Porsche Begins Assembly In Kulim, Kedah

First ever assembly facility outside Europe.

A landmark event for Porsche and Malaysia, the German marque today opens the doors of its first assembly plant outside Europe, with the cooperation of Sime Darby’s motor division.

“A testament to the long-standing and trusted partnership built for well over a decade, Sime Darby & Porsche are connecting more Malaysian Porsche fans to their dream sports car, while at the same time empowering futures by unlocking the potential of the local community and workforce,” said a statement by the brand. 

The launch was officiated by Kedah’s crown prince, DYTM Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah Ibni Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin, along with Kedah menteri besar Dato’ Seri Sanusi Md. Nor, as well as the Board & Management of Sime Darby Berhad, and Executive Board & Management members of Porsche AG & Porsche Asia Pacific. 

“Today we have reached a new milestone, rolling out the first locally-assembled Cayenne and fulfilling the sports car dream of even more Malaysian Porsche fans. Our growth strategy underlines the importance of Malaysia for Porsche as we look to expand our presence in the ASEAN region. And it demonstrates our confidence in Sime Darby, as a strong partner on our side.” – Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board for Sales & Marketing, Porsche AG

– Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board (Sales & Marketing), Porsche AG

The assembly plant in Malaysia, operated in partnership with Sime Darby, is staffed by a team of 100% highly-skilled Malaysian talent, all of whom have been comprehensively trained by Porsche. This is further supported by a network of local suppliers & service providers in the area, empowering the future of the local community with job opportunities, upskilling prospects, and potential for further expansion. 

This facility in Kulim, Kedah will assemble the Cayenne, seen as a simbol of Porsche’s broadening horizons, appealing to new customer segments by combining an elegant interior and unparalleled comfort with the robust dynamism that Porsche is famed for. 

The locally-assembled RHD Cayenne comes with an elevated and enhanced standard equipment range specified exclusively for the Malaysian market, with a specially-curated Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur option package and a special Porsche Design timepiece for more personalisation. 

At present, the facility will only assemble the Cayenne base model, with more expensive Cayenne variants remaining fully-imported units for the time being. However, we have reason to believe that the assembly plant will most likely be closely monitored by Porsche AG for future expansion, as an ASEAN base would be hugely beneficial for the Zuffenhausen brand to tackle other price-sensitive markets in the region. Add to that the insatiable demand for the Taycan EV here in Malaysia and the expiry of tax exemption on fully-imported EVs come December 2023, and it seems likely that Sime Darby and Porsche AG will look to add onto the Kulim plant’s capabilities in due course.

GALLERY: PORSCHE BEGINS ASSEMBLY IN KULIM, KEDAH