Porsche Planning Own Private Race Course in Shanghai
China has now become Porsche’s second biggest market behind the USA in terms of cars sold, Porsche cleared an impressive 24,340 units in 2011 in the Chinese market, however one problem remains. If a Porsche driver wants to push the limits of their much loved cars they have no where to go, the Chinese highway system imposes a top speed of 120kph for passenger cars, a limit that is easily reached by Porsche vehicles.
Porsche’s solution is to build its own track near Shanghai, at least according to a German media outlet Faz.net. The German’s are saying that the proposed track will be similar to Porsche’s own testing track in Leipzig. The Leipizig track is an F1 track but hasn’t seen an F1 race since 2002, and now serves as a Porsche internal testing track and as a hospitality track where Porsche owners, potential owners, and race fans can be thrown around the track either at the wheel of their own Porsche or with a driver.
Shanghai already has multiple race circuits of its own – the Tianma Race Track and of course the official F1 track which is known as the Shanghai International Circuit. Porsche’s have raced on the F1 Track plenty of times during the Porsche Carrera Cup races which are the somewhat boring precursor to the F1, and Porsche does use the Tianma circuit amongst others in China for its driving schools, so why build a new one? Porsche’s China success is built upon the back of the Cayenne SUV which account for the majority of its sales along with the Panamera, sales of traditional two seater sports cars have been quite low so far due to the lack of a true sports car culture in China, the most obvious way to boost sports car sales is to create a culture around them and the best way to do that is if you have your own Porsche test track.
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there’s tianma…and there’s the f1track. two seperate tracks. although wtcc has been to tianma, the carrera cup, which, to some tastes, is much more interesting than f1, has only been to the f1 track.
including porsche’s new playgrounds, shanghai will have three race tracks. and a disneyland. and a maglev. why wonder…
Corrected, thanks for pointing that out. It is very strange to see that China is developing so many race tracks, Ordos stands out as the biggest white elephant project so far.
Ash, please tell us more about that Ordos track. Is it a Hawtai or Chery project? Ordos seems remote for anything but testing.
It’s a full race track! They have facilities for offroad SUV racing, motocross and other automotive events. I am not sure who rubber stamped that project, but I am sure they are regretting it now. I believe some FIA races have been held there, I was once supposed to visit on business but it was cancelled at the last minute and I haven’t been overly bothered about organizing a second visit.
Will do an article on them soon.
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