Porsche launches car subscription service in the US

CHOOSING which Porsche to buy could be perceived as one heck of a first-world problem, but for owners who can’t make up their mind or who merely need very different cars for different circumstances, Porsche has a tailor-made solution.

Dubbed Porsche Passport, this scheme is being piloted in Atlanta and offers subscribers on-demand access to Porsche cars. The service, a collaboration between Porsche Cars USA and Clutch Technologies, launches next month and offers two tiers of membership, "Launch" and "Accelerate."

Launch is the entry-level service, priced at USD $2,000 a month, and its menu offers eight variants of the 718 Boxster, 718 Cayman, Macan and Cayenne to choose from. Upgrade to the Accelerate tier and the asking price steps up to USD$3,000 per month, but comprises a wide choice of 22 variants including the aforementioned models as well as the 911 and the Panamera.

Whether this appears a good deal when a base-model 718 Cayman can be leased in the US from as little as USD$648 a month (36 months with a 10 percent down payment and a 15,000 mile-per-year mileage cap) is open to question. Apply the numbers to an entry-level 911 Carrera 2 and it’d tot up to $1,152.

It pays to compare eggs with eggs though. Porsche Passport not only includes access to the cars, but also covers insurance and taxes. Maintenance is also covered by the fee, and Porsche will also undertake cleaning and delivery. Members can switch their cars as often as they want via a smartphone app, and there are no mileage caps whatsoever.

It makes sense for a high-usage owner who might conceivably own a 911 and a Panamera, but who would prefer the convenience of switching as required and who might also enjoy the flexibility in trying different models if they tend to get bored easily.

Prospective members will need to pay a USD$500 one-off activation fee, and membership is subject to background and credit checks. The results of this pilot will determine whether this service will be extended country-wide in the US and, conceivably, to Australian metropolitan areas.

AUDI ON DEMAND

Those looking for a pay-as-you-go scheme that’s likely to launch here before Porsche Passport might well be tempted by the Audi On Demand service. This ought to be operational here by 2020 and rather than being a subscription-based buffet, it’ll be a hugely-flexible factory-backed rental system, driven from a smartphone app. Audi uber alles, if you like.