For years, Porsche was one of the clearest symbols of the luxury car boom in China, where long waiting lists and strong resale values helped cement the sports carmaker's status among affluent buyers.

Now, as China's premium auto market undergoes one of its most dramatic transformations in decades, the German automaker is confronting a more difficult reality.

In the first quarter of 2026, Porsche delivered 7,519 vehicles in China, down 21 percent year-on-year.

Yet Alexander Pollich, president and CEO of Porsche China, does not view the weaker sales as a sign Chinese consumers are turning away from the brand.

"We believe brand desirability is not defined by delivery figures, but by the enduring strength of our heritage, the depth of our engineering, and the passion of our community," he told China Daily in an exclusive interview.

It has continued to stick to its "value over volume" strategy in China, although Pollich stressed that this does not mean accepting lower volumes as an end goal.

"It is a strategic choice to pursue a healthy, sustainable and high-quality business," he said, adding that the approach is intended to build lasting customer relationships that support long-term growth.

Rather than responding directly to local rivals on specifications or pricing, Porsche is betting that brand depth and emotional identity will remain key differentiators in China's evolving luxury market.

"In a world of increasingly homogenized digital experiences, authentic emotion becomes the ultimate luxury," Pollich said. "Our heritage provides that depth and credibility that cannot be copied or coded overnight."

That belief was visible at the recent Beijing auto show, where Porsche showcased not only its latest products but also heritage racing models and legacy icons — a strategy that contrasted with the technology-heavy presentations of many Chinese electric vehicle startups.

To mark 25 years in the Chinese mainland market, Porsche also unveiled a one-off collector's car: the Porsche 911 GT3 Sonderwunsch — 25 Years of Porsche in China.

Based on the 911 GT3, long regarded as one of the purest expressions of Porsche's motorsport engineering for the road, the vehicle was created under Porsche's highest-level Sonderwunsch customization program.

The car features a hand-painted livery symbolizing the Year of the Horse while referencing both the Porsche crest and the city emblem of Stuttgart.

More than a commemorative model, the car served as a symbolic statement of Porsche's long-term commitment to China and its belief that emotional connection remains central to luxury in the electric era.

Pollich argued that Porsche's motorsport background continues to shape the company's engineering philosophy, from thermal management and lightweight construction to vehicle dynamics.

"The race is not just about who is fastest to market with a new feature," he said. "It's about who builds the most resilient and desirable brand."

At the same time, Porsche is accelerating localization efforts in China, particularly in software and digital ecosystems — areas where foreign automakers have increasingly struggled to keep pace with Chinese competitors.

In November, Porsche officially launched its China research and development center, which Pollich described as a highly autonomous "full-stack" hub integrating R&D, procurement and quality control functions.

One of its first major projects was a China-exclusive infotainment system developed jointly with a Chinese technology supplier.

According to Pollich, the local team was given full authority over software, hardware and user experience decisions without requiring step-by-step approvals from headquarters in Stuttgart.

"This represents a fundamental shift in process and a clear demonstration of substantive autonomy," he said.

The China R&D center is also expected to feed local innovations back into Porsche's global development system, particularly in areas such as battery chemistry, artificial intelligence and digital ecosystems, where Chinese companies are moving rapidly.

"We believe that by protecting these (brand heritage and customer trust) and deepening our localized offerings, we create an even more resilient and desirable brand.

"This approach builds lasting customer relationships, which is the true foundation for long-term, healthy volume," said Pollich.

lifusheng@chinadaily.com.cn