Product placement is now big business. From TV shows to the big screen, companies are aware of the power of film in establishing brand identity. Porsche is no exception. With a reputation for luxury living, Porsche models feature heavily in many popular movies and series.

Iconic Porsche movies

1983 teen comedy Risky Business features the outlandish escapades of Joel Goodson, played by a young Tom Cruise. The movie aided struggling sales of Ray-Ban’s Wayfarer sunglasses and incidentally advertised the Porsche brand. A car-chase scene in Goodson’s father’s Porsche 928 is followed by the famous slogan: ‘Porsche – there is no substitute.’

In Le Mans (1971), the Porsche 917s competes with the Ferrari 512s in a 24-hour race. The film is popular with racing aficionados and the vehicles are central – there’s not even any dialogue in the first 30 minutes of the movie. No Man’s Land also contributed to the Porsche brand and is popular among Porsche fans. In the 1987 film, the criminal lead played by Charlie Sheen is a discriminating thief – he claims to ‘only steal Porsches’.

In cinema car chases, Porsche has played a significant role, with viewers enjoying the aspirational lives of on-screen characters. Those who dream of a supercar driving experience of their own can now choose Porsche driving days at sites such as http://www.experiencemad.co.uk/. Whether or not an audience member is the proud owner of a Porsche model, brand placement in film gives the viewer a glimpse of luxury living.

Modern product placement

2006 film Cars and the recent 2011 sequel Cars 2 from Pixar Animation Studios feature a Porsche 911 called Sally as one of the main characters. Interestingly, the films introduce car models to a younger audience who are often excluded from vehicle brand identity.

In the successful crime thriller Sin City, Goldie drives a Porsche Spyder convertible, while a 911 Turbo was used in the 2005 blockbuster Fantastic Four. These films re-inforce the luxury and excitement associated with the Porsche brand.

TV appearances

Porsche has also made its way through many popular TV series, notably Scrubs and Friends. In non-fiction programmes, models have been the focus of episodes of Mythbusters, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and National Geographic’s Porsche Junk Yard, to name only a few.

Audiences often view product placement as an overbearing presence by brands who pay large sums to have their products exhibited on screen. Porsche, however, often lends vehicles to producers without any cash being exchanged. According to a report by the Chicago Tribune, Porsche’s presence in hit show The Sopranos was driven by the script rather than financial concerns. The car manufacturer has now established an image of being synonymous with luxury living.

Photocredits: Flickr via CreativeCommons]

There’s no-denying Porsche is one of the world’s true super brands. When New York’s Luxury Institute surveyed 1,642 affluent Americans to ask their preferred choice of luxury car makers, Porsche emerged as the clear winner. It received high marks for its attention to detail, strong focus and uniqueness in a competitive marketplace.

In 2010, Porsche received three brand image awards from the Kelley Blue Book consumer research company. Awards included Coolest Brand, Best Performance Brand and Best Exterior Design – Luxury Brand.

While many may well revere the brand, not many are actually in a position to own a Porsche; a fact reflected by the global sales figures for the 12 months to the end of July 2010, which were a niche 81,850 units. A majority of these were sold in North America, with the remaining 25,283 sold in Europe and China. Sales in China were up 47.5 percent on the year previously, suggesting the Asian country may become a key market in the near future.

Buyer Profiles

The typical buyer of the Porsche 911 in the U.S. is aged between 46 and 65, with an average age of 52. By comparison, the Boxster buyer is aged between 36 and 55, with an average age of 47. Buyers tend to be relatively affluent men. On average, just 15 percent of Porsche buyers are women. For the 911 this falls to eight percent, while for the Boxster it’s a little higher at 30 percent. Porsche owners are undeniably affluent, with an annual gross income of £232,840.

Enviable history

Porsche has a heritage spanning more than six decades. Its popularity as the car of choice for driving experience days is down to the brand’s long association with motorsports victories, the first of which was the 24 Hours of Le Mans class win in 1951. The brand now has more than 28,000 racing victories in its metaphorical glove compartment. To relive some of the seminal Porsche victories, try one of the many track days UK has to offer.

Exciting future

Porsche AG head honcho, Wolfgang Porsche, admitted last year that the brand’s image had suffered following a year of financial difficulties and its subsequent loss of independence to Volkswagen, the brand-eating behemoth that already owns Audi, Skoda and Seat.

Will the dilution of such a longstanding brand as Porsche be enough to deter future elitist aficionados from investing in the vehicles? And, if so, will Volkswagen’s involvement help make the cars more accessible to the common man?

