[Mpower]

Originally Posted by DKG

BTW guys my love for the 911 will render me irrational so please bear with me and patiently explain to me why Porsche should do a Panamera. I'll try to understand another point of view

DKG, you bring up an interesting topic. Here is my 2 cents.
I don’t think Porsche are just looking for financial growth. Today, anybody who wants to make money should not even be in the auto business.

I think Porsche wanted to show people that it’s possible to have the unique Porsche experience in an SUV too. I was an early critic myself but I am now convinced that the Cayenne was an awesome move. Besides, in the 90s… SUV was the new sports car.

Over the decades, Porsche had built a tremendous reputation as maker of fine sports cars but had little to offer to someone who was not a hardcore enthusiast. Enter the Boxter, Cayenne and the Tiptronic for 911, all questioned by purists but in hindsight turned out to be a tremendous successes which made them the most profitable automaker of this past decade.

Like the boxter/928, the Cayenne mostly sells to the page3 crowd who recognize the Porsche brand like a Gucci or a Louis Vuitton. It’s a ‘must have’ and shows that you have arrived in life. Few of them know about the 959 but very few will ever know that it had a 4wd drivetrain... although it definitely contributed to the brand building process.

If they took over a Bentley or a Landrover, they cannot infuse Porsche DNA into it. If they tried, then the result would neither be a Porsche nor a Bentley, and would turn out a disaster. Bentley and LR are already brands with a very strong identity.

Yes, the Phantom is out and out BMW when it comes to the engine, drive train and electrical architecture, (the bits that you dont see) but the rest of the car is bespoke RR. More importantly it has the RR DNA in it and is built in England.

The 928 was a great car and quite a success too initially. But the reason it got into a bad rep was because Porsche could not keep updating it every 4 years like the page3 crowd wanted. This is the 'latest gaadi hai' market. It could not simply sell for decades unchanged like the 911, because the people who bought these two cars were completely different.

I think a 4 ‘seat’ Porsche is a great idea and will take the brand further. I am not sure if you need 4 ‘doors’ and hatchback like silhouette. I think they should go after the S5 market but they have chosen to go after the M5, CLS etc. Financially the Panamera is lower risk than the 928 because it shares the engine and complete drivetrain with the Cayenne which itself is shared with Toureg. At the end of the day it’s all down to execution and let’s hope Martin Wilkenholm gets it right.

[DKG]

Well one thing is for certain. Porsche as a company is one smart cookie. They just shortcircuited the plans of hedge funds who short sold on VW stock only to discover Porsche has cleaned up much of it. Now VW stock has soared making it the world's largest company!! Just to bail out these funds Porsche will make a couple of billion dollars. Now will it pinch Porsche if the Panamera fails? Nope !! Will they bother making it a success? You bet !! That's Porsche. I just love them for the 911, a model that is 45 years old!!! That's all the Porsche I would ever want

[doctorque]

@ Mpower - I am really impressed by the way in which you put that accross.

Its hard to believe but we have got bookings for the panamera already and they are increasing by the day. Cant mention a lot, but the figure is easily upwards of double figures.
There was a special display of the panamera at the factory in germany sometime back and if what my senior said is anything to go by, its going to be a stunner.
There is good space for 4 people (5th person is difficult as there is the drivetrain passing from the centre) which is very good considering that the top end (turbo or turbo S) is going to be the fastest production four door car (and i assume it will be the fastest four door around the ring too). Great.

[mura]

Originally Posted by DKG

There's apparently a nice 928 for sale in Bombay right now I loved the gruff whoosh of its V8 Man does Porsche know how to tune its engine sounds !!

Is it the Silver 928GT? if yes, i already seen it and trust me it is NOT "nice".

If no, can you PM me any contact for the same.

[DKG]

Originally Posted by mura

Is it the Silver 928GT? if yes, i already seen it and trust me it is NOT "nice".

If no, can you PM me any contact for the same.

When a dealer say "Its a clean piece" you know what to expect !! I think it should be the one you saw.

[sidindica]

Leak: 2010 Porsche Panamera photo emerges online

The first official photo of the 2010 Porsche Panamera leaked onto the Web Friday evening. More images are expected shortly, and we’ll be sure to keep you updated. The sedan is expected to compete with the more expensive Aston Martin Rapide and Lamborghini Estoque models. Its narest rival in terms of price point, the BMW CS, was recently canceled.

In September, the automaker released a teaser shot of the Panamera’s characteristically Porsche nose, and until now that was the only official look at the finished exterior. The car measures 16.3 in length, 6.3 feet wide, and 4.66 in height. The car’s unique shape gives it a drag coefficient of 0.29, which is pretty respectable for a four-door sedan.
The entry-level powerplant will be Volkswagen’s 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine with 300 horsepower. The ‘S’ model will deliver 400 hp from a 4.8-liter V8, and the Turbo variant will offer an estimated 500 horses. All models are equipped with Porsche’s new PDK dual-clutch gearbox. According to Edmunds, the base car will come with a sticker price of $127,000. Despite the high price tag, Porsche is planning to sell 20,000 Panameras annually.
Some prototypes — likely the Panamera S — feature dual exhaust pipes and a retractable spoiler similar to the one on the Boxster/Cayman. Other prototypes — presumably the Panamera Turbo — feature quad exhaust pipes and a larger wing. While the finished car’s wing will look much different, we suspect the more powerful variants will have a larger spoiler than the base models.

[Nitronium]

God that rear is an eyesore!

[aniguchisan]

If that really is the final piece, not even it's mother could love it.

[dipen]

20000 units annually ? Lets wait and watch.
IMO, it looks terrible. Cayenne was somewhat acceptable. Rather it grows on you after seeing it multiple times. Doesn't seem to the case with the sedan.
AMG and M continue to rock.

[hanmust]

Panmera unvield

Official Porsche Panamera Image Leaked - worldcarfans

[Steeroid]

I dunno - this thing doesnt look good at all. Its almost ugly from side on, and the car is competing for a market where looks DO matter big time.

And it is not a market for speed alone - people who buy sports sedans usually have a full-blooded sportscar at home already, probably a 911. I would see them buying the E65s or the Quattroporte, not this monstrosity.

The thing about unconventional looks they lose their novelty factor real fast.

[Stratos]

Why does Porsche want everything that they make to have a swooooooping rear end just like the 911. I wish they would have given its rear a different character, aka normal looking boot!

[f450]

Porsche have just announced that they will be launching the Panamera in April 2009. April 19 to be exact.

Where, you ask? S-h-a-n-g-h-a-i. Yes, you read that right.

Porsche Panamera news - Flying Pan' - 2009 - BBC Top Gear

[ac 427]

Porsche has the worst designers employed. If they have any !!! Look at the Cayenne. It looks butt ugly. But as a piece of engineering its immaculate. I mean when you drive one you will understand. You wonder how is it possible to do all the things it does considering its size.

Having said that the Pannamera is a horrible design job, it might have the soul of the 911 and am sure it even will GO like one, but just for the design it is 1 on 10.

What Porsche is telling the world is that they are not confident of letting go their 'Look'. What i understand is they are somewhere skeptical if things go wrong with the new look.

Someone needs to tell them its not the 'look' that defines a car but it is the soul that defines a car.

Cheers,
AC

[Dippy]

I never liked the Panamera in the earlier scoop pictures and then I saw the official pictures . Cant say I like the looks totally but I dont think its that bad either. I remember hating the Cayenne for the looks but then it grew on my slowly. I am reserving my final opinion till I see a Panamera in the flesh. It may not look the part now but if it has the power and performance of a normal 911, this car is a hit. I see a lot of buyers in India for this one.