Tag Archives: Porsche

News

Porsche’s Electrified Surge: Macan Leads the Charge as Sales Stay Strong Amid Market Shifts

Porsche may be navigating a tougher global market in 2025, but its electric transformation is gaining serious traction. Between January and September, the Stuttgart automaker delivered 212,509 cars worldwide, with more than a third of them electrified — a jump of nearly 13 percentage points year over year. Fully electric models accounted for 23.1 percent of total deliveries, while plug-in hybrids made up 12.1 percent, pushing Porsche deeper into the EV lane while keeping a firm hand on its combustion heritage.

Macan Powers Ahead — and Goes Electric

The Macan is once again Porsche’s sales hero, with 64,783 units delivered in the first nine months — an 18 percent increase compared with 2024. What’s even more striking is that over half of those (55 percent) were fully electric. The new-generation Macan EV has clearly struck a chord, helping drive Porsche’s electrification rate in Europe to a remarkable 56 percent (including Germany).

The gasoline-powered Macan continues to sell in markets outside the EU — where stricter emissions and cybersecurity rules have slowed availability — showing that Porsche’s dual powertrain strategy is still paying off. The Cayenne, traditionally a strong performer, saw a 22 percent dip ahead of the debut of its fully electric version, which will be revealed later this year.

Regional Split: North America Takes the Lead

While total global sales dipped 6 percent from last year’s record-setting pace, North America now leads all regions with 64,446 deliveries, up 5 percent year over year. The Overseas and Emerging Markets also posted record figures with 43,090 vehicles, a 3 percent uptick and a new all-time high for those territories.

Europe saw softer numbers, down 4 percent overall, and Germany dropped 16 percent, partly due to limited availability of certain combustion models and a high comparison base from 2024. China, once Porsche’s growth engine, continues to struggle — down 26 percent — amid fierce competition and a cooling luxury market. Still, Porsche says it’s prioritizing value over volume and maintaining balanced sales across all key regions.

911 Still the Core, Taycan Slows, 718 Nears the End

Porsche’s 911 remains the brand’s emotional centerpiece, with 37,806 units delivered (down 5 percent), just as the company unveiled the new 911 Turbo S at the IAA Mobility show — a car that’s been met with strong demand and glowing reviews.

The 718 Boxster and Cayman are nearing the end of their combustion run, with 15,380 deliveries (down 15 percent) as production winds down ahead of the next-generation electric 718 lineup, set to arrive in 2026.

Meanwhile, the Taycan, Porsche’s first full EV, delivered 12,641 units, a 10 percent decrease as customers await the refreshed model and as Porsche shifts focus to the Macan EV and upcoming electric Cayenne.

The Panamera held steady at 21,243 units, proving that there’s still room in Porsche’s lineup for a luxury four-door with a hybrid punch.

Flexibility, Individualisation, and Value Over Volume

Despite global headwinds, Porsche executives remain optimistic. “Porsche continues to maintain robust delivery figures this year,” says Matthias Becker, Executive Board Member for Sales and Marketing. “The level is in line with our expectations, especially considering the ongoing geopolitical and economic conditions.”

Becker points to recent forward-looking product decisions that aim to balance EV momentum with customer flexibility. That means more hybrid options, continued combustion offerings where viable, and an expanded focus on individualisation — via Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur and the Sonderwunsch bespoke program, both of which are growing fast.

The Takeaway

Porsche’s 2025 story is one of controlled evolution rather than explosive expansion. The brand’s electrified portfolio is now a central pillar, led by the strong-performing Macan EV and supported by an upcoming wave of all-electric icons.

Even as total sales dip slightly, Porsche’s strategy is clear: value over volume, performance over compromise, and craftsmanship over conformity. For a company built on precision and passion, that feels exactly on brand.

Source: Porsche

News

Luftgekühlt 11: A Symphony of Air-Cooled Perfection in Carolina Sunshine

Durham, North Carolina, doesn’t usually echo with the sound of flat-sixes or the smell of vintage motor oil. But for one sun-soaked weekend, the historic American Tobacco Campus was transformed into Stuttgart-on-the-East-Coast as Luftgekühlt — the cult celebration of Porsche’s air-cooled icons — rolled into town for its 11th U.S. edition.

More than 400 Porsches and 9,200 attendees filled the brick-lined streets in a spectacle that felt less like a car show and more like an art installation. From concours-perfect 356s to battle-scarred 934s, the event was a masterclass in curation, nostalgia, and pure mechanical reverence.

“It’s like a weekend takeover,” said co-founder Patrick Long, former Porsche factory racer and the guiding spirit behind Luftgekühlt. “There are just Porsches as far as the eye can see.”

From Garage Dream to Global Phenomenon

What began as a modest gathering in Southern California has become a pilgrimage for Porsche faithful across the globe. Long’s original vision — to tell the story of the air-cooled era in a way that resonates beyond concours crowds — has grown into a cultural movement.

The eleventh edition marks another milestone: the first Luftgekühlt on the U.S. East Coast. Seven years in the making, the Durham venue brought new flavor to the brand’s visual storytelling philosophy. “It’s as if the venue is our canvas and the cars are the paintbrushes,” explained creative director Jeff Zwart, himself a Porsche racing legend and master storyteller behind the lens.

Together, Long and Zwart have turned the event into something uniquely emotional — an intersection of design, heritage, and personal connection that goes beyond the metal and rubber.

