Auto Tariffs: Porsche Holding Up Vehicles in U.S. Ports

American Porsche dealerships have not received any new vehicles for several weeks, and the reason is easy to guess: The 25-percent tariff by the U.S. on April 3rd on imported cars.

Several sources told Automotive News that Porsche is holding deliveries at American ports to avoid having to pay customs fees. One retailer indicated that deliveries could resume in May, but that “everything is currently on hold” as the manufacturer waits to see the outcome of negotiations between Washington and the European Union regarding possible tariff reductions.

Porsche tries to limit the damage
Yesterday, April 28th, a Porsche spokesperson stated that vehicles were indeed being released from ports, and that more than 5,000 units had been delivered to dealerships during the month. However, the manufacturer did not specify how many of those vehicles had cleared customs before the tariffs came into effect.

Before the April 3rd deadline, Porsche accelerated the shipment of vehicles to the United States, while keeping prices unchanged for orders manufactured in March. Despite this, the German brand warned that its profit margin could fall to 6.5 percent this year — well below the initial forecast of 10 percent or more.

Totally dependent on imports
Unlike some of its competitors that produce domestically within the U.S., Porsche assembles all of its vehicles sold in the American market in Europe. The manufacturer is thus particularly vulnerable to protectionist policies.

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