Prospective Porsche Cayenne buyers are better off getting their new luxury sports SUV directly from Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP) instead of heading to grey importers.
This is because the latest Cayenne with its Enhanced Premium Package is better priced than the equivalent reconditioned unit and features more kit.
Typically, Malaysian buyers are drawn to used imports as they are significantly cheaper than the official showroom models. On top of that, grey importers also offer reconditioned units equipped with better specs.
These two factors make it easy to convince buyers to choose the reconditioned version over an official brand-new import.
This is despite the lack of after-sales care and recall support from the grey market, services that are otherwise offered by official importers.
In most cases, manufacturers like Toyota and Land Rover are unable to stem the flow of local grey imports. Toyota does not specialise in high-end luxury 4x4s while Land Rover does not sell enough units to make it worthwhile.
Porsche Malaysia, however, is an interesting situation here. Healthy sales by the official importers have allowed SDAP to actually do something to stop the flow of grey import Cayennes.
By equipping the latest Cayenne with more features and a lower base price (from RM780,000 to RM680,000) plus a new Enhanced Premium Package, Porsche Malaysia makes owning a vehicle within the mid-sized SUV segment a lot more attainable to interested customers.
Most of the standard features under the previous Premium Package add to the sporty SUV adaptive air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), 14-speaker BOSE Surround Sound System with 200W active subwoofer, 14-way electric comfort front seats, power steering Plus and automatically dimming exterior and interior mirrors.
Other features included with the Premium Package include comfort access, electric roll-up blinds for the side windows, four-zone automatic climate control and most importantly, floor mats.
To further elevate that ‘sports car feeling’ in the all-new Porsche Cayenne, the Enhanced Premium Package is equipped with front and rear Park Assist with a surround-view 360º camera, LED main headlights with Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS), 21-inch RS Spyder Design wheels, an interior ioniser and Porsche crests embroidered on the front seat headrests.
All of these features come alongside metallic paint for the Cayenne.
The cost of the Enhanced Premium Package amounts to nearly RM144,866 with tax, on top of the officially imported SUV’s selling price. However, it is loaded with premium options that are now standard in this production for a limited time.
So, what does this mean for reconditioned Cayenne units that are selling for RM600,000 to RM700,000 in the use classifieds category? They have simply become less of an appealing deal.
They are significantly more expensive than a brand-new Cayenne and do not offer the official importer package of a four-year warranty and four years of free service and maintenance.
Moreover, a grey import Cayenne at this price is already close to two years old, being 2019 model year cars. The ones from the official dealerships, on the other hand, are spanking new 2021 models.
There is one catch, though, for those who are planning on going down to authorised Porsche dealerships to order their Cayenne with the Enhanced Premium Package – their new Cayenne will only arrive next year.
From a fiscal perspective, this means that buyers won’t be eligible for the sales tax exemption and will have to bear the full cost of RM680,000. That being said, recon cars are not eligible for sales tax exemptions either.
From the perspective of time, 2021 is only a month and a half away.
While you may not be able to show off your new Cayenne this Christmas, look forward to celebrating New Year and Chinese New Year with your family and friends instead and hope that the current pandemic improves.
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