EV, SUV demand push Porsche's 2021 sales to record

Porsche's annual global vehicle sales broke the 300,000 mark for the first time last year as the automaker overcame chip shortages to fulfill rising global demand for its cars, especially plug-in-hybrid models.

Deliveries increased 11 percent to 301,915, Porsche said in a statement. Porsche's previous record annual sales were 280,800 in 2019.

The Taycan full-electric sedan outsold the iconic 911 sports car for the first time with 41,296 deliveries, an increase of 106 percent.

The company sold 38,464 units of the 911, a rise of 12 percent.

In Europe, 40 percent of Porsche cars sold last year were either full-electric or plug-in hybrid.

The chip crisis has boosted sales of luxury brands as parent companies shifted chip allocation to higher margin models.

Porsche joined sibling VW Group brand Bentley in recording record sales last year. BMW's Rolls-Royce brand also saw a big boost to sales.

Staying exclusive

Porsche saw demand grow in all global sales regions, with the U.S. rising fastest at 22 percent to 70,025. China remains the brand's biggest single market with sales up 8 percent in 2021 to 95,671.

The brand's best-selling car was the Macan SUV with 88,362 units delivered, followed by the bigger Cayenne SUV with 83,071 sales. The Panamera sedan and wagon accounted for 30,220 sales over the year.

Demand remains high into the new year, the company said.

"We start 2022 full of momentum and confidence in all regions of the world," Detlev von Platen, head of sales and marketing, said in the statement.

He said the brand plans to remain exclusive, despite the record sales.

"Unit sales are not the decisive factor for us," he said. "Rather, we want to stand for exclusive and unique customer experiences."