Porsche had their desired market today at the Parade Concours, and NO Panamera in site. VERY surprised!! They had one or two of everything else optioned to the hilt and in almost any colour you wanted...

OK, so that's the good news...what's the bad news....the fact that they allowed Cayennes to be displayed?

Why? Because it's a "beetle". Damn fun little car that serves a purpose. Few weeks ago I took it to Chicago. Why? A lot of driving downtown, parking, squeezing into spaces etc.... Not a fun place for your 3.6 Turbo
I'm actually shopping for a second one, this time a Turbo S

If I ever thought about purchasing either one it would be to replace a Yukon XL. I have driven both, I guess I was looking for something different since I walked away preferring the VW (not the Diesel either).

I've told you plenty of times you own one of the few 911's I would actually go out of my way to purchase.
Including any variation C4.....for my wife to drive in winter

Nope. I'm 100% sure my opinion will be reinforced once I do see one in the flesh. Just like the Cayenne, 996, and almost every Lexus.

Depends on where you live. If everyone else on your block has one, might want to go with a BMW. Need to check around a bit before making a decision like that.

I have more respect for the current crop coming out of VW / Audi than Porsche. IMO they are building better cars, so any 4-door from the VW camp would be ahead of the Panamera in my garage.

To be 100% honest I'm not crazy with the looks of the Boxster or current 911's (the 997 is a vast improvement over the 996...)

Just making broad examples. Feel free to further pick apart my posts.

Bottom line is, I don't care if the Panamera can outrun the 911 GT2 around the ring while at the same time dusting a Veyron in a straight line. It's the most hideous chunk of metal to ever come out of Stuttghart since the last 911 or 928 four door concept. I haven't seen them in person either, nor do I ever want to

Strange that most critics who own something like that 944 thing think that the Panamera is ugly! I am an old 911 Turbo guy (Have my 6. Turbo) now and think that the Panamera is a great alternative if you have a family! That one is nearly as erotic as the 997 TT and drives fantastic by the way... (Yes I did drive one).
Just my 2 cents......

Lord, i would need a great deal of time to pick your posts apart. i was just discussing specific inconsistencies.

you've told us all we need to know.

I am not sure I understand your post.What is "strange" about someone who has another Porsche model,944,928,911 etc. from having an opinion about the looks of the Panamera?

I can hardly wait till P comes out with a pick up truck to compete with Ford and GM....
god save us....better, god spare us
abe

That would be great!!!! Then I could sell my POS avalanche. I drove my CT into work this AM and it is such a great vehicle for commuter traffic. Would never drive a 911 down route 3 into NYC but the CT is fantastic for making time through all the A-holes that can't drive. I need a pickup for work and if they made one like the CT I would be all over it.

Glad you suggested it.

I think you've just found the one niche BMW hasn't hit yet...

I was kind of hoping for a Porsche Prius. You know, something that looks like a Panamera but costs a lot less.

Boy the haters will always find someway to knock it.

They will make some hybrid or diesel type vehicle, they will have to in order to meet regulations, otherwise they won't be allowed to sell in the US. Which would you rather have a battery powered sports car or battery powered sedan or SUV. I would prefer to see them build a vehicle that is energy efficient that can hall 4 people around than try to sell a sports car version that would just dilute the 911 line.

I don't hate it- I really could care less- but I do think it's a mistake and another example of management (read WW) overreaching.

It is, IMO and a great many others, one BUTT UGLY car. It has a dashboard that's an ergonomic nightmare and sports 132 (count 'em) buttons. It doesn't even offer the buyer the choice of a manual transmission. It's being introduced at a time when the world's economy is in the tank, when Porsche can't afford to pay it's debts, is selling shares to Abu Dhabi just to stay afloat and will in all probability lose it's independence to Volkswagen.

If you love it so much let's see your order sheet- that would make your defense of all things Panamera a lot more valid.

And what's wrong with a Porsche Prius anyway? They do look very similar and they could certainly sell a lot more of those than Panameras. Why would an economy car do any more to hurt Porsche's image than an overwrought, overpriced butt ugly sedan?

If you could care less than why do you need to bash it?? Again you offer your negative opinion on the looks which are subjective. Then you add a few "anything not 911 sucks" groupies into the equation to support you argument. On top of that you are commenting about a dash you have not seen or tried to use so what makes you an authority on interiors anyhow? Do you design them for a living? If not then what are your comments based on? Again your opinion without any fact to support it. You can't tell me the Prius comment isn't another slight. Who knows maybe they will make one someday. If the current administration has its way it might replace the 911 or Porsche will pull out of the US market.

I know hundreds of Porsche owners and far more people I speak to like it than those who hate it. I know a few who have seen and driven it and feel it is a far better looking car in person and one hell of a ride. Many people feel my Cayenne is butt ugly too although I amongst many of my friends like the looks and enjoy ownership. I have several dozen friends who own multiple 911's and have a CT or CS in their collection and they all love them. Even my mechanic owns one and he is a Porsche mechanic who loves all 911's and builds many race cars and street rockets and has nothing but praise for them.

So lets put the subjective attitude aside and focus on the cars capabilities or IYO lack there of. In either case you are again making judgment on a car you have neither seen or driven.

Dislike it all you want and obviously you and others have a need to bash it. Although my 10 year old son knows better than to bash things he has little first hand knowledge of.

I agree the economy is all wrong to launch this car but that happened long after this car was conceived and implemented so what do you do throw it out the window and say oh well. LOL As far as mismanagement of the company well that is a topic for a different thread and there are far larger mistakes that can be pointed out that go far beyond the release of the Panamera.

I have no need for another vehicle currently. 5 cars for 2 drivers is enough right now. Although I have a few friends with them on order and I might decide to make a change towards the PT depending on my experiences behind the wