New Porsche four-door GT named
Panamera to be powered by the Cayenne's V8
Reports suggest that Porsche is on the cusp of confirming that it will produce a four-door GT, the fifth model in its line-up. According to Autocar, the new four-seater’s name is Panamera, a name that Porsche registered last July, and it's due to hit the road in 2008.
The Stuttgart company is expected to display a concept car in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show and will pitch it against such cars as BMW's M5, Mercedes CLS and Maserati Quattroporte.
Although secrecy still envelopes the machine's mechanicals, Autocar reports that it's to be powered by the same 4.5-litre V8 engines found in the Cayenne (above). They include a naturally aspirated 340bhp V8 with 310lb-ft of torque as found in the Cayenne S, and the Cayenne Turbo's unit generating a chunky 450bhp and 457lb-ft of torque. It's now in the public domain that Porsche is developing a more powerful variant with over 500bhp for the Cayenne's mid-life tweak, so that unit may well find its way into the Panamera. The new car, arguably the spiritual successor to the 928, is said to be a combination of coupé and saloon, it will seat four, and have a boot capacity of some 450 litres.
In a link-up similar to that undertaken with the Cayenne and Touareg 4x4s, rumours suggest Porsche chairman Wendelin Wiedeking has reinforced its links with Volkswagen via a new, co-developed rear-wheel-drive platform programme. Volkswagen boss Bernd Pischetsrieder has said that Volkswagen could do with a new rear-wheel-drive model that could potentially become the Phaeton's replacement so another co-operation between the two long-term collaborators looks to be in the offing.
Autocar suggests that Bentley could use the new platform for the Arnage's successor.
Picture: www.autocarmagazine.co.uk/
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