During the pandemic, we’ve seen how much automakers were willing to go the extra mile just to meet sales quotas in what is arguably one of the most difficult times to sell cars. Likely modeling it from Mazda’s one-off MPV-and-Miata promo back in the 1990s, the past few months have seen certain car companies give away a subcompact sedan for every SUV sold. This idea probably reached the other side of the world where an aircraft manufacturer appears to have had the same train of thought.
Casual air travelers might not be familiar with the name Embraer. Based in Brazil, it is an aviation firm that, in sales terms, isn’t as big as aerospace giants Boeing and Airbus. But it has carefully carved a niche in commercial aviation by being a specialist in regional and corporate aircraft. Its wide range of business jets are quite popular around the world, but that didn’t stop the Brazilians from thinking outside the box when it came to scoring precious sales.
Each filthy rich individual who signs on the dotted line for a special version of the Embraer Phenom 300E airplane gets to take home an equally unique Porsche 911 Turbo S as part of the deal. Dubbed “Duet,” this one-of-a-kind combo is said to be for those who appreciate the beauty and engineering of both forms of transport (which this writer certainly does). And because each customer gets to walk away with both a jet and a car, the Phenom and the Turbo S become unlikely twins.
Both vehicles get identical liveries featuring a gloss Platinum Silver Metallic and a matte Jet Gray Metallic with a special chrome-and-blue pinstripe. A special “Duet” logo is featured liberally on the airplane and the car. Bringing home this special link between land and air is the Phenom’s tail number being painted on the 911’s rear wing and key fobs, as well as “No step” warnings on the illuminated doorsills. Furthermore, the 911 Turbo S has additional touches like alloy wheels finished in a bespoke paint job, exterior trim pieces treated in chrome just like the Phenom’s engine air inlets, and LED door projectors.
Because the Phenom’s cockpit is already fitted with the latest in avionics, it’s the Porsche’s cabin that needs some catching up to do. The dash-mounted stopwatch is themed like the aircraft’s artificial horizon. Matching Porsche Design luggage featuring two weekend bags and a pilot’s case are complementary extras, as is the special 1919 Globetimer UTC watch with the date pointer tipped with Embraer’s logo.
As far as performance is concerned, both the jet and the car clearly do not disappoint. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW535E1 turbofans, the Embraer Phenom 300E cruises at 464 knots (859km/h) with a range of up to 3,724km. Thanks to its automated flight deck, this high-performance aircraft can be flown by a single pilot. Not to be outdone, the Porsche 911 Turbo S has a horizontally opposed engine producing 641hp, can do 0-to-100km/h in around 2.7 seconds, and tops out at 330km/h.
As expected, there is a rather princely price to pay for this exclusive deal. A brand-new Embraer Phenom 300E starts at just under $10 million (P484 million). That doesn’t include the cost of learning how to fly the damn thing. But if you do have quite a bit of spare change lying around your mansion, do get the Duet combo now. Only 10 units of this unlikely pairing will be made available.
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