In Stuttgart, they finally admitted what the market has been screaming for months - Chinese car companies are moving at a “staggering“ speed that leaves traditional European giants far behind. In a desperate attempt to stop the free fall of its sales in the Celestial Empire, Porsche is taking a strategic 180-degree turn, betting again on the good old gasoline engine. The “Return to China” plan is already underway, although the brand's boss in the region, Alexander Polich, does not hide that the previously glorious sales volumes are more of a mirage.
The figures are merciless: a 28% collapse in 2024 and a continued slump of another 26% this year. The reason? While the Germans perfected the details, local players like Xiaomi flooded the market with technological marvels at half the price. Add to this the “gift” from the state – a sharp reduction in the luxury tax threshold from 1.3 million to 900,000 yuan, which launched Porsche prices into an orbit inaccessible even to wealthy Chinese.
In response to the crisis, Porsche is embarking on a painful optimization. The dealer network, which numbered 150 glamorous showrooms, will be cut almost in half to just 80 locations by the end of next year. Those that survive will have the task of selling emotion soaked in gasoline. The company officially confirmed that the legendary Macan will not be only electric – a new internal combustion model is on the horizon. Even the huge three-row SUV, originally planned as the flagship of the electric car, will first come out with a gasoline unit under the hood.
Although the Cayenne Electric and 718 EV remain on the schedule, Porsche is making an important concession to fans - the top versions of the next Boxster and Cayman will retain their ICE sound. 2026 is shaping up to be a “testing time”, during which the brand will try to balance environmental ambitions with the harsh reality of the market. In a world where the Chinese dictate the rules of the electric game, Porsche has decided to rely on what it does best: engineering perfection that does not need a cable to excite.