The best-selling Porsche in South Africa – And it’s not the 911

Porsche South Africa – whose cheapest car starts at R1,050,000 – regularly sells between 150-200 vehicles per month, making it one of the best-selling premium manufacturers in the country.

In comparison, Audi sold one R8, Bentley sold three units, Ferrari six units, Jaguar 26 units, and Lamborghini six units in February 2022. Aston Martin does not report its sales figures, but we’ll be surprised if it managed to beat the German powerhouse.

However, it’s not the low-slung Porsche 911 or Boxster that are flying off the proverbial shelves, but rather the high-riding SUVs with four doors and engines mounted at the front.

“The Macan and Cayenne are the top-selling models in the [local] Porsche range,” Porsche South Africa told TopAuto.

This falls in line with recent shifts in car buying behaviours, which saw the SUV body style become extremely popular in the domestic market.

Global trends

It also tracks global trends where the Macan and Cayenne dominated sales for Porsche in 2021, sitting in first with 88,362 units and second with 83,071 units delivered worldwide, respectively.

Following the SUVs, the all-electric Taycan led the Porsche family in terms of global deliveries in 2021, with 41,296 units handed over to customers.

Then comes the iconic 911 with 38,464 units, the Panamera with 30,220 units, and the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman with a combined 20,502 units.

Macan

The Macan is not only Porsche’s cheapest SUV but also its cheapest vehicle, starting at just over R1 million.

This model is offered in four specifications in South Africa – the base Macan and Macan T driven by a 2.0-litre turbo engine, and the more expensive Macan S and GTS by a 2.9-litre turbo unit.

The recently-added Macan T is also the first four-door to undergo the T treatment from Porsche, getting exclusive performance-enhancing additions and weight-savings to achieve unique driving characteristics.

The respective engine outputs for the Macan line-up are detailed in the table below.

Cayenne

The Porsche Cayenne in South Africa can be had in one of 19 specifications – spanning one special-edition design pack, two body styles, five engines, and seven trim levels  – with a starting price of R1,451,000.

This makes the Cayenne the second-most-affordable Porsche, R19,000 cheaper than the base 718 Cayman.

The SUV line-up is more focused on sportiness than utility, which is clear to see from the entry-level Cayenne to the top-end Cayenne Turbo GT – which packs the brand’s most powerful non-electrified, eight-cylinder engine.

Each Cayenne offers class-leading performance in its price bracket and boasts an athletic design that makes it easily recognisable among its peers.

The respective engine outputs for the Cayenne line-up are detailed in the table below.

Keyword: The best-selling Porsche in South Africa – And it’s not the 911