Porsche’s Electric Taycan Overtakes Iconic 911 In Sales Race

Porsche’s 911 is its lodestar, the icon that represents the model in the well-liked creativeness. Every person is aware the defiantly eccentric athletics automobile nevertheless plants its motor in its tail, nonetheless hunches ahead with a frog-like depth, however has big round headlights and trim horizontal taillights, as has been the formulation (typically) since the early 1960s.

For all the metaphorical fat the 911 carries, you could once in a while remind your self that it just isn’t Porsche’s bestseller—not by much. It very long back gave up that title to the German automaker’s SUVs, initially the Cayenne, and now the lesser Macan, way too. In 2021, the 911 was handed by but yet another newfangled Porsche: The all-electric Taycan.

Regardless of whether Porsche likes it or not, whenever the 911 is overtaken in income by an emergent model, it is at the same time validation that that new design was a excellent strategy (for case in point, when the Cayenne gave Porsche a financial shot in the arm regardless of its fans’ bleating) and a sign of the impending apocalypse to all those exact same fanatical complainers. Those anti-SUV voices in the Porschesphere have mostly come to be muted, numb to the thought that the 911 will under no circumstances again be the sales leader, but also taking comfort that neither is it heading absent whenever quickly.

So, how did the sales race shake out in the home of Porsche past year? The comparatively cost-effective and compact Macan SUV did 88,362 income globally in 2021, adopted by the greater Cayenne SUV at 83,071. In what may look like a shock to anyone but Porsche, the Taycan EV grabbed third place, with 41,296 units marketed worldwide—edging just ahead of the 911’s 38,464 revenue and ideal on firm targets for the EV. The Panamera family members and 718 Boxster and Cayman lineup introduced up the rear with 30,220 and 20,502 income.

In this article in The us, the 911 nevertheless outsold the Taycan, if only just. Income of the 911 were being up 22 {e3fa8c93bbc40c5a69d9feca38dfe7b99f2900dad9038a568cd0f4101441c3f9} to 10,042 models in the U.S., when 9,419 Taycans were being snapped up. What are we to make of all this, then? The Taycan is an incredible electric car not due to the fact it delivers big driving assortment for every demand, nor due to the fact it is specifically practical (this is a very low-slung, four-doorway sports activities car, not a traditional sedan or wagon)—instead, Porsche properly channeled its brand name spirit into an electric format, total stop. The 911, meanwhile, is savoring strong gross sales, per a firm spokesperson, who notes that the sporting activities car or truck has been marketing in steady figures for decades listed here in The us.

It really is minimal surprise that just as when the Cayenne overtook the 911 back again in the early 2000s, when the planet was pivoting to EVs, so, also, has the Taycan just as the environment pivots to EVs. Each produce a correct Porsche knowledge in the format prospects are in search of out. And the finest news? Individuals models’ success spells the continuation of enthusiasm models these as the 911 and 718 sporting activities cars. Oh, and really don’t forget—the 911 is likely finding an electric variant (significantly) in the long term, so it could start off up an inter-Porsche rivalry with the Taycan in thanks time.