Porsche presents first photos of the Panamera Gran Turisme
Three-quarters of a year prior to market launch, Porsche has released the first official photos of its new four-door Panamera. Porsche’s unique four-seater was conceived as a four-door grand touring sports car, combining numerous talents in typical Porsche style: sporting driving dynamics, a spacious interior, and the supreme comfort of a Gran Turismo. Joining the 911, Boxster and Cayman sports cars as well as the Cayenne SUV, the Panamera is Porsche’s fourth model series.
The Panamera’s designers have succeeded in positioning it as a brand-new and truly different model while retaining the looks of a Porsche. Through its proportions, the Panamera stands out in its market segment: measuring 1,931 mm in width, it is wider, and measuring 1,418 mm in height, lower than comparable four-door models. The unmistakable GT silhouette is created by the car’s overall length of 4,970 mm and short, sporting overhangs. In its styling and details, the Panamera follows the design philosophy refined over decades on the 911 and successfully implemented on the Boxster, Cayman and Cayenne.
The Panamera establishes a new segment with its design. The symbiosis of sports car DNA derived from the looks of a coupé, the unique interpretation of the classical saloon body and the benefits of a variable space concept give the new Porsche a truly unmistakable appearance. For instance, Panamera comes with strongly contoured air intakes instead of a conventional radiator grille. Striking wheelarches and the long and sleek engine compartment – with the distinctly contoured wings flanking the flat front lid – create the typical 911 “landscape” Porsche customers have appreciated for over 45 years. V-shaped seams along the hood and rear window, which taper like an arrow to the rear, are also characteristic of a sports car. Muscular shoulders over the rear wheels, the sweep of the coupé-like roofline and visible tailpipes again bear the thoroughbred Porsche DNA.
An elegant roof arch extends over the generous interior. Thanks to the unique and sporting architecture of the interior, the car’s occupants are able to experience the cockpit-like atmosphere from all four seats. All occupants enjoy supreme comfort in front and the two contoured rear seats. The luggage compartment easily takes all passengers’ luggage; the Panamera’s variable space concept with folding rear backrests enables driver and passengers to adjust the luggage space to individual requirements. Finally, the coupé tailgate in the sporting rear end combines everyday usability with stylish elegance.
Porsche has developed powerful and up-to-date engines for the Panamera, reflecting the qualities typical of the brand; the V-engines come with six and eight cylinders with output ranging from 300 to 500 bhp. Some engines use turbocharging technology and Direct Fuel Injection, making them both fuel-efficient and very powerful. Power flows to the wheels through either a manual six-speed gearbox or Porsche’s seven-speed PDK Doppelkupplungsgetriebe, or Double-Clutch Gearbox.
In addition to rear-wheel drive, the top version of the Panamera comes with even more sophisticated all-wheel drive, available on other models as an option. Porsche is also preparing a fuel-efficient Panamera hybrid. Further details on engines, transmissions, performance, prices and equipment will be disclosed next spring.
The Porsche Panamera will be built at Porsche’s Leipzig Plant, where a 22,000 square-metre production hall and a logistics centre are currently under construction. While the Panamera engines are built at Porsche’s Main Plant in Zuffenhausen, painted bodyshells will be supplied by Volkswagen’s Hanover plant. The Leipzig Plant will then assemble the Panamera for final delivery, with an annual sales target of about 20,000 units. Porsche is once again cooperating with German suppliers, with some 70 per cent of the car’s overall value being created in Germany.
The Panamera will make its world debut in spring 2009 and the first models will be at dealers worldwide in late summer of next year.