Asian Tech Press (Aug 31)-- German marque Porsche will open its first plant outside Europe next year, marking a departure from the 90-year-old luxury brand's insistence on building cars around its legendary Stuttgart headquarters, according to Financial Times.

Porsche will partner with Sime Darby Bhd, its exclusive distributor and retailer in Malaysia, to build a small assembly line in Malaysia to serve the country's growing number of Porsche enthusiasts. Currently, these enthusiasts have to pay nearly twice the price for imported sports vehicles due to high tariffs and other taxes.

Sime Darby Motors has been a partner of choice for Porsche in Malaysia for 11 years, representing Porsche as its exclusive distributor and retailer.

Porsche began producing its Cayenne SUV in Slovakia five years ago, undercutting its "Made in Germany" marketing slogan. Since then, Porsche has continued to manufacture most of its cars in its home country, proudly claiming that its new electric vehicle, the Taycan, was "designed and built in Germany".

Porsche CEO Oliver Blume said earlier that the company would not build a factory in its biggest and most profitable market, China. "It is a quality and a premium argument still to produce from Europe for China," he said, adding that it was worth bearing higher production costs to maintain Porsche's brand prestige.

The company announced Monday that it would build an R&D site in Shanghai to understand and meet the specific needs of Chinese customers.