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Porsche teams with Delta airlines to woo VIP passengers

The next time you're waiting for a flight at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, see if you can spot a Porsche Cayenne or Panamera zipping between aircraft on the busy tarmac. The high-performance German vehicles aren't there practicing for an upcoming autocross; they are tasked with whisking some of the airline's most important customers between flights so they can keep their busy schedules intact.
Launched nearly two years ago, the program has proven popular with the automaker, airline and passengers as all benefit from the unique arrangement. Atlanta-based Porsche is able to showcase its cars to Delta's frequent-flying Medallion members, the airline is recognized for providing unusual perks to its high-value customers and those fortunate enough to be surprised with a quick lift are able to make connections without a stressful run through the terminal. Based on its success, the airline is rolling our similar programs in New York, Los Angeles and Minneapolis this month.
And don't think Porsche is the only automaker working with an airline to entice its frequent flyers. Mercedes-Benz ran a program over the summer that offered purchasing and leasing incentives to MileagePlus Premier members of United Airlines, and the two are currently shuttling top fliers around Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport in the automaker's S-Class and GL-Class models.

Prosecutors in Argentina wants Top Gear to stand trial

Jeremy Clarkson may have left Top Gear behind, but some of his actions on the show may come back to haunt him. Prosecutors in Argentina reopened a criminal case against Clarkson last week, which may result in a prison sentence, over last year's now infamous insulting license plate incident, the Telegraph reported. Top Gear, and Clarkson in particular, had a reputation for going out of their way to insult other cultures. Clarkson was already on notice for racist remarks and social media posts when he punched a producer, ending his career at the BBC. So it was not a huge surprise when the team ran into trouble in Argentina while filming a 1,400-mile road trip for the show's 2014 Christmas special. Now for the history; Argentina and England have a long running disagreement that goes all the way back to the age of empire. At various times, a small set of islands off the coast of Argentina, called the Falklands, have had French, British, Spanish, and Argentine settlements. Britain claimed for their own in 1833. In 1982, Argentina and Britain fought a short, bloody war over the islands. Britain emerged victorious and still holds the islands to this day, though Argentina still claims them. Enter the Top Gear lads and their cars. Clarkson was driving a Porsche 928 with a license plate reading H982 FLK. Producers for the show deny up and down that the plates were not intended to cause such ire. Intentional or no, residents took the plate as a jab at the country's defeat in 1982. First, Clarkson was banned from the city where the road trip was supposed to wrap up. Then, angry Argentines threw stones at the hosts, forcing Top Gear to abandon filming and flee the country. In April, a judge deemed the plates intentionally disrespectful and blamed the show for causing a riot. Now the case is being reopened in Argentine courts, partly at the urging of veterans from the Falklands War. Prosecutors are saying that Top Gear changed the Porsche's plates with full knowledge that such actions were illegal. The case could take years to wind its way through the court system and drag all three Top Gear presenters in front of a judge. At the end, if found guilty, Clarkson could face three years in an Argentine prison.

Porsche Australia price cuts in excess of $36,000 irks customers

Have you ever gone to the store, only to become irked after learning that the new [*insert widget here*] that you bought just last week has gone through a price drop? If you're particularly thrifty, even if it's only a couple of bucks, you probably brought in your receipt to see if the store would issue you a credit for the difference. Now, imagine that the widget in question isn't a minor purchase, it's a Porsche - and the price drop isn't just a few bucks - it's thousands.
That's the unhappy scenario that recently faced a number of Australian luxury car buyers and the uncomfortable conversation awaiting the German automaker. According to GoAuto, Porsche Australia recently whacked up to $36,000 off the price of its models in order to jumpstart sales Down Under - the Panamera range itself saw cuts between $5,500 and more than $36,000. The aggressive price cut was a strategy designed to drive sales of more than 3,000 cars locally, a yearly goal originally set for 2018, but now hoped for as early as 2016.
Australia is known for its comparatively high car prices, so the dramatic price cuts were undoubtedly welcome news to potential Porsche shoppers. However, around 50 existing customers were understandably agitated by the reductions because they purchased their cars just before the adjustments took effect. Not only did they stand to lose out on the deals, they also had good reason to fear that their new cars' residual values would take a beating.