True. But almost without exception buyers will have only have parted with a deposit, will have had at least one test drive and probably a session at PEC before totally committing.
Not in my case, no cars to drive at the OPC only a showroom model and the PEC didn't have any cars until a few months after I'd taken delivery.
There's always one!
True, but because I was smart enough to buy Petrol rather than Diesel I was offered the chance to make an instant profit of more than 10% by the dealer by selling it back to them at delivery so if it did turn out to be a bag of bolts I would still have been happy
Dandock wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2019 11:54 am
True albeit I don't necessarily agree with the idea that significant percentage of his target in this case are going to spend that much. He sees the M3 base model as being the 21st century Beetle. The move is, as you say, all about headlines. And getting some money in - quick!
All 140k cars they've sold to date are in the $50k+ category. If it was all about getting money in quick there would be no sign of the $35k base model at this point. Production is currently running at around 5-6000 cars per week and I see no problem selling all those in that volume for the next 12-24 months. But obviously there is a bigger goal here and accelerating production of the base model is a major priority at the moment. Demand for the $35k base model will obviously be much higher, but demand for the higher spec versions is nowhere near saturated at this stage. Even if they didn't sell a single car in the US, they could ship their entire production capacity out to the ROW for at least a year before demand would start to tail off.
Peteski wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2019 12:00 pm
I honestly think the Model 3 is one of those rare cars that would sell online sight unseen, at least for now. For a start there is basically no competition if you are set on a long range EV at this price point and need a car in the next few months. Ever since I started following EV websites there have been countless Leaf and i3 owners waiting for the Model 3 to arrive so they can finally "upgrade" in both range and performance.
I would (and might well) personally buy a Model 3 unseen based on my experience with the Model X, although I would much prefer to test drive one before committing if possible. It would be a different story if there were several direct competitors, but there aren't! The Polestar 2 is the only worthy alternative, but that's not available before 2020 and god knows what the availability will be like! Polestar are only talking about 50k cars per annum, so they will be gone in a flash. Tesla sold around 140k Model 3s last year and that will at least double this year at the current production rate.
I think the fact that you have experience of the brand is important here. Macan buyers have that brand knowledge and so could/can safely make assumptions. Most M3 buyers won’t have that luxury. But maybe their market, as with their entire business model, just doesn’t work that way.
Peteski wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2019 12:00 pm
I honestly think the Model 3 is one of those rare cars that would sell online sight unseen, at least for now. For a start there is basically no competition if you are set on a long range EV at this price point and need a car in the next few months. Ever since I started following EV websites there have been countless Leaf and i3 owners waiting for the Model 3 to arrive so they can finally "upgrade" in both range and performance.
I would (and might well) personally buy a Model 3 unseen based on my experience with the Model X, although I would much prefer to test drive one before committing if possible. It would be a different story if there were several direct competitors, but there aren't! The Polestar 2 is the only worthy alternative, but that's not available before 2020 and god knows what the availability will be like! Polestar are only talking about 50k cars per annum, so they will be gone in a flash. Tesla sold around 140k Model 3s last year and that will at least double this year at the current production rate.
I think the fact that you have experience of the brand is important here. Macan buyers have that brand knowledge and so could/can safely make assumptions. Most M3 buyers won’t have that luxury. But maybe their market, as with their entire business model, just doesn’t work that way.
I think a good proportion of early US owners are Model S/X owners buying a second smaller EV. Then there are young tech driven professionals who might find BMW, Merc, Audi etc ICEs dated and stale. I think quite a few people with UK reservations are also current Tesla owners like me. Then if my experience with the Model X is anything to go by, their friends and family will soon get curious too and then demand will start to snowball. I remember when the Model S was a very rare sight on UK roads. Now I see them on a daily basis and know half a dozen people who have bought one in the last 12 months. The lack of competition at this point is almost insane.
Everyone ordering a 992 has done so without driving one. Same for new Macan S. In most cases, there won’t be a chance for a test drive before lockdown. As said above, same with forthcoming Taycan. Thousands will have paid deposit and locked down without having driven one. Lots of faith in the Porsche brand, I guess.
Simon
Sold: 2016 Rhodium Silver Macan 2.0
Sold: 2013 Platinum Silver 911 (991.1) C2
Sold: 2017 Carmine Red Panamera 4
Mine: 991.2 Carrera T Racing Yellow 06/04/2018
Wing Commander wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2019 6:41 pm
Everyone ordering a 992 has done so without driving one. Same for new Macan S. In most cases, there won’t be a chance for a test drive before lockdown. As said above, same with forthcoming Taycan. Thousands will have paid deposit and locked down without having driven one. Lots of faith in the Porsche brand, I guess.
Very definitely a ‘known’ brand with a well established DNA. Think that helps a bit. And the unfortunate confidence that the price won’t suddenly be reduced.
I think the closing of shops refers to mall shops in America. I would have though they would still keep the UK showrooms already in operation.
Macan GTS Carmine with 21" black sports classics ---Gone
991.2 GTS Carmine 2WD ---Gone
Cayenne E-Hybrid Coupe Jet Black
http://www.porsche-code.com/PL86QK50
