Autos

Porsche launches a car subscription service

A Porsche Cayenne Turbo car is presented on stage during a show at the stand of German carmaker Porsche at the Frankfurt Motor Show IAA in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on September 12, 2017.
Tobias Schwarz | AFP | Getty Images

Porsche will start a "subscription service" for customers that could give them access to a number of their sports cars and SUVs, from $2,000 per month.

Porsche Passport will start in November in Atlanta, the German company's North American affiliate announced Tuesday. The automaker calls it a "white-glove" service intended to give users app-driven access to a different Porsche on a flexible schedule.

The pilot program being rolled out in metro Atlanta first is made possible through Clutch Technologies, LLC, which is part of the company's Strategy 2025 that wants to cater to, "customers' desire to experience our sports cars," Porsche Cars North America president and CEO Klaus Zellmer said in a news release. Expansion into other markets will be determined after feedback from Atlanta customers, a company spokesperson told The Verge on Tuesday.

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A $2,000-per-month Porsche Passport membership would give customers access to models such as the 718 Boxster, the 718 Cayman S, and six other Porsche models; the more expensive $3,000-per-month plan gives a user the ability to drive one of 22 models, such as a Cayenne E-Hybrid.

A subscription to Porsche Passport covers vehicle tax and registration, insurance, maintenance, and detailing. There is a $500 activation fee at first and a credit check, but Apple iOS and Android users can then download the app and schedule same-day or future vehicle exchanges through the Porsche Passport app.

Porsche Passport now stands between fellow Volkswagen Group's Audi on Demand service that currently operates in San Francisco as sort of a concierge rental service, as well as the subscription plan Care By Volvo. The Swedish automaker plans to debut that early next year with the new XC40 SUV, which will bundle insurance, maintenance, and washing into one flat fee with the car.

And for Porsche's well-heeled customers, jumping into a different Porsche every day may seem like a perfect fit.