring comfort at the push of a button. The 235/35 front tires and 265/35 rear tires on 20-inch-wheels in Carrera S design provide the perfect setup for both driving modes. Both two-seaters also come with sports seats Plus and leather interior as standard. Like in the other GTS models from Porsche they are refined with suede-like Alcantara elements.

New entry-level compact SUV Macan variant

After launches of the Macan S, Macan S Diesel and Macan Turbo models, the introduction of the Macan represents a logical extension of the Porsche model line-up, positioning an efficient entry-level model on the Chinese market. The Macan is powered by an inline 2.0-liter, 237hp four-cylinder petrol engine with turbocharging. Standard Macan features are nearly identical to those that are standard in the S models. 

New Panamera variant

One year after the premiere of the Panamera S and Panamera 4S, also at the Auto China, which featured 3.0-liter V6 engines and twin-turbocharging, Porsche is adding versions that have a long wheelbase to the model range. The third new product in the Gran Turismo program for China is the Panamera 4S Sport Edition, which is largely based on the Panamera GTS. Powered by a 420 hp V6 bi-turbo engine and equipped with air suspension, Sport Chrono package and exclusive leather interior as standard, the Edition model is based on the sports car DNA of the Porsche Gran Turismo. With these three new products, Porsche is once again significantly expanding its already unrivalled breadth of models in its Gran Turismo series in China. 

Porsche in China—Accelerating sales growth

For Porsche, China is the second largest single market after the USA – and larger than its domestic market, Germany. The sports car manufacturer increased its sales in China by 20 percent in 2013 with a total of 37,425 delivered vehicles. In January 2014, the very positive trend continued with a significant growth of 29.2 percent compared to the previous year, reflecting over 4,000 vehicles sold to customers.

When Porsche began to actively develop the Chinese market in 2001 together with an importer, the brand was selling just 170 cars annually. Since then, Porsche has become a singular success story.

With 37,425 Porsches delivered in 2013, Greater China — which includes Hong Kong and Macau — is the second largest sales market for Porsche. Sustained strong growth in the first quarter and the launch of the compact Macan SUV indicate that China will further fortify its strong position along with the USA and Germany in 2014.

More than any other brand, Porsche is dominating the sports car market in Asia, which is still young, with extremely attractive sports qthe 911, Boxster and Cayman. Moreover, Porsche is also offering its customers a whole series of special events that let them test the brand’s promise and share in the special Porsche experience.

Since 2008, Porsche has bundled its sales activities in its wholly-owned subsidiary Porsche China Motors Ltd. For Matthias Müller, Chairman of Porsche AG, “Our continuous string of successes clearly reflects the incomparable passion that Chinese customers show for our brand and the ‘Engineered in Germany’ label.” Another reason for this is that Porsche has always been able to transfer the legend of the sports car brand to specific markets. Buyers in China have a very precise image of the brand. Matthias Müller: “Sportiness, engineering and motorsport – that is what we represent in the eyes of our customers.” WORDS AND PHOTOS BY Manny N. de los Reyes