Porsche Genuine Parts
High performance is in our DNA.
And in every Porsche Genuine Part.
If you look up the word “genuine” in a dictionary, the definition will often be contrasted with the terms “counterfeit” or “copy”. An original always has a story behind its creation, which a copy will always lack – that journey from the drawing board, through the entire development process to being put into production. This means the evolution of every genuine end product is based on the experiences gained from the entire development process, including all the successes and failures. This can be clearly sensed in every Porsche sports car and every single part within it. Porsche’s DNA makes it clear that we have roots in motor sports and continually strive for perfection – and the same goes for every Porsche Genuine Part. There is nobody better to ask about this than Michael Drolshagen, who has been Head of Aftersales at Porsche AG since 2015. He is responsible for ensuring every Porsche owner has that unique driving experience for as long as possible.
Mr Drolshagen, more than 70% of Porsches ever built are still on the road. Many of the older vehicles have also been experiencing a rise in value over recent years. How do you explain this?
Porsche is a company with strong ideals, a clear vision and high standards. This explains why people are so drawn to our cars. To this day we are defined by the dream of our pioneering designer, Ferry Porsche: to build the perfect sports car. This constitutes the myth of Porsche. To ensure it does not simply remain a dream, we work hard every single day – on every aspect imaginable, all around the world. In motor sports, vehicle development and providing Porsche Genuine Parts as replacements. This absolute determination to achieve the highest performance possible and the uncompromising quality of Porsche is why these cars are held in such high esteem by their owners. This is also why more and more people from every age bracket are choosing Porsche.
You mentioned the areas of motor sports, vehicle development and Porsche Genuine Parts. How much motor sport technology is in a Porsche replacement part, such as one for the first generation Cayenne?
Each of our vehicles, no matter what its class, is a high-performance Sports Car – the age, number of doors and engine location are immaterial. Porsche Genuine Parts for series vehicles are imbued with a great deal of knowledge and innovation transferred from technology which has led us to sporting success, such as in endurance racing at Le Mans. We will only allow a part into our series vehicles if it can withstand the high pressure of the track – only then can it become a Porsche Genuine Part. If we come across something that can be improved, we improve it. This, in turn, enhances the quality of genuine parts for a first-generation Porsche Cayenne.
What makes a Porsche Genuine Part so special?
Porsche Genuine Parts, like the cars themselves, stand for high performance and durability, as can be seen from the long periods between servicing. This advantage is a result of Porsche Genuine Parts being developed and tested in parallel with the entire vehicle – from the initial sketches to going into production – and these are then reproduced to the same specifications and put to the test a final time. This ensures all the parts are a perfect fit and work in harmony with the vehicle as a whole. Take brakes as an example – perfect coordination means the friction lining is designed to perfectly match the disc and the brake pad, which ensures all the various parts wear down very slowly and evenly. This considerably increases the service life of the brakes. In the event of repairs, precisely-fitting parts reduce installation time, increase reliability and functionality, and ensure slower, more even wear and tear on parts for optimal durability. Provided, of course, that the parts have been installed by a skilled pair of hands.
You were just talking about competent service. Is this still as important, seeing as workshops are becoming ever more digitalised?
Naturally, Porsche will also be shifting more and more from manual to computer-based repairs over the coming years. While the first generation Porsche Panamera came with 50 control units, the next generation will be home to 90. As time progresses, specialist tools, such as devices for measuring and testing will become even more essential, as will highly competent staff who know their cars inside out. Every day around the world, highly qualified repair experts work in our training centres to ensure our workshop and service employees have all the training they need to keep the quality of our services and repair work at the highest level possible. Those who are looking for high performance from their Porsche, and are not willing to make any compromises when it comes to service and replacement parts, can rest assured their vehicle will receive the very best in servicing, maintenance and repairs from Porsche Service.
Michael Drolshagen has been working at Porsche AG since 2004. He became Head of Aftersales in March 2015 and is now responsible for the entire Porsche Service division – including Porsche Genuine Parts.
