STUTTGART, Germany, Oct. 8, 2026 — Porsche has increased its ownership of German motorsport specialist Manthey Racing to 67%, strengthening its position in the high-performance vehicle market as the luxury automaker shifts toward selling fewer cars at higher prices to restore profitability.
Porsche confirmed Thursday that it acquired an additional 16% stake in Manthey, raising its ownership from 51%. The company did not disclose the purchase price. Manthey managing directors Nicolas and Martin Raeder jointly retain the remaining 33%.
The acquisition is part of Porsche’s broader turnaround strategy, announced Wednesday, which focuses on exclusive sports cars, personalized vehicles and higher profit margins rather than increasing overall sales.
Manthey, based near Germany’s Nürburgring racing circuit, specializes in developing performance upgrades for Porsche vehicles. Since 2020, the two companies have jointly developed nine Manthey Kits for models including the Porsche 911, 718 and electric Taycan Turbo GT.
These packages improve vehicle performance through specialized engineering, allowing owners to enhance handling and racetrack capabilities without purchasing an entirely new car.
Porsche plans to expand the partnership beyond performance upgrades to include exclusive driving experiences and limited-production specialty vehicles. The company sees these products as an opportunity to generate additional revenue from customers willing to pay more for distinctive performance and customization.
The expansion comes as Porsche faces weaker demand in major markets, particularly China, alongside rising costs and pressure to improve profitability.
According to Reuters, Porsche’s operating profit margin fell to just 1.1% in 2025, a sharp decline from the double-digit margins the automaker previously achieved. Global vehicle deliveries totaled 279,449 last year, and the company is now preparing its operations for a future with lower sales volumes.
Under its new strategy, called Sportwagenschmiede ’35, Porsche aims to increase the average selling price of its highest-end models by approximately 20% over the medium term.
For perspective, a 20% increase on a $200,000 vehicle would represent an additional $40,000, although the company’s target applies to average selling prices rather than a uniform price increase on individual models.
Personalization will play a major role in achieving that goal. Porsche plans to expand its Sonderwunsch custom-order business, targeting a sixfold increase in sales from highly individualized vehicles.
The company is bringing Manthey’s performance operations together with its Exclusive Manufaktur customization division and heritage activities under a new business initiative called Home of Sports Cars.
The strategy also includes significant cost reductions. Porsche plans to cut management positions by 40%, reduce development expenses for future vehicle lines by up to 20% and lower production personnel costs.
Reuters reported that Porsche is planning to eliminate approximately 9,000 jobs by 2035 as part of its restructuring efforts.
The automaker is targeting a long-term operating profit margin of 15% and wants to reduce the annual sales volume needed to break even to approximately 200,000 vehicles. These remain company targets rather than achieved results.
Porsche is also revising its vehicle development strategy, maintaining investments in gasoline engines, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles rather than concentrating primarily on electrification.
The company expects all-electric versions of its 718 Boxster and Cayman sports cars to contribute to sales in 2028. It is also considering a new mid-engine super sports car positioned above the 911, while continuing to develop premium SUVs and other high-margin models.
The expanded Manthey partnership fits directly into that strategy by giving Porsche greater control over specialized performance products and exclusive customer experiences.
For buyers, the move could mean more factory-supported racing upgrades, limited-production models and personalized vehicles. However, Porsche’s focus on higher selling prices also signals that its most exclusive cars could become increasingly expensive.
For investors, the acquisition represents a relatively focused expansion into a business that complements Porsche’s existing products without requiring the company to depend entirely on higher vehicle production.
The decision also highlights a broader challenge facing luxury automakers: maintaining profitability when demand weakens and manufacturing costs rise.
By strengthening its ownership of Manthey, Porsche is betting that performance, exclusivity and customization can generate stronger returns even if fewer vehicles leave its factories.
The company’s latest move makes clear that its future growth strategy will depend not simply on selling more sports cars, but on earning more from each vehicle and the premium services surrounding it.
JBizNews Desk | Stuttgart, Germany
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