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George Wills, President and Managing Director of Porsche Latin America, shares in an exclusive interview his vision about the legacy and the future for the German powerhouse.
What can you tell us about Porsche as a brand since its birth, the positioning it has had in recent years, and what has been the most challenging model to date, created by the brand?
¿Qué nos puedes contar sobre Porsche como marca desde su nacimiento, el posicionamiento que ha tenido en los últimos años, y cuál ha sido el modelo más desafiante hasta la fecha, creado por la marca?
The Porsche name has become synonymous with sports cars and racecars because that is what company founders Ferdinand Porsche and his son Ferdinand («Ferry») set out to build when they first set up shop with 200 workers in 1948.
The senior Porsche had established an independent design and engineering firm in 1931 and designed the Volkswagen Beetle. He brought a half-century of experience with innovation, from a four-wheel-drive gasoline/electric hybrid vehicle to the virtually unbeatable Auto Union Grand Prix cars of the 1930s.
The younger Porsche helped grow the new company and was instrumental in designing the first Porsche sports car, the 356. Though it only had 40 horsepower from a rear-mounted engine, the first Porsche quickly made its mark with agile handling, as well as attributes almost unknown among sportscars of the day, like comfort and reliability.
Porsche is also synonymous with racing, and our cars began competing almost immediately. To date, Porsche cars have won an estimated 24,000 auto races around the world, including more than 50 class wins at Le Mans.
One of the most challenging models for us has been the Taycan because this is our first fully electric Porsche. Despite all the experience and innovation that has characterized the brand, creating an authentic electric sportscar, true to the brand´s values, was challenging. But we achieved it and more than 50 international prizes prove it.
Which Porsche model do you consider to be the most iconic and why?
¿Qué modelo de Porsche consideras más icónico y por qué?
That is an extremely difficult question to answer; it is the equivalent of asking someone to pick their favorite child!
I like many iconic models for very different reasons:
The 959 was the first AWD (all-wheel drive) supercar using a turbo charged 6-cylinder Boxer engine. The performance of the 2.8-liter engine set the benchmark in the automotive industry. Some years later, it was followed by the Carrera GT, which brought even more racecar technology into a production supercar with its 5.7-liter V10 engine. Originally designed for a Lemans’ race vehicle.
There have been many more including our more recent supercar- the 918 Spyder. It showed the automotive world the future and performance benefits of hybrid technology. However, I would say the evolution of the 911 has to be one of the grandest automotive achievements of all time, a car that is instantly recognizable and yet absolutely different from generation to generation.
Every time I drive the latest version of this car, I believe it is impossible to improve upon; yet, our engineers keep moving the needle every time!
How do you compare the acceptance of the new Taycan in Latin America compared to Europe and the Middle East?
¿Cómo comparas la aceptación del nuevo Taycan en América Latina en comparación con Europa y Medio Oriente?
I believe it is fair to say that the Taycan has been very positively received globally by the media and our customers. Its performance and design have set new standards. The Middle East and LATAM regions are also enjoying strong interest and a decisive Taycan order bank.
During your time living in Dubai, what differences in the market did you notice from LATAM? For example, in age range and what kind of cars do you prefer in the Middle East?
Durante su tiempo en Dubai, ¿qué diferencias notaste en el mercado de LATAM? Por ejemplo, en rango de edad y ¿qué tipo de automóvil prefieren en el Medio Oriente?
There are a lot of similarities between the two regions, both with very heterogeneous and challenging environments. The Middle East tends to have a slightly younger customer base. Similar to our customers in the LATAM region, they enjoy the SUV product line but, they also have a high demand for top-of-the-range sports cars like the 911 Turbo S & GT model lines.
In Statement, we believe that Porsche is a brand that loses little value compared to others; what can you tell us about this?
En Statement, creemos que Porsche es una marca que pierde poco valor en comparación con otras; ¿Qué nos puedes contar sobre esto?
Residual values for Porsche have always been strong. The high demand for the brand and excellent build quality provide the potential buyers an entry-level into the brand with peace of mind motoring. Our latest 15-year Pre-Owned Vehicle warranty extension attests to the durability of our vehicles.
Are there plans to migrate more Porsche models to the electric model?
¿Hay planes para migrar más modelos Porsche al modelo eléctrico?
Yes. We have announced that the next generation of our Macan will be fully electric. We expect that by 2030, 80% of our vehicles sold in the world will be electric.
What has been the most surpassing challenge you have faced since you were appointed president and CEO for Porsche Latin America?
¿Cuál ha sido el desafío más importante que ha enfrentado desde que fue nombrado presidente y director ejecutivo de Porsche Latinoamérica?
There have been many challenges since I took this position. Like the ever-changing political landscape, the financial exchange rates, economic outlooks, and even the collapse of some markets. Not to forget more recently, we have also faced the effects of the COVID pandemic having many countries in intermittent lockdown. There are never any dull moments in this incredible region! Fortunately, we have a strong brand with loyal and enthusiastic customers, and our professional Dealer Network is doing a tremendous job representing us in more than 20 Latin American countries.
How do you think the way of working across the world has changed since COVID? And how have you adapted to these sudden changes?
¿Cómo crees que ha cambiado la forma de trabajar en todo el mundo desde COVID? ¿Y cómo te has adaptado a estos cambios repentinos?
Similar to our vehicles, we have had to be quick and dynamic in our approach. As we were familiar with working in the virtual world, we became thrust into it for all types of communication.
We needed to remain in close contact with our customers. We had to become even more creative and were able to connect with them in their own homes. We did virtual Cars & Coffee events during the lockdowns, even wine tasting, and virtual new model launches. We introduced an e-sport regional online race and had competitors participating live from 14 markets. All the proceeds of this event went to our regional TECHO charity; to support underserved communities throughout Latin America. Internally, we even managed some online training and our regional Importer Conference.
I know that, through this adversity, we have learned new and brighter ways to engage with our customers and colleagues. And I am sure that the world will never be quite the same again.
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