[Photocredits: Flickr via CreativeCommons]

Finding the right Father’s Day gift is always tough. If you have already exhausted all the standard options of a bottle of whiskey, a new tie or a wallet then you will need some inspiration. If your dad has a passion for Porsche, there are some options available to you that won’t cost the world.

There are a various smaller gifts you can buy that will satisfy his thirst for all things Porsche. Nearly everything he uses can be bought in Porsche form. There is a Porsche Panamera USB memory stick in the shape of the iconic vehicle, which has the capacity to hold 2GB of data. This nifty gadget also sports LED headlights. You can further customize his computer area with a wireless computer mouse in the image of a Porsche 911.

If you are still unsure, and no gifts immediately grab you, then you can take the safe option and give him vouchers to let him choose for himself. These vouchers can be purchased for denominations of $5, $10 and $20. These vouchers come printed with the official logo of Porsche and make for an attractive gift.

If a gift or a voucher of this kind does not quite make the grade, then you can give him a Porsche itself, albeit only for the day. With track days available at many famous race courses, your dad can emulate his motorsport heroes. There are numerous other activity days in operation all over the country, such as sphereing or windsurfing, but if your dad only has eyes for Porsche, and would scoff at any lesser vehicle or activity, then take him on a trip to Chertsey, York or Solihull where he can get behind the wheel. Sitting next to an experienced instructor, your dad can get tips and realize his racing dreams with 3 to 4 laps in a Porsche 997!

Everything will depend on your budget, of course, but this Father’s Day will definitely be one to remember with any of these Porsche-related gifts.

Your Porsche is your baby and requires daily attention which includes careful cleaning. Many owners insist on cleaning their own Porsches. This way the are fully responsible and no outsiders get a chance to mess anything up. It’s the same with your ‘real’ baby, you would always trust yourself to do a better job at feeding and bathing than a nanny or babysitter. Many owners see their Porsches in this light and to clean them you need to be extra careful because of Porsches’ unique design.

Water

Never use warm water when clean your Porsche. Cold water is always a better option as you preserve the paint for longer. Over time, warm water can damage the body paint of your Porsche. Because many Porsches are hand-painted, to achieve the best finish, it can be costly sending your car off to get another layer of paint. So even though warm water feels nicer on your hands, in the long-run cold water is a wiser choice.

Soap

It is not overly important what kind of soap you use to combine with the cold water. But the main thing you should look out for is if there are any more serious chemicals in the soap that could stain or ruin the paintwork. Bleach is certainly an ingredient to avoid as are any chemical sounding names that you don’t recognize. The more natural the better.

Sponge or Cloth

Use a clean sponge or sloth to wash your Porsche. It is common sense, but many people forget, and using a dirty cloth can leave marks on the body of your car. It is personal preference whether you use a sponge or a cloth and each have their benefits. Sponges can soak up more water, whereas cloths can be more precise and detailed. It is recommended to use both.

Drying

Do not let your Porsche dry naturally as it will without doubt leave marks. You should assign a good quality towel to solely use on your Porsche and always wash it after use. Simply pat down your car with your towel after you have washed it and it won’t leave any marks and will be ready for polishing.

Polish and Wax

Polishing and waxing is highly recommended as it preserves the paint work as well as giving it a crisp shine which is attractive on the eye. There are many different types of Porsche, as you are well aware, and often these require different polishes and waxes. Contact your local Porsche outlet and ask them for their recommendation. Generally the more you spend, the better quality your product will be.

You will now have a good-looking car that you can impress your friend with on the circuit driving track. With a clean and shiny Porsche, you are all set to have some of the best driving experience days of your life.

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The second we hear the name of something, we form a mental image of it. As a result, it’s vitally important for car designers to portray the right image with their vehicle names, but sometimes they get it very, very wrong…

When it comes to naming a new car design, a team will often start with around a thousand possible names, which will be whittled down to a shortlist of 100 or so. This shortlist then needs to be checked over to make sure the names aren’t offensive, easily (or embarrassingly) mis-pronounced, or give off the wrong image.

Having a foreign translator here can help; General Motors found out in 2005, upon releasing their Buick LaCrosse (pictured) in Canada, that ‘lacrosse’ is French-Canadian teenage slang for masturbation.

Some car manufacturers find a good formula and stick with it through all productions; Lamborghini famously names all its models after bulls, while brands like Mercedes and BMW prefer alpha-numeric names such as the C-class or the 5-series.

Other manufacturers use logical foreign words or concepts for their cars; the Toyota Prius is one such example. As the car was one of the first hybrids on the market, Toyota wanted a name which screamed innovation. They chose Prius, which is Latin for ‘to go before’.

