Automobiles, Speed Four-Door Porsche Panamera
Everyone knows what a Porsche looks like, right? Curvaceous little two-doors with their rear-mounted engines have been on American roads since the 1950's, and their shape hasn't changed much during that time.
But a new car on the way from the famous Porsche design studios in Stuttgart changes all of that. The iconic little 911 isn't going anywhere, but it is getting a front-engine, four-door big brother for 2011. The Porsche Panamera has had a lot of Porsche enthusiasts up in arms since it was first rumored a few years back. But the first pictures of the car have emerged -- along with crucial mechanical details - and reaction has been decidedly split. Some are horrified. Others are starting to wonder if Porsche might just pull off this sport sedan thing after all.
Autoblog reports that the images are "already polarizing enthusiasts the world over." A prominent hatchback rear is the source of most of the controversy. Other styling elements seem generally well-accepted. "The most striking detail on the profile shot is the indentations leading from the front fenders, aft of the wheels, into the doors," Autoblog notes. "But the jury is still out on the Panamera's bulbous back end."
Motor Trend tries to explain the feature. "You need to understand two important things about the Panamera's development," they write. "First, Porsche boss Wendelin Wiedeking, who's 6ft 2 in., insisted he had to be able to sit comfortably in the back seat. Second, it had to look like a Porsche. Those two facts drove the entire program -- and are the reason why the Panamera looks slightly awkward in profile."
Jalopnik simply says that it isn't going to sell as well as Porsche wants it to because of its appearance. "Porsche is planning to sell 20,000 Panameras globally each year," they write. "Given the sedan's unique look, the production numbers seem quite optimistic."
"As for the performance," Car and Driver reports, "We know Porsche's going to bring it in a big way, with engines ranging from a 300-hp V-6 to a 500-hp turbocharged V-8-and later, a hybrid powertrain. Those engines are likely the same basic units found in the Cayenne, and judging from the models shown in the official photos-a Panamera 4S and a Panamera Turbo-the nomenclature should carry over as well. A six-speed traditional manual or Porsche's superb seven-speed PDK automated manual will be available on the nonhybrid models. And like the Cayenne, the Panamera will be available with all-wheel drive."
It may need every one of those horsepower. Its dimensions are larger than those of the BMW 7-Series, though it may not weigh as much. Motor Trend reports, "Insiders insist extensive use of materials such as aluminum and magnesium mean the car will be among the lightest large four doors in the business."
It enters a crowded market. Last year there were few four-door cars produced by Europe's legendary performance shops, apart from the Maserati Quattroporte. But the Panamera hits the market in the same year as the Aston Martin Rapide, and, perhaps, the Lamborghini Estoque. Each of those cars has also been received with reservations by enthusiasts - but neither features anything as controversial as the Panamera's rump.
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