Ferrari and other high-end manufacturers have a special list of customers who are invited to check out limited-edition models and hypercars before they are released. These privileged individuals, who are true fans of the brand, often end up spending millions of dollars to purchase these exclusive vehicles. The fact that these cars appreciate in value makes the deal even more enticing for them.
But what if you’re not interested in a Ferrari? Perhaps a Porsche 911 GT3 RS is more your style. Unlike other luxury brands, Porsche openly shares the prices of its models through its online configurator. This allows potential buyers to have an initial connection with the car without feeling pressured by salespeople.
The Porsche 911 GT3 RS is a coveted road-legal race car that comes with a price tag of nearly EUR 270,000 in Europe, over CAD 301,000 in Canada, around GBP 193,000 in the UK, and almost USD 245,000 in the US. While it may not have the horsepower of a Tesla Model S Plaid or a Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance, it offers an unparalleled driving experience. With its aerodynamic design and advanced suspension, this 3,196-lb track masterpiece can be both raced and driven home without requiring excessive maintenance.
A gearhead who already owned a Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato was eager to add a Porsche 911 GT3 RS to his collection. He visited an authorized dealership, fully prepared to sign the buyer’s agreement and make the necessary downpayment. However, to his surprise, the dealership turned him away. Despite being a business, they refused his business.
The salesman he talked to didn’t even hesitate to underline that he needed a good relationship with the Stuttgart-based marque, which meant that he had to have bought “a ridiculous amount of cars to even be put on the list.”
The sales rep gave another customer as an example. He pointed out that a person bought around seven cars per year and spent approximately two million British pounds before being considered eligible for that special place in the group of potential future owners of limited-edition models.
That’s right. Buying many high-volume, costly cars that might depreciate consistently in a couple of years doesn’t guarantee a production slot for something like the 911 GT3 RS. Many people know about this product strategy and take advantage of it. A low-supply, brilliant vehicle will attract a lot of interest. They snatch a slot, pay for the car, and then put it up for sale despite risking being added to a blacklist. That’s why you’ll see very low-mileage units selling for almost double the MSRP.
They might never be able to get a special Porsche again, but they will pocket a profit of about USD 200,000. That’s five years’ worth of income for many Americans. It’s not bad for a day’s work.
But YouTuber and businessman Mark McCann did not give up. He made a list of all the authorized Porsche centers in the UK and started calling around. The first few answers he got were very similar to what the first salesman told him.
Eventually, someone called back and let him know that he could buy a 911 GT3 RS from another owner who was looking to get rid of his unit through the dealership he had bought it from for just GBP 365,000. That’s GBP 172,000 over the manufacturer’s suggested retail price and GBP 100,000 over what the seller originally paid.
The saleswoman telling him about the offer over the phone quickly pointed out that the owner’s asking price was attractive because it allowed him to avoid building up a portfolio of around 10 depreciating Porsches and risking not getting an allocation even with every member of the family driving a Macan EV, a 718, a Cayenne, a Taycan, or a Panamera. For all intents and purposes, it was the quickest and, believe it or not, cheapest way to own a (slightly used) 911 (992) GT3 RS.
McCann asked a luxury car reseller about getting that special Porsche at list price, and he confirmed without a doubt that nobody pays that sum. You will always have to spend a lot more.
He also learned about another risk – the salesperson leaving the dealership. If you do spend loads of money on cars you may not necessarily want or need to secure a place on “the list,” you could end up in a very strange situation if the rep is fired or moves to another company that sells different vehicles.
GRANTED, that’s not going to happen often because these salespeople are incentivized to keep such well-off customers close. But if it does, you will have yet another headache.
But not even that discouraged McCann from trying yet again to get a 911 GT3 RS at list price. He went to another dealer and told them about the Porsches he owned. Mind you, he had two Carrera GTs, among other cars. That didn’t matter. The salesman told him it was an “invitation-only car.”
A lot of money at stake
All this may seem like “rich people problems.” However, it’s an issue that should attract the attention of Porsche executives and yours, too.
On one hand, you have people who are willing to spend lots of money for an allocation, and they may or may not get it. On the other hand, you have flippers that will immediately resale that precious race car for the roads. At the same time, the brand risks turning loyal customers into flippers once they realize how much money they spent to obtain that invitation, and the novelty wears off.
Porsche wants to control the supply of limited-edition cars that can become iconic as time goes by, which is understandable. But it should also think of its customers who are true fans of the brand and maybe spent years of their lives working hard to be able to afford such impressive machines.
Coming up with a solution won’t be easy, but it’s necessary. This can’t go on forever.
