ubercooper

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsAr...aspx?AR=258143

A two-door, front-engined Porsche GT coupé is being planned as part of the second-generation Porsche Panamera family, highly placed sources have told Autocar.

The model is pencilled in for launch after the replacement for the Panamera four-door, scheduled for 2014/15.

See renderings of the Porsche 929 design study

Porsche is planning the new two-door GT on a short-chassis version of the next Panamera’s underpinnings. It will attempt to capture the magic of the 928 coupé from the late 1970s.

A new Porsche 928 — possibly badged 929 — would give Porsche entry to a sector that has grown to over 10,000 sales a year, thanks to models like the Aston Martin DB9, Bentley Continental and Ferrari California.

Porsche is understood to be planning two variants of the 929: a coupé and a soft-top convertible.

The 929’s styling is a closely guarded secret, although these images from Julliana Cho, a Porsche-sponsored student who has just graduated from the vehicle design course at the Royal College of Art, might give some clues to the themes being developed inside Porsche under design boss Michael Mauer. They show a more geometric design language with a much stronger-looking front end.

However, any widening of the Panamera line-up depends on Porsche significantly expanding build capacity, said our source.

“At the moment, derivatives of the Panamera are not planned for the first generation,” said the insider. “We hope to add them to the second generation, provided we can find necessary capacity.”

Porsche has announced a major investment programme at its Leipzig plant in Germany, where the Cayenne is produced, which will increase capacity.

Principally, there’s a new body assembly line to build the new Cajun compact SUV but it could also allow Porsche to switch production of the Panamera body from Volkswagen’s Hannover facility to Leipzig for the second-generation model.

In turn, that gives Porsche the flexibility to spin body derivatives off the Panamera. As a result, a third derivative — a sporty estate in the mould of the Mercedes CLS wagon due in 2012/13 — is possible.

“We have ideas to extend the Panamera line-up, including other body derivatives — a shooting brake, for example,” said our source.

There must also be a strong chance that work on the new Panamera platform will be shared with VW stablemate Bentley for its third-generation Continental and Flying Spur.

Former Porsche boss Wolfgang Durheimer is now boss of Bentley and is weighing up a third model in Bentley’s line-up. A sporty CLS-type saloon would be one option.

New Porsche boss Matthias Muller last year told Autocar that Porsche and Bentley should share platforms to reduce costs.

SteveG

"A highly placed source" is not official. And the so-called design elements being cited are from a former design intern. "pencilled in for launch after the replacement for the Panamera four-door, scheduled for 2014/15." What does that mean after "replacement of"? Could the source be a little more vague? Yawn.

I'm much more interested in people who support us with parts. I'm just a grumpy old 928 owner.

hacker-pschorr

+1

Especially when the words: "We Hope" are part of the story....

Meh - I don't care what anyone says, a new Porsche coupe with a V8 up front will not be a new 928. Except maybe in name alone.

The 928 was not a parts bin assembled couple from a chopped in half, monstrosity of a 4-door.
The 928 is first clean sheet of paper design of a street car in Porsche history.

Calling this new car a 928 will be a travesty to our cars history.

mickster

The only positive thing I see in this (aside from keeping Porsche profitable) is it may spark renewed interest in the 928.


Besides--the source is Autocar--the magazine that sacked James "Capt. Slow" May. How good can it be!

SeanR

I don't doubt for a minute that they will produce a new 2dr 4 seat coupe. That, and the battery operated econo box, are almost the only markets they have not jumped in to as of late.

DR

It will only be "Official" when you are staring at it in the Porsche Dealer's Showroom floor..and wondering if you can make the payments on the $200,000 price tag.

BUT, I do dig the "Mother & Father In Law" bench seat at the rear.. WTF!!!

Courtshark

929 = Mazda number. Doubt they would, or even can, reuse it. And that picture looks like a rebadged Jaguar XKR with a diving platform added to the back.

Mike Frye

I thought 929 was the designation for the RHD 928?

DR

Swim/Dive Platform nails it!!

Maybe that design came from the same person that did the Audi R8 Boat...




...or the guy who did the Corvette Boat (which looks more like a GT40 IMHO)..

hacker-pschorr

Don't make me get out the internet fly-swatter........

fraggle

That shot with the vent window looks like some strange cross between an old mustang and the R8.

Keep my classic 928 parts flowing please.

DR

Better be a BIG ONE

sweet928

I don't like that or any new 928 design I've seen so far. Look at how advanced the 928 was in it's day. A car designed in the 70's that still looks modern today. I've yet to see anything else (From Porsche) that is as fresh and bold as the 928 was. The freshest (other) exotic I can think of is the Bugatti -- and not sure that will still look "modern" 30+ years from now. Take a look at the 8 series or the NSX today and they look so old now. The 928 still looks like it could be a new car. I really can't think of anything else that has that timeless perfection. Sure a Gullwing MB is gorgeous but it doesn't look modern today. Rant over.

Ispeed

Good luck getting it under 4,000 lbs too. And our 928s were "too heavy" at 3500 lbs...

chrly924s

I don't see myself on the sunny side of the grass by the time its in my price range anyway.