Porsche Panamera four-door sports car debuts today
First All-New Porsche in Seven Years Poised to Set New Standards in the Premium Sedan Segment
Porsche today officially unveiled its Panamera four-door performance car. The first all-new, built-from-the-ground-up vehicle from the German manufacturer since the debut of the Cayenne in 2002, the Panamera was presented at the Shanghai motor show. The Panamera is unique in the premium sedan segment thanks to its “sports car for four” concept and its best-in-class fuel efficiency.
Klaus Berning, Executive Vice-President Sales and Marketing of Porsche AG, expressed a clear view at the world debut: “Introducing the Panamera, we are entering a market segment completely new for our customers and we are once again consistently expanding our model portfolio.”
“The crucial task for our engineers was to combine Porsche’s sporting DNA with all the spaciousness and driving comfort of a luxurious sedan,” said Wolfgang Durheimer, Porsche’s executive vice president of research and development and member of the supervisory board. “The Panamera is an alternative car concept for the premium customer, and while competing with established vehicles in the premium class, it will be a clear segment leader in terms of performance, driving dynamics and efficiency.”
The Panamera is Porsche’s fourth model line, joining the 911, Boxster/Cayman and Cayenne. It is the first premium car with an automatically-shifting double-clutch transmission and features an engine start/stop system that saves fuel and reduces emissions by turning the engine off when it is not needed, such as sitting at a stop light. All engines have advanced and fuel-efficient Direct Fuel Injection (DFI), as well.
Initially offered in three versions – the 400-horsepower Panamera S and all-wheel drive Panamera 4S as well as the 500-horsepower, twin-turbocharged all-wheel drive Panamera Turbo – the new Panamera provides Porsche performance and quality as well as a level of comfort that has been absent among high-performance cars. All Canadian Panameras feature the seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) double-clutch gearbox, delivering ultra-fast gearshifts, smoothness and outstanding fuel efficiency when compared to a conventional automatic transmission. The Panamera S, for example, consumes just 10.8 L/100 km in the New European Driving Cycle.
From the beginning, the Panamera project raised significant technical challenges for Porsche as it presented several engineering conflicts of interest. It had to have silhouette of a coupe, yet offer four full-size seats with a generous interior space and luggage room. It had to set the performance standard in its class, yet offer best-in-class fuel efficiency. It had to provide Porsche driving dynamics and performance and the comfort of a luxury sedan. And it had to have a driver’s cockpit typical of a sports car as well as a top-quality luxurious interior with the equipment expected in the premium sedan segment.
The Panamera body is a synthesis of lightweight sports car technology, superior comfort, spaciousness, and efficient aerodynamics. To create its lightweight structure, Porsche employs advanced production methods and all kinds of steel grades as well as aluminum, magnesium and plastics. The Panamera’s structure allows for two full-size rear seats that set new standards in the luxury performance class in terms of both comfort and adjustability. The Panamera also comes with a highly functional, variable luggage compartment. The rear backrests fold forward individually, providing up to 1,263 L of luggage capacity.
One highlight and another innovation is the active four-way rear spoiler on the Panamera Turbo. Through its management of control angles and surface geometry geared to driving conditions, the spoiler optimizes the car’s aerodynamics and performance.
The Panamera chassis and suspension is not a compromise between sporting performance and superior comfort, but rather a combination of the two. In its basic setting it offers a very high level of driving comfort, yet at a touch of the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) button, it turns into a thoroughbred sports suspension. A new adaptive air suspension, standard on Panamera Turbo and optional on other models, can also provide extra air volume on demand, offering a greater variation of sport and comfort. Optional Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC), with two active anti-roll bars, further enhances driving dynamics and comfort.
The optional Sport Chrono Packages enable the driver to choose, at the touch of a button, high-performance configurations for the engine, drivetrain and suspension systems, including Porsche Traction Management (PTM) with its fully-controlled all-wheel drive. PTM is standard on both the Panamera 4S and Turbo.
The Panamera goes on sale in Canada in October. The Panamera S is $115,100, while the Panamera 4S and Panamera Turbo retail for $120,300 and $155,000, respectively. A six-cylinder model and a hybrid version will follow later.
