Read an article about the oldest existing Porsche dealer in Japan
Published Date: 11.10.2018
911DAYS
Recently released.911DAYS 2018AUTUMN Vol.73The theme of this issue is "The World's Most Beautiful and Most Beautiful People. This issue's featured theme is.Our 70th Anniversary of Porsche Sports Cars - This is how we all fell in love with Porsche.This is called.
The content is interesting and very entertaining, as well as a look back at the history of Porsche.(I also excerpted from a magazine in my last blog, "What I think from the lyrics of "Playback Part 2" by Momoe Yamaguchi - don't be ridiculous, it's your fault.(I wrote an article called)
As I flipped through the pages again, I noticed that there was an article that I had skipped over at the beginning. The title of that article was.
What was going on with Porsches in Japan in the 50's and 60's!"
I see - sounds interesting. And then I read the first few lines, and lo and behold!
To unravel "Our 70th Anniversary of Porsche Sports Cars," one must know the starting point of Porsche in Japan. So, we haveShowa Jidosha (Porsche Center Nishinomiya, Sakai), the oldest Porsche authorized dealer in existenceWe asked advisor Masaru Okubou, founder of
This "Showa Jidosha" is the dealership where my family has always been indebted to. Or ratherI didn't know they were the oldest Porsche dealer in existence! I didn't know that!
So I decided to read through the article as soon as I could, because I couldn't believe that it was something else.
1953, Porsche first arrives in Japan
The first Porsche was imported to Japan in 1953. At that timeSanwa Jidosha, which had an authorized import agency agreement with Porsche, imported just two 356s."The first time it was done, he said.
Later in 1955, ten 356 Pri A's were imported, three of which came into Osaka. However, two of them were purchased by a certain major company, so only one remained in private hands. The person who purchased this Porsche as an individual at that time was a person with appropriate social power before and after the war.(Who could that be?!)
At that time, Okubo was working for Yanase Jidosha(Currently Yanase Automobile)He worked as a mechanic atTo his surprise, the company received a request to service that one precious Porsche.Naturally, I refused once because of course there was no maintenance manual or anything, but I couldn't refuse and decided to do the maintenance.
Porsche at that time.It's a beautiful handmade body, and the parts and engine sounds are unlike anything I've ever seen on a car.Mr. Okubo, a car enthusiast, was immediately attracted to Porsche and established Showa Jidosha in 1959 as a maintenance shop for foreign cars. Later, he happened to find an advertisement in the automobile magazine "CG" for an authorized Porsche dealer, and immediately applied for the position, becoming the first authorized dealer.
Incidentally, the price of a new 911 in 1965 was 4.35 million yen.It was the equivalent of 37 million yen today.Moreover, at that timeNearly all were cash lump-sum purchases."I am surprised that this is the case. We're just starting to get our monthly installments out.24 payments at the longest, which means monthly payments of say 1.5 million yen each month now.Therefore, only a person of high character could buy it, and only a person who understood the value of a Porsche could sell it.
Today, a used Porsche can be had in a matter of weeks, and a loan can be taken out to drive a Porsche with low monthly payments. A new car can be bought within a year of delivery if it is a regular model. But the fact that this situation has been created today is thanks to our predecessors who paved the way for us from a place where there was no foundation at all.
When I think about it, it makes me think about a lot of things.
Can you hire me?
I used to be an employee who wanted to know the history and background of a product or service, even when I was in sales.
Why was the product created?" "What were the thoughts of the creators?" "What was the process of trial and error like?" "What did customers who knew the product at the time think?
I never had a chance to present them to my clients, even though I knew about them.Knowing the history and background, we can operate with enthusiasm, carrying the thoughts of many different people.I had a feeling. In fact, the more I learned about such things, the more I was able to sell, and conversely, products that did not make sense to me did not sell at all, even though I studied them.(I'm really not suited for organization.)
Whenever I told my husband that I had researched the history of Porsche, or that Porsche was a "certain kind of Porsche," he would say, "I've heard that Porsche is a certain kind of Porsche.
What, are you going to be a Porsche salesman? Why don't you take one of the job openings at the Porsche dealership?
And I'm not happy about it. And I'm not too happy about it.
I wonder if they will hire a female sales person since it is rare to see a female sales person at a Porsche dealership."
What a thing to say (laughs)!
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Is the price in 1965 the current price of 37 million yen? Is "current" a comparison to prices in Japan or something else?
