Porsche is 'endurance racer', says China chief

At a time when many overseas automakers are struggling in the hyper-competitive Chinese market, Porsche is steadfast in its strategy of staying true to itself and playing the long game.

"We are endurance racers, not sprinters. And this is now like a marathon but not a sprint," said Alexander Pollich, president and CEO of Porsche China, emphasizing the German brand's philosophy.

Porsche faces a challenging moment in China. While overall car sales continue to grow, the luxury segment is under pressure, and competition from new local players is intensifying.

"Despite the ups and downs of the sales numbers, we clearly have a long-term commitment to China, and that's the reason why we decided to go really bold and deep with this stand," he said.

Porsche is staging its largest-ever lineup at Auto Shanghai: 18 models, including nine classic cars from its museum and the world premiere of the 911 Spirit 70.

Showcasing classic cars alongside new ones highlights the brand's heritage, an important message for Porsche.

"I think it's important that people understand where we're coming from," Pollich explained. "We have 77 years of history. I think you need to see the heritage cars to understand why the current cars look like this and how we have progressed."

Porsche's initiatives in China go beyond car launches. The brand has upgraded its R&D capabilities with the establishment of China One R&D, focusing on developing localized infotainment and assisted driving solutions.

Also, Porsche is tapping into social media and digital platforms with more driving-experience activities as the brand has a much younger customer base in China. The average customer is just 37 years old, with many female buyers.

The company has introduced a social media initiative, AP Studio, offering a CEO's perspective behind the scenes.

"I really think that the brand has so many great stories to tell. And I enjoy doing these things," said Pollich. "Every week or so, (the team) drags me into some sort of place and we shoot these videos, it is a lot of fun."

"We are also doing a lot of community-based activity with the Porsche Club China to cater (to) more younger people, but also trying to keep the brand appealing for a bit older people like me," Pollich added.

Talking about competition, he said Chinese local players have done a great job in developing cars that look good and offer a very attractive price.

"That's simply the new reality. And we're going to do our job in providing a typical Porsche answer, but we are never ever going to compromise on the brand and on its strategy of 'value over volume'."

He said it's easy to build a car that accelerates fast, but what really matters is the overall experience: braking, cornering, the weight balance.

"Everybody can put a big battery in an electric motor and then go for it. But then the truth starts when you have to brake and when you have to turn into corner … that is something where Porsche always stays strong," said Pollich.

Looking ahead at its prospects in China, Porsche is steering carefully but confidently. "Here in China, you have to be patient. There are a lot of reasons that the numbers are going down. But for 77 years of Porsche, we have gone through all sorts of ups and downs," he said.

In the eyes of Pollich, it's like the 24 hours of Le Mans: "You have 12 good hours and then you have two bad hours, then you go to the pit stop and do a little bit of magic with engineering and adjust your plan and then go out and then try to come back."