RISING ABOVE CHAOS
A look back at the Porsche world in 2020.
Wind the clock back to this time last year and hardly anybody had heard of COVID-19. Sure, there were mutterings across social media about a mysterious respiratory illness presenting itself in Wuhan (the most populous city in central China), and we soon learned about Chinese authorities admonishing whistleblowers (chiefly, the late Dr Li Wenliang, himself a victim of coronavirus) for sharing news about the outbreak. This crackdown was a move which, much to the country’s ruling Communist Party’s anger, drew even more attention to what was happening in and around the region. Even so, public awareness in the West remained relatively low for anyone but news junkies. In the space of a few short weeks, the situation would change dramatically.
We recognise you’ve buried your head in this magazine to enjoy an escape from the perils of what’s happening out in the world right now. With this in mind, we’re not going to subject you to more doom and gloom by waxing lyrical about the anguish and anger every one of us has experienced in these unprecedented times, suffice to say it’s been an extraordinarily challenging twelve months for people and businesses all over the world. Porsche, of course, didn’t escape from 2020 unscathed, but the company’s strong sales performance (as outlined in this issue’s news section) and its execution of planned new product launches ensured glimmers of excitement for marque enthusiasts across the globe and, importantly, demonstrated the brand’s resilience to adversity. Additionally, breaks in lockdown enabled a small number of Porsche-themed events to take place, albeit with strict social distancing enforced. Though these gatherings weren’t quite how we remember the get-togethers of yore, a huge amount of credit must go to those who worked hard to ensure these events could be staged successfully. The same applause is applicable to motorsport organisers who found ways to press on with races in spite of there being no trackside audiences and a hugely disrupted calendar.
As outlined by Michael Hodges in the latest issue of our sister title, Classic Porsche, it’s been reassuring to see how the Porsche scene has adapted to the ‘new normal’. Many older owners, for example, have taken the plunge and thrown themselves into the world of social media.
Recognising meetings in person are unlikely for the foreseeable future, this demographic of Porsche drivers has followed the lead of younger owners by sharing photographs and stories online more than ever before — Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other popular platforms have enabled passion for Porsche to remain buoyant during these challenging times. Moreover, as Michael rightly suggests, from manufacturers down, the automotive world often pigeonholes audiences by territory, whereas social media breaks down these perceived barriers, encouraging interaction between enthusiasts worldwide, thereby expanding the reach of owners clubs and their members who previously adopted the default position of focusing solely on their home regions. Pleasingly, this positive take-up of online interaction is set to become customary for those new to the game, even after it’s safe for us to head back out into the wild and meet one another at shows.
After planning for the worst and hoping for the best, many aftermarket manufacturers and retailers reported month-on-month record sales figures in 2020. There are several factors at play here. For example, lockdown offered welcome downtime to owners with stagnant Porsche projects — no commuting or leisure travel enabled those of us who ordinarily complain of a lack of free time the opportunity to crack on with a variety of jobs we may not otherwise have addressed. Additionally, many owners considering upgrading their cars decided to spend money on the Porsche they’re already in possession of, thereby avoiding the potential for financial exposure during these uncertain times. Similarly, many enthusiasts previously planning holidays and nights out have channelled ‘retail therapy’ in the direction of their cars instead. Perhaps most significantly, however, the pandemic has brought mortality into sharp focus. Put simply, you’re a long time dead, and many enthusiasts have decided to get busy buying, restoring or modifying the car they’ve always promised themselves.
There are, of course, many more considerations when evaluating the cause of the automotive aftermarket’s rude health in recent months, but those outlined above are key and will have had a profound positive impact on the strength of the enthusiast scene as we begin our collective journey into 2021 and beyond. Taking this positive change as a starting point, join us across the following dozen-plus pages as we kick out the winter blues and look back at 2020 calendar highlights enjoyed by the Porsche world across the past twelve months. Fingers crossed for a return to good times in 2021!