Carrera GT

There's no forum here for the dour four door?

Here's the first bit of junk mail on the Panamera -- I guess everyone got this in their email this morning (at least in the US market.)

http://www.porsche.com/microsite/panamera/usa.aspx

I can't say I'm in any hurry to get one, but at least the images (and the intro video, though it doesn't show the car) evoke a sense of style and proportion that the spy-pics do not capture. Here's hoping the Panamera is a wild success -- despite what we, some of us, might feel about the car itself. : )

sws1

I think the front end of the car that is peaking out of the garage looks awesome. I hope the rest does as well.

chardonet

At least the front end looks good...

iLLM3

Agreed, let's hope for the best since the spy shots were just downright hideous...

I love Porsche's marketing!

sharkster

maybe they're hiding it like that for a reason.... Oh well a 4-door 928.

allegretto

I was invited to a private screening of the car a couple of months ago

The front end is very nice

The cockpit is absolutely the BEST of any luxo-car I've ever ridden in. Truly a "Captain's Bridge" from Star Trek. All the controls (and ther are plenty) are well laid out, easy to understand (intuitive) and accessable.

As many a Hollywood movie however, the end is...disasterous. Looks like they just didn't know what to do when they got there. Really does the car no justice. I would buy on in a minute and just never look at the tail...

Carrera GT

I don't think it's fair to call it a four door 928, though I appreciate the cruelty for all those 928 enthusiasts who'll convince themselves this is the second coming. For the rest of us, the Panamera will be the incarnation of proof that we're all to be grateful that Porsche did not persist in replacing the 911 with the 928. : )

As for the rear design, hell, there's so many issues: from its bulkiness and misbegotten hatchback (which creates NVH problems as well as cabin comfort problems and a significant greenhouse problem) to the awkward attempt to keep a "Porsche" silhouette, for whatever reason, it seems that Porsche has compromised the design of the car to suit too many objectives. I'm still hoping that they've struck upon some genius in the design to rethink the car from the "B" pillar back.

Right now, I'd say the current 997 is a 911 worthy of following in the footsteps of the 993. I'm not sure the 997.2 advances the cause much if at all, but at least it hasn't gone backwards. Still, you think with the 997 to its credit and the Carrera GT available for inspiration, surely Porsche can do better than what we've seen of the Panamera so far. Here's hoping.

Carrera GT

What do you have to do to get a preview? Buy a new Cup car? Sounds like a bargain!

crispenigl

Thats funny and or ironic....

In the screening I was at - the front end looked like a Cayenne (terrible) and the rear looked kick ***. There were a lot of different configurations and none had it 'right'. Each design had some good and bad with it.

It looks like they went with a front end that we did not see.

My review was almost one year ago so I am sure you saw more recent designs.

In another part:
We were looking at the possible ads and the only ad that our entire group liked was the one they ended up using. (the new car peeking out and meeting the old guard.)

deutschmick

I hope it turns out well. If it will compete favorably with the AM Vantage and looks good I will probably consider it.

I guess I'm fairly broad though in my Porsche allegiance. Currently have a '91 928GT and '07 GT3. Two very different cars but both very enjoyable

TAch Miami

The proportions of the Panamera are just as bad as this actual Porsche made 4-door 928.

am722

Microsite's not working for me. Will it share the Cayenne's engine(s)?

C.J. Ichiban

I think it's a cayenne v8 and a cayenne v8 turbo, might be going with a hybrid to follow?

Carrera GT

Hybrid was confirmed in an interview recently, but Porsche will have many options including a diesel hybrid. The only engines they ruled out are the Audi hot rod engines (W8, V12 TDi.) I read a blog site talking about a top shelf Panamera coming first (US$200K) but surely they're really talking about this as a money machine, not a halo car, so you'd have to expect the same power train variants as the Cayenne with PDK out of the box and a manual box as an option. It's already said to be a very big car and doubtless heavy, so Porsche will have to bring out a high mpg and low emissions version to even open for business in the Euro markets.

If the Cayenne is any measure, their initial vehicles (often called a beta release to those first-kid-on-the-block buyers of '03 and '04 Cayennes) will leave a lot to be desired. Presumably by their '10 model year, they'll have a well-sorted AWD version in a high mpg Hybrid and I think that's about when I'll consider it. Plus, after a year or two, much as I dislike the appearance of the Cayenne, it has grown on me somewhat over the years. I have an '05 Turbo Power Kit, so I consider myself "allowed" to comment. I hope the Panamera wins me over in the same way -- just give me a version with insane HP, ground-stomping torque, relentless grip and GT handling. : )

Analog Theory

Hypbrid overhead from the Press Release a while back.