RICHARD MEADEN

Porsche's decision to go all-in on battery power has left it on a precipice, says Meaden

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PORSCHE'S RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT THAT it is withdrawing its 963 Hypercar from next year's World Endurance Championship was little more than a blip in the wider scheme of global automotive news. But as a lifelong fan of Porsche and its motorsport activities, the significance was hard to ignore. The last time Porsche pulled out of this blue riband race series was in the wake of Dieselgate, but that felt like repentance for sins of the father. This time around it feels more like an unintended consequence of corporate self-harm.

If the rumour mill is to be believed, the decision to row back on its EV plans and consequential budget pressures may also result in the GT2 RS being canned. Again, depending on your viewpoint, that's either a few missing pixels in Porsche AG's bigger picture, or a further erosion of Porsche’s DNA. At least the Formula E programme has survived. Phew.

Porsche has been an SUV maker by volume for many years, yet until recently there was the belief that its heart remained that of a sports car company. Even as the focus shifted to hybrids and EVs, there was a sense that if anyone could build a battery-powered car that would tempt enthusiasts with early adopter tendencies it would be Porsche.