Out of curiosity, I looked at the exchange rate in 1965: 1 mark is about 90 yen, 1 dollar is about 4 marks, and 360 yen, so if we consider that the yen appreciated three times, it would be about 12.5 million yen, which is the same as the Carrera of today. It may not be so simple, though, since the mark has been converted to the euro.
The starting salary for college graduates in Japan seems to have increased slightly over the past 50 years when converted to today's value (although the number of college graduates has increased considerably), so perhaps the higher value of the yen has made it easier to buy (if so, thank goodness).
By the way, when I first thought that I would buy one someday when I grow up, a 911S cost 6,550,000 yen... (This is an old memory, so I may be wrong...)
Mr. PorshceDreamer.
Thank you!
>Since 1 mark is about 90 yen and 1 dollar is about 4 marks and 360 yen, it would be about 12.5 million yen if we consider that the yen has appreciated by 3 times, which is the same as the current Carrera.
I see!!! What kind of calculations did the article use to come up with the estimate of 37 million yen as it is now? Considering prices and many other things, I wonder if the price would be that high....
I think I heard something about the average income in the US (San Francisco?) being 2.5 times higher than it was a few decades ago, even though the average income of the Japanese people has decreased a bit compared to a few decades ago. I think I heard something about the average income in the U.S. (San Francisco?) being 2.5 times higher than it was a few decades ago, so
I'm not good at arithmetic, so I don't really understand what's going on.
But a Porsche is not a cheap car, so it can be a goal for many, and I'd buy one myself!
Good evening.
I bought 911 Days too!
I mean, I've been buying it since the first issue.
By the way, did you know that there is a Porsche event tomorrow at the plaza in front of the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse?
I will also stay the night before to attend.
If you have time, please visit.
Ingenieur.
Ever since the first issue... As expected! LOL!
Actually, it's in issue #73, pages 64-67.
It has an air-cooled 964 on it that came to our house the other day.
It looks like a model car, so I bought it.
So today's event is at the Red Brick!
We live in Kansai and can't get there very often.
I came to the Porsche Fair at the dealership in case you were wondering lol.
Good evening, Mina.
Today, for the first time in many years (since I was in the U.S.), I met a senior colleague whom I have known for more than 20 years.
We have seen you.
This senior is a considerable car enthusiast who has been driving cars as he pleases.
I was very happy to see him (he is what we call "a good-looking boy" in Osaka dialect, but he is a wonderful human being).
We have been working with Company T (Japan's largest automobile manufacturer) for nearly 30 years.
Technically, he knows more than most of the critics out there.
So I heard that this guy bought a Panamera about six months ago.
I asked him what he thought, but he couldn't wait for the delivery date (he's super impatient to begin with) and it was at the dealer.
He bought a new base model car and said, "It's slow! Maybe the 4S or the turbo is good, but the base model is not.
It's slow. And it's huge! I knew the body size, but for a while it was like driving a tank."
(This is just my personal opinion (blah blah blah)). This person had been in a similar sized car before that.
I was being ridden, though).
But, it was not good that I didn't wait for the delivery date this time. I still think I should buy a 911.
I'm thinking a little. But I can't go golfing with 911... (This senior also golfs.
I like it enthusiastically). I still think I'll buy a turbo Panamera."
He said whatever he wanted.
But since we met at the party, well, he told us many pleasant stories for about 30 minutes.
My Panamera, which is about to be delivered to me, is now in the shop thanks to the last typhoon that hit Japan, Typhoon No. 26 (I think it was).
The ship was delayed and the delivery was postponed for a week.
The "I" is a very good example of a "I".
Tomorrow (11th), there are some minor meetings left to go over.
I am planning to go to the "70th Anniversary Full Lineup Session" that is being held right now.
How to support your life, Mr.
It's been a while!
I know exactly what you mean, and I'm sure you'll understand.
I can image it lol.
The stock Panamera is a great choice if what you want most from your car is acceleration.
Yes, it may be a little short...
But that person must be very fly ^_^.
In that sense, the Panamera Turbo seems like a crazy fit!
You have delayed delivery of the car.
We hope the weather will be fine on the day of delivery ^_^.
When you take delivery of the car, please let us know what you think of it!
This long-established dealer will be taking down its signboard in the near future....
Mr. Polkman.
I see...!
I guess the dealers must have a lot of difficulties in running their business....
We are sorry to hear that this long-established dealer will soon be taking down its sign.