As part of its drive to expand its product range, Porsche is currently known to be working on development of a new saloon/hatch vehicle. The new car, called the Panamera, is allegedly to use the 8 cylinder 4,5L mills that currently do service in the Cayenne range. Also mulled for inclusion is an Audi-sourced V10 – initially, the V10 from the Carrera GT was tipped as the range-topper, but production limitations are said to have precluded it from inclusion.
The final assembly of the vehicles will take place in Leipzig. Engines will be assembled in Stuttgart, and the car’s painted body will come from the Volkswagen facility in Hanover.
The Panamera is generally considered to be the long-awaited fruit of Porsche’s 989 concept from the late 1980s; some argue that it also presents itself as a suitable successor to the 2-doored 928.The vehicle has been caught testing at the Nurburgring and the original sketches are a little more sleek than the taped up model spied testing
Artist renderings of the car already distributed by Porsche show a low-slung, four-door sports car with narrow side windows and flowing lines. However spy shots of the Porsche Panamera testing at the Nurburgring show a more blunt car than the artists renderings, it looks a little like a stretched 997 Turbo
The Panamera’s name is derived, like the Carrera line, from the Carrera Panamericana race.
I’m sure many a die-hard Porsche fan would be disappointed in the considerably drastic design changes, but I welcome the change. I think that the 911 style has been over-used and this design broadens Porsche’s ambit of car design, allowing for a the opportunity to appeal to a much wider market.
June 29, 2007 5:01 pm
I disagree that the 911 style has been over-used, it has contributed to the continued success of Porsche in racing, however, in reguards to Porsche as a passenger vehicle this is a great change…. Also according to Dr. Ing Wendelin Wiedeking “Made in Germany still has a good reputation all over the world, and we must make that it stays that way.†I believe the Panamera will meet our expectations.
September 13, 2007 9:30 pm
e-kereta
this would be great sport car with 4 doors
June 29, 2007 12:11 pm