Perhaps not through Porsche’s fault, but rather general societal standards, the EUIPO states that “the relevant public does not concentrate on the sound with sufficient attention or even memorize the sound. As such, the sound mark applied for cannot fulfill its main function, namely to enable relevant consumers to recognize a commercial origin.”
According to the trademark documentation (where you can also listen to the sound in question), Porsche appealed the decision on September 6, but it has not yet been reevaluated.
The sound in question is the pedestrian warning sound, played at relatively low speeds to alert pedestrians of the approach of an EV. While Lamborghini had no problem trademarking the sound of the Revuelto earlier this year, Porsche’s sound is considered too generic.
Porsche is arguing otherwise, saying that basic tone sequences can be instantly recognizable, like the sound of a lightsaber or of KITT’s scanner from Knight Rider.