Porsche has launched a new ‘Behind the Scenes’ online service that allows customers to see live footage of their cars on the production line. Initially it'll be 718 and 911 buyers in Porsche’s main markets that get access to two cameras, but more markets and video points are to be added in due time. Apparently the new system has nothing to do with lockdown restrictions; it's just another ploy to keep buyer anticipation white-hot - and ideally share their excitement with others.
Frankly, we're on board. Anyone who has been through the painstaking process of speccing a brand-new car will be keenly aware of the subsequent day-dreaming that occurs prior to delivery. The chance to actually turn this frustration into a nerdy ogling of bare metalwork is a total no-brainer. It's like someone asking you if you'd like to see a scan of your unborn child. Of course you would.
Naturally, Porsche isn’t the only company doing it; Morgan actively snaps the build stages of its hand-made models for customers who request it. And several firms – including Porsche itself – have routinely invited high-spending customers to physically see their car’s build process in action. But the new system is clearly for mass-market models and is done in a typically Porsche way, in that it’s triggered automatically by the clever robotics and software in its Stuttgart factory. By contrast, Morgan’s process (somewhat predictably) involves a person on foot with a camera, which they will text you. Not that we’d want it any other way.
“With ‘Behind the Scenes’, we are bringing production to life for our customers,” Christian Friedl, the head of Porsche’s Zuffenhausen (a northern Stuttgart district) factory said. “We produce highly personalised and fascinating sports cars every day in our main factory. The motivation for this is provided by our customers from all over the world. The success factor is our employees, who make customer dreams come true with perfection and passion. Allowing this behind-the-scenes insight creates an obligation for us, but also serves as a source of motivation.”
At first, the service is launching in the USA, Germany and Great Britain, as well as Canada, Switzerland and Spain. Customers can get far more than just a few snaps, with the My Porsche website and phone app providing extra information regarding production progress. In the US, customers can even track their car’s delivery status from Germany to their door. A bit like when you order a takeaway, except much more expensive. And better.
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