George from MD

If this were a new Pontiac we'd all be posting scathing comments about how the GM design team has reached new lows. The fact that's it's a very high priced Porsche...my goodness. A fool and his money.....is a Panamera apologist.

I would buy the M5, RS6, Quattroporte or the new AM in a New York second before I ever purchased that thing. Too bad BMW isn't going to make the 8 Series (maybe they're smarter than Porsche?) because I would have bought one of those first too. In fact I'd even buy a Pontiac- maybe a G8- and get a new Boxster or Cayman and a couples sets of Hoosiers with the leftovers.

BTW 911 production has been halted for a week. And those are beautiful timeless iconic automobiles- not some marketing staff wet dream.

500

Styling is VERY subjective. Accusing someone of being a Panamera apologist because they like it presumes much.

I like it, and I have not liked everything from Porsche either...

There is a short vid at the beginning of the web special. I think the car looks very good in motion as well.

cobalt

I agree with you on this one.

You don't see me going to BMW forums and making my comments there but I find nothing attractive about the M5 and it will look dated far faster than many cars. haven't driven the M but if it is like the other 5's with more power they can keep it. Then again I like my Cayenne and unlike some I don't think it is ugly. I don't buy my cars for their looks, I buy them because I like how I feel behind the wheel. Can't see the outside while driving although looks are part of it they are far from all of it.

I haven't seen a new car made in the last 10 years I can actually look at and drool over the way I did years ago. Maybe that is why I still drive older 911's and 928's because they not only feel great, they handle great and look the part as well.

I guess vanity plays a big part on why most people buy the cars they drive, maybe I am the minority but to me Porsche has always been about the feel and not the looks. But I could care less what people think of me no matter what car I arrive in, otherwise I guess I would be driving something else all together.

George from MD

I agree styling is subjective. Hence my apologist comment is a little off the mark and I apologize if I've offended anyone. I also buy Porsches for reasons other than styling (I own two 911s- one is still new). But appreciating styling is hardly vanity. Like most people, I don't care if other people think my car is beautiful I care if I think it's beautiful. Styling has been shown, in study after study, to have a major influence on a buyers decision. Do you honestly think Porsche would sell as many 911s if they looked like an Aztek?

Most people agree on what constitutes a beautiful car- an XKE, a Ferrari Berlinetta Lusso and a 911 are treasured, iconic automobiles for a reason. Those of you think the Panamera is attractive (or even OK) are of course entitled to your opinion just as I'm entitled to mine. But based on the surveys and responses I'm seeing here the favorable opinions are decidedly in the minority.

I'm the perfect target for this kind of car- I can afford it; I've owned a number of Porsches, love the marque and I greatly appreciate the performance it will surely offer. But I'm never going to buy a car I think is butt ugly. And IMO the Panamera's styling is something Porsche should be ashamed of- and I'll bet they will lose more potential buyers than me because of it.

cobalt

Well frankly yes.

I can't believe they sold as many 996's as they did. Not to step on anyone's toes but IMO it was a styling mistake more so than I see the Panamera or Cayenne. I agree the GT3 and Turbo were far better with some styling improvements but if you try to convince me a plain 996 without aero package or some tweak is a good looking car I would have to disagree and they sold far more 996's than most all 911's combined prior to adding water. I will agree they made some major strides in performance and it was a much needed change in order to stay in business but to this day I can't look at a bone stock 996 with any interest other than performance and it doesn't perform enough to buy one even at current pricing. Now that is not saying I don't think there are some very nicely setup 996's out there or that the 996 is a POS or ugly it just means I prefer the looks of many cars over it.

So in the case of the Panamera we are condemning a car that nobody has actually seen or driven solly based on a few pictures that tell us very little. I would prefer to feel the car and put it through its paces before I make a decision on how it looks.

Just as in the case of my purchasing a Cayenne turbo, I had little interest in its looks but back in 2004 my options to replace my 740Il BMW were limited the new "I" drive and 750 was a bad mistake on BMW's part so I went looking at A8's. A very nice car but after driving the CT I could no longer go back to either the Audi or BMW. The lines have grown on me over time and after 4 years of trouble free performance out of an SUV that would make most sedan and sports car drivers envious, I am happy I made the decision to buy it and have now purchased an extended warranty I enjoy it so much.

There are times I would like a sedan over an SUV or sports car and if the Panamera does for sedans what the CT did for SUV's I might find I buy one of those too, despite what the majority might think of how it looks. So far none of the newer sedans have caught my attention other than what is on paper. Once behind the wheel I feel as though something is missing. Kind of like the pretty girl I always wanted to date and when I finally did I found her beauty was only skin deep.

996FourEss

One thing bearing in mind here for you 928 lovers is this platform will apparently from the basis for a new front engined two door model. Maybe present circumstances delay this launch, but have seen mutterings to this effect in the German press. By the way cold_beer839, like the Dusenjaeger development there....

Edgy01

This release will leave room for a future face lift,--just like Detroit!

George from MD

If there's a two door I hope they do a face lift. The original 928 will be a hard act to follow. It's a timeless, graceful and purposeful design that looks fresh today- the current Panamera doesn't come close.