But if you’re going to use a foreign word, make sure it’s a real one. The Lumina (Chevrolet) sounds Latin, French or similar, but in reality it means nothing although it’s close to the Latin word for light, which is ‘lumen’. Not that that has anything to do with the car.

Sometimes manufacturers add something to the name of their models to attract specific buyers. For example, the ‘i’ often found on models is associated with fuel injection systems, which most cars now have, so the extra letter is purely for show. And according to sample quotes done on Moneysupermarket, it doesn’t even affect your insurance.

By far the most popular car names are the ones which conjure up a vicious, aggressive or simply ‘cool’ image. Think of the Dodge Viper, the Chevrolet Corvette, or the Pontiac Firebird; all hotrods often seen at drag racing events. Would they be as popular on the track if they were called the Celebrity or the Executive? I think not…

Alongside the cool, the misguided or the functional descriptive names (Land Rover Explorer being a case in point), are the just plain weird. Not surprisingly, many of the weirdest or quirkiest come from Japanese designers; the Honda Life Dunk and the Daihatsu Naked are two such examples which unfortunately aren’t available in the UK at time of writing.

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Even for people who don’t know much about cars, the name Porsche brings to mind luxury and prestige. Given Porsche’s reputation, if you drive one, many people will associate you with such qualities. Although there are car lovers who drive their beautiful machines without concern for what anyone else thinks, you may be curious to know what the typical driver profile is for your Porsche of choice.

911

The typical driver of the Porsche 911 is a male between the ages of 46 and 65, with an average age of 52. He probably makes between $310,000 and $390,000 (£200,000 to £250,000) a year, so chances are he is very successful, ambitious and determined. The 911 is known for its solid build, classic styling and excellent materials. Many owners say they wanted 911 Porsches since they were kids.

Boxster

The typical Porsche Boxster driver is 47 years old and makes $243,000 (£150,000) a year. Owners are usually high-paid professionals whose success has enabled them to buy the cars of their childhood dreams. For the exhilarating driving experience days all the hard work and responsibility seem worth the sacrifice. These fast cars may seem like toys for big kids, but their thrill inspires many to keep striving for success.

Cayenne

Sports cars have always been more popular with male drivers, but women like Porsches too! The Porsche Cayenne is a luxury 4×4 with a sharp, sporting drive. Its high driving position, versatility and feeling of safety make it a popular choice with female drivers.

918 Spyder

For environmentally conscious drivers, the Porsche 918 Spyder – Parallel Hybrid Supercar is an eco-friendly Porsche. The Porsche 911 Carrera is also now more eco-friendly than ever, with excellent power output and mileage and with significant improvement in emission reduction.

There is no one Porsche for everyone, but the luxury and power of Porsches prove alluring to a wide range of motoring enthusiasts. If you have the money, a Porsche makes a really special gift! But if you can’t afford one, second best are Christmas gift vouchers for driving experiences. The thrill of driving a Porsche is something everyone should experience.

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A car is a major purchase, and it is important to know that you are choosing the right one. This is particularly true when you are looking at second hand cars, as you cannot be sure how well the previous owners have treated the vehicle. If you are considering buying a Porsche, then there are a few simple checks you should perform when viewing the car in order to be able to make your decision with confidence.

The first thing you should do is take a look at the car to check for any damage. This could be some simple wear and tear, which may not be serious, but which should be reflected in the price of the car. You should look carefully at the body and paintwork. Check for any marks and dents, particularly ones that could be the results of crash damage, and for patches of rust. If there are any freshly painted parts, then consider whether they are there to conceal a problem with the car body.

You should also check that the tires are in good condition, and that there are no leaks. Take a look at the engine. Even if you don’t know much about cars, you can check whether there is any damage or corrosion, and whether anything is leaking.

Once you have assured yourself that the car is basically sound, you can check whether it is working properly. Never buy a second hand car that you have not driven. The current owner or car dealer should be able to offer you a test drive, during which you can get a feel for how well the car handles and make sure that everything is in working order. Driving, even if it is only for a few minutes, will tell you whether the suspension, brakes, engine and controls are functioning properly. If someone tries to sell you a car while making excuses for why you can’t test drive it, then walk away. They may be hiding something that is seriously wrong with the vehicle.

As well as checking the condition of the Porsche, you need to make sure that all the documents are in order and that the serial numbers on the different parts of the car match.

If you are still concerned, or you feel unsure of your ability to asses a vehicle properly, then you can employ a professional service to look over a car for you. They will be able to inspect the car thoroughly, and they will know what they are looking for. Many companies specialize in Porsche cars, so you can be sure that you are getting an expert opinion on your possible purchase.

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