Porsche fleet to rev up Celtic Tiger cubs
A select group of 150 people who are champing at the bit to own one have been invited by the country’s only approved Porsche dealer to attend the event at the Vienna Woods Hotel on Friday.
And in a country where people can’t seem to get mileage out of a million euro Lotto win anymore, it looks as if Boxters, Camenas, Cayenne and Porsche’s latest model, the very impressive 911 Targa 4S, look set to replace the family saloon.
The Targa, with a basic €154,000 price tag, arrives in Ireland this week and Tom Whelan, marketing manager of event organisers, the Porsche Centre Dublin, said people will be coming to Cork from Waterford, Kilkenny, Limerick, Tipperary, Galway and Kerry to size it up. The next generation Targa is full of elegance, power and performance, Tom said.
“The large roof made of tinted glass as well as the new high-gloss-polished aluminium trim strips on the side edges of the roof are the first eye-catcher.
“Another design feature typical of the Targa is the side windows tapering out to a sharp angle at the rear and giving it its characteristic, sleek and stretched silhouette.”
But if that doesn’t rev your engine, you could kick the wheels of the bargain Boxster, which sells at €72,800, the Cayenne all-road SUV for €77,000, the newly-launched Cayman, at €79,600, or the 911, at €133,000.
And if they seem a little cheap, talk to Porsche about the top-of-the range 911 Carerra GT3 RS which comes in at a cool €207,850.
“We sold two this year,” Tom said. And the people who bought them don’t even drive them every day of the week, seemingly.
This will be Porsche’s second sales roadshow in Cork. And all 150 invitees are welcome — even if they can’t afford a Porsche this year.
“About half a dozen cars were bought following last year’s event. We feel it’s important to have events around the country. We’re planning one in Galway either later this year or early in the new year,” Tom said.
The Porsche centre is on course to sell close to 500 Porsches this year.
“The figure is rising year on year, it’s increasing at a very high rate — 50% per annum over the past three years.
“It’s not the average guy on the street who’s buying them. They are being bought by professionals, doctors mostly. But we also have builders and developers, directors of businesses, self-employed, corporate and IT professionals.”
Expert Porsche salesmen will attend Friday’s event to talk potential buyers through the range of specs.
And if you thought you could take one for a test drive, forget it.
The salesmen will be screening invitees very carefully — and if they drive the right kind of car, and are in the right price bracket, then and only then will then will they let you take one on the road.
But don’t fret.
Alan Weadick, chairman of the Porsche Club Ireland, who drives a ‘03 Boxter S, said you can buy a classic 924 for as little as €3,000 over 17 year, 944 for up to €8,000, or a 944 Turbo for €10,000.
“But they are getting rarer so the prices are going up,” he said.
Any tips for potential buyers?
“Look out for the vehicle’s service history and documentation. These are high performance cars so make sure they are in good condition, and that the panels fit right. They do go forever but they do have to be maintained. They are a phenomenal car.”
* www.porschedublin.ie
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