Porsche has released the first official photos of its new four-door Panamera, the unique four-seater conceived as a four-door grand touring sports car.
Porsche says Panamera combines the supreme comfort of a Gran Turismo car, a spacious interior not usually associated with Porsche’s sports coupes and roadsters, and the typical Porsche style and sporting driving dynamics. It joins the 911, Boxster and Cayman sports cars, as well as the Cayenne SUV, in late summer 2009 after its worldwide debut in spring.
Competing against the likes of the Mercedes-Benz CLS, Panamera stands out with its 1,931 mm width and 1,418 mm height, making it wider and 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.
The symbiosis of sports car DNA derived from the looks of a coupé, the unique interpretation of the classical sedan body and the benefits of a variable space concept give the new Porsche a truly unmistakable appearance. Panamera comes with strongly contoured air intakes instead of a conventional radiator grille. Striking wheel arches and the long and sleek engine compartment – with the distinctly contoured wings flanking the flat front lid – sweeping roofline and visible tailpipes display the typical 911 “landscape”.
The car’s occupants are able to experience the cockpit-like atmosphere from all four seats with all enjoying supreme comfort in front and the two contoured rear seats. The luggage compartment easily takes all passengers’ luggage thanks to a variable space concept that adjusts the luggage space to individual requirements.
Departing from the 911 and Boxster/Cayman mould, Porsche has developed powerful and up-to-date V6 and V8 engines for the Panamera, with output ranging from 300 to 500 horsepower. Some engines use turbocharging and Direct Fuel Injection to improve both fuel-efficiency and power. Power flows to the wheels through either a manual six-speed gearbox or Porsche’s new seven-speed PDK Doppelkupplungsgetriebe, or Double-Clutch Gearbox. All-wheel drive is available as an option, and standard on the top-of-the-line model.
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.
Sales are targeted at 20,000 annually, with engines coming from Porsche’s main plant in Zuffenhausen, and bodies supplied by Volkswagen’s Hanover plant. Porsche’s Leipzig Plant will then assemble the Panamera for final delivery, with some 70 per cent of the car’s overall value being created in Germany.
Tags: concept, montreal, performance, Porsche