2010 Porsche Panamera: Revealing The German GT Motoring
Channel Staff - 11/July/2007 | 
Porsche Panamera
The Panamera retains the traditional
Porsche front end, but the car is long
This CGI render shows how the
production version could appear
|
Stuttgart, Germany — Porsche upset many of its die hard followers when it launched the
Cayenne SUV earlier in the decade, and already there is a chorus of
disgust from the faithful regarding the German marque's latest vehicle,
the Panamera. The all-new Porsche undergoing testing was recently
spotted by KGP photographers with only minimal camouflage and these
photos give us the first real insight into how the new model will look. Expected to compete against vehicles such as BMW's upcoming 8 Series, the Maserati Quattroporte, and Mercedes 4-door coupe, the CLS-Class,
the Panamera will be powered by a front-mounted V8 engine likely to be
derived from the Cayenne's 4.5-litre nat atmo and turbo mills. The
Panamera has been spotted testing on various race tracks in Europe over
the last few years, but for the most part it has been heavily
disguised. These images show for the first time a clear picture of how
the new model will look.
The front end gets headlights that are
less iconic than the 911, but more dynamic, taking a leaf from the
Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, and the overall shape could be described as
adhering to the Porsche design blueprint. It's got a long hood,
and a strong and curvaceous shoulder line that starts at the headlights
and ends at the brake lights - a clear sign of Porsche heritage - as is
the lift-back rear end and rising rear window line. It's evident
that the new car will offer lots of room for rear seat passengers
thanks to its stretched body, though the sloping roof line towards the
rear may cause problems for taller rear passengers in terms of headroom. The
new Porsche Panamera is a front-engined grand tourer, or GT, that has
4-doors. The car deviates from the 911's rear mounted engine, 2-door
sports car layout, and though Porsche purists are crying foul,
suggesting the car dilutes the brand, it is a sign that Porsche is no
longer happy to dabble in niche new car markets. Since the
Cayenne arrived on the luxury SUV scene it's increased Porsche sales
significantly, and the new Panamera could provide another sales boost
for one of Germany's most profitable automakers. Has Porsche made a wise decision in developing a 4-door grand tourer? Let us know on our letters page. Currently the Panamera is expected to be a 2010 model year vehicle to be launched in Europe in 2009. Related Articles:
- Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet (2008)
- Porsche Cayenne (2007)
- Porsche 911 Targa 4S
(2007)
- Porsche
911 GT3 RS (2006)
- TechArt
GTsport Porsche Cayman S (2006)
- Porsche
Carrera GT by TechArt (2006) |
