Monday 19th February 2007

Porsche Panamera spy-shotted

Stuttgart's GT has been revealed

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Porsche's Panamera sketch

Car Magazine has snared one of the best shots of what looks very like Porsche's new 928 replacement, the four-door Panamera.

The GT's set to broaden the appeal of the company's products, bridging the gap between the hard-core sports car fans and the bulky Cayenne. It'll use a mix of underpinnings, some from the Cayenne and some from the 911 Turbo, with the engine at the front and drive from the rear.

It's likely to be quick and cost up to £80,000 but won't be available until 2009.

There's a lot of tough competition out there but Porsche looks to be in a good position to benefit from its brand. Looks a bit hefty at the rear though...

Check the link for the pics.

• Porsche Panamera spy-shots

[Dr S]

1800kg, and then they talk about lightweight materials. Don't understand the talk about the 911 being a hardcore sports car. They can also be that but the 997's are fantastic GT cars

[imfinlay]

Oh dear. Doesn't quite look right to me.

Ian

[redseal]

80k for something that looks like a squashed ford focus? I think not!

[ACW]

I think we know who ate all the pies...

[carsarecool]

They have got to be kidding right?

[scotty_917]

...wait 'til the production version; Porsche very rarely gets it wrong?

[kingb]

scotty_917 said:

...wait 'til the production version; Porsche very rarely gets it wrong?

what happened to the cayenne then. in fact i think most new porsche models have there styling questioned

but that new thing looks terrible. theres just nothing about it, it doesnt flow, its not angular its just nothing. will prob fly thou

[dava]

That looks rear engined to me. Like a stretched 911 chassis. Why else the bulge at the back?

[PhantomPH]

I only hope it looks a little more like the sketch and a little less like the mule.

[TECHNOPUG]

Stretch 911-limo.......hmmmmmmm.......agree about the rear-engine thing

[loach]

Looks big. It's not really a replacement for the 928, is it? A pretty 2+2 it ain't. It looks a little bit of a mish-mash - though I'm sure it'll make a handy repository for all the components lying around left over from the thousands of unwanted VW Phaetons.

[Dr S]

Now I know what it reminds me of: A TVR Typhonn that first got into a crash and then went on a super size me diet...

[Newromancer]

OMG it's ugly!!

[mulletmark]

Hmmmm,

Anyone else think that third shot looks a little too much like a Rover SD1?

[Lord-Flasheart]

Newromancer said:

OMG it's ugly!!

It's not THAT bad.

[Gruffy]

The mule is quite hideous but look carefully at the chrome line in each shot. It looks to me as though the rear third of the car is disguised by a big bolt-on area. I would guess that the Panamera will follow a similar, albeit stretched, profile to the 911.

[PhantomPH]

You absolutely cannot judge this vehicle from a disguised mule as seen in those shots.

May as well look at those of the same vehicle that had a BMW 5-series body slapped on and say, "Wow, they have copied BMW's design!". Of course it's ugly - it's supposed to be at this stage.

I would never judge a suit based on the pinned-up test and chalk-marks.

P~

[MR BEE]

My god, thats fallen right out the ugly tree.

[ukross]

PhantomPH said:

You absolutely cannot judge this vehicle from a disguised mule as seen in those shots.

May as well look at those of the same vehicle that had a BMW 5-series body slapped on and say, "Wow, they have copied BMW's design!". Of course it's ugly - it's supposed to be at this stage.

I would never judge a suit based on the pinned-up test and chalk-marks.

P~

Totally agree - is that not the whole idea of cladding the car with disguise? So that we/competitors cannot tell what the showroom version will look like?

[tony*t3]

The 4 door Aston Martin looks so much better in terms of proportions than this test mule. Perhaps thats because the standard car that its based on lends itself to being more 'stretched' than the 911 range does. Porsche are generally a very compact vehicle, and as with the Cayenne, the design tradition doesnt seem to lend itself to being used in a larger vehicle format....

I'm sure it'll be technically superb. Just don't really understand the market place that they are aiming for. Is there any real need for 4 full size seats in a Porsche, and if so, haven't they already filled that segment with the Cayenne ?

When do we get a Porsche People carrier.....????