We don’t normally report on political topics. FLATSIXES exists solely to bring you the best coverage of Porsche cars and the community that surrounds them. Especially in today’s highly polarized political climate, it wouldn’t normally be in our wheelhouse to touch on international trade conflicts. However, when the topic being discussed is a flat out blockage of all German luxury car imports, we are obligated to provide that horrifying news to our readers. Regardless of your political affiliations, we are forced to assume that if you’re reading a Porsche enthusiast site, you might not like the thought of Porsche disappearing from our shores. According to a report by Germany’s WirtschaftsWoche magazine, during French President Emanuel Macron’s state visit in April, President Donald J. Trump informed Macron of a plan to do just that. While no exact quotes are given, Trump allegedly said he would maintain this ban until such day as no Mercedes Benz models could be found on Fifth Avenue in his home New York City.
This protectionist, allegedly America First, kind of policy is not exactly out of character for Trump, as he’s previously alluded to those same Mercedes on Fifth Avenue in a January 2017 interview quoted in German magazine Bild. “When you walk down Fifth Avenue, everybody has a Mercedes-Benz parked in front of his house. You were very unfair to the U.S.A. It isn’t mutual. How many Chevrolets do you see in Germany? Not many, maybe none, you don’t see anything at all over there. It’s a one-way street.” While Mercedes has been singled out, and BMW has been mentioned by name in the past as well, the alleged policy could certainly effect all German imports equally. Just over a week ago, for example, Trump broached the idea of heavy import tariffs on cars that could reach as high as 25%.
There will be big news coming soon for our great American Autoworkers. After many decades of losing your jobs to other countries, you have waited long enough!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 23, 2018
While the policy is ostensibly intended to save American auto manufacturer jobs, what are the knock on effects to potentially closing over 800 Porsche dealerships nationwide? Would Porsche be forced to build an assembly plant on US shores to avoid the import ban? If a punitive tariff was put in place, would you pay an extra 25% to get a new Porsche? That would bump the base price of a new GT2 RS up to nearly $375,000! Give us your thoughts in the comments below.