Racing Royalty and the Spirit of the 993

Headlining Luft 11 was the 30th anniversary of the 993-generation 911’s arrival in North America — the final chapter of Porsche’s air-cooled dynasty. Representing that golden era were everything from pristine 993 Carreras to the brutal 993 GT2s that once terrorized racetracks.

Among the standouts: the 911 GT2 driven by Tommy Kendall at Le Mans in 2000, and a 911 Supercup car once piloted to three wins in the 1995 season by Emmanuel Collard — now cherished by father-and-son duo McGrath and Leh Keen.

The event also brought together racing legends Bobby Rahal and Kendall, both serving as living links to Porsche’s competition history. Fans queued for autographs, stories, and selfies beside Rahal’s immaculately restored 1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS, courtesy of Gunnar Racing, which also brought along a wild 914 rally car and the one-off Gunnar Porsche 966, a 962-based creation from 1990.

East Coast Racing Heritage Takes the Stage

To mark its debut in Carolina, Luftgekühlt celebrated East Coast racing royalty with an extraordinary lineup. The Brumos Racing colors returned in force with two titans: the 1975 911 Carrera RSR that Peter Gregg and Hurley Haywood piloted to Daytona victory, and the 1985 Porsche 962 shared by Haywood and A.J. Foyt.

Holbert Racing — another legendary Pennsylvania outfit — was also honored through a beautifully presented 1976 Porsche 934, one of only 34 ever built and raced by Al Holbert himself. Each car stood not merely as a display piece but as a storytelling vessel — reminders of a time when courage, engineering, and endurance ruled the day.

Craft, Passion, and the Human Element

Running parallel to the main event, the Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge National Final took over the plaza outside the Durham Convention Center. A record 73 vehicles competed, showcasing the precision and artistry of Porsche technicians across America. From factory-fresh restorations to imaginative revivals, it was proof that craftsmanship is as alive as ever in the modern age.

But what truly sets Luftgekühlt apart is its human heartbeat. Beyond the museum-grade icons are the stories of enthusiasts — the young owner who rescued a rusted 912, the collector who still drives his 356 daily. Long describes this as “celebrating top to bottom all the different stories. If you have an authentic passion for air-cooled Porsches, it doesn’t matter how rare your car is.”

The Art of Storytelling on Four Wheels

At its core, Luftgekühlt remains more than an event — it’s a movement that bridges generations and disciplines. With every edition, Long and Zwart blur the line between car culture and fine art. Each venue becomes a stage, each Porsche a protagonist, and every photo a fragment of the broader Porsche mythos.

In Durham, under the warm Carolina light, those myths came to life once again — a chorus of flat-sixes singing a timeless refrain: mechanical beauty, human passion, and a shared love for the air-cooled soul.

Because in the world of Porsche, stories don’t just get told.
They get driven.

Source: Porsche

Restomod

Theon Design 911 Restomod Is a Masterclass in Air-Cooled Perfection

Singer may have lit the fuse on the modern Porsche 911 restomod movement, but the fire has spread far and wide. Across the Atlantic, a handful of British builders have emerged as serious players in this rarefied art form—and Theon Design is leading that charge. Its latest creation, the result of 18 painstaking months of craftsmanship, may just be the Oxfordshire firm’s finest work yet.

At the heart of this Ice Green Metallic masterpiece is a powerplant worthy of a standing ovation. Theon’s engineers have built an air-cooled, 3.8-liter flat-six that breathes through independent throttle bodies and spins out 407 horsepower at a stratospheric 7,600 rpm. Torque peaks at 293 lb-ft (397 Nm), delivered with the kind of immediacy that only individual throttle butterflies can provide.

Those numbers alone might not scare a modern 911 GT3, which enjoys a roughly 100-hp advantage, but the Theon weighs in at a featherweight 1,150 kilograms (2,535 pounds)—a staggering 312 kilos (688 pounds) lighter than the factory GT3. Add in a five-speed manual and rear-wheel drive, and you’ve got an old-school driving experience distilled to its purest form.

And then there’s the noise. Theon’s adjustable exhaust can whisper through the village or wail like a banshee on a Sunday blast, depending on your mood and proximity to the local constabulary. A semi-active TracTive suspension keeps the car composed no matter how pockmarked the road, while a built-in lift kit spares that sculpted nose from steep driveways and unkind speed bumps. Brakes are lifted straight from the 993-generation Carrera RS, and custom 18-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport rubber keep the classic silhouette planted and poised.

Every Theon begins as a bare-metal 911 shell. The company reworks and strengthens the chassis with fresh seam welding before clothing it in carbon fiber panels that mirror the original’s curves but shed precious weight. The result, finished here in a shimmering Ice Green Metallic with Polished Eclipse Chrome accents, looks as if it just rolled out of Stuttgart in a better alternate universe.

Inside, the craftsmanship borders on obsessive. Recaro CS seats with carbon fiber backs sit amid a sea of gray Alcantara and bespoke leather. The gauges are reimagined yet familiar, while a stealthy Alpine head unit feeds six Focal speakers—modern sound discreetly hidden in a cabin that still feels gloriously analog.

Of course, exclusivity like this doesn’t come cheap. Theon’s commissions start at £420,000 (about $564,000), and that’s before you even source the donor car. But for the lucky few, this is less about cost and more about curation—about owning a machine that captures the soul of the air-cooled 911 and reimagines it for the modern world.

Singer may have started the movement, but Theon Design proves the symphony of the classic 911 is far from over—and in the right hands, it might even sound better than ever.

Source: Theon Design