Beirut. Porsche is strengthening its presence in the Middle East by opening a Porsche Studio in Beirut, a first for the region. Similar to “Porsche on Sylt” and the “Porsche Studio Guangzhou”, the new site in the Lebanese capital adopts an innovative sales format, which enables the sports car manufacturer to interact with a wide spectrum of target groups. Located in the city centre, the new premises offer visitors an immersive brand experience, which highlights a range of the brand’s services. A special feature is the runway staging area – reminiscent of a catwalk at a fashion show – and LED screen, which plays visual content depicting various sports cars in real-world scenarios. Special sound and fragrance elements create an experience that appeals to all senses.
“The capital city of Beirut, as the economic and cultural centre of the country, is particularly attractive as a location for a Porsche Studio. The new sales concept is an important instrument for further increasing the attractiveness of the brand and reaching new fans and customers, especially in growth markets”, says Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board responsible for Sales and Marketing at Porsche AG.
Porsche Studio Beirut is centrally located in the Solidere shopping district, covering an area of over 309 square metres and providing the brand with a strong presence in the immediate vicinity of its current and prospective customers. The entire range of vehicles are available for test drives upon request. If a visitor is interested in making a purchase, their vehicle of choice can be customised on-site in the Trimming and Configuration Labs, with further tailoring possibilities from Exclusive Manufaktur. The Porsche Studio works closely with the existing Porsche Centre in Beirut, making it possible to purchase vehicles directly on site.
Commenting on the opening, Deesch Papke, Chief Executive Officer of Porsche Middle East and Africa FZE, said: “Porsche Studio Beirut offers a truly welcoming and engaging environment for customers, enthusiasts and the public to interact with our brand. The wide variety of digital touchpoints integrated into the space enable all visitors to learn more about the heritage of Porsche and the infinite possibilities available to them when configuring their very own sports car. It is certainly a must-visit destination that appeals to all senses and I would like to congratulate our long-standing partner Porsche Lebanon SAL on the completion of this well executed project.”
Porsche is continuously developing the sales landscape; the Porsche Centres are still at the heart of this, meanwhile the sports car manufacturer and its sales partners are also exploring new approaches. In addition to the Porsche Studios, there are currently five Porsche Experience Centres around the world, allowing customers and fans to experience the Porsche brand up close and personal, offering them the opportunity to put the power, sportiness and safety of the vehicles to the test for themselves.
Guests attending the Porsche Studio opening in Beirut were also treated to a showcase of the third generation Cayenne. A completely new development, Porsche’s flagship SUV is closer to its racetrack roots and offers greater versatility and more performance than ever before. Powerful turbocharged engines, enhanced chassis systems, a range of off-road modes and a sharper design underpin the model’s credentials as a true sports car in its segment. Additional enhancements to the latest generation also include intelligent assistance systems and more connectivity features aimed at offering improved driver and passenger comfort.
The Cayenne S, which was displayed on the Porsche Studio Beirut runway, is powered by a 2.9-litre, biturbo-charged V6 engine with 440 hp (an increase of 20 hp) and 550 Nm of torque. It reaches 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds (4.9 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono Package) and boasts a top speed of 265 km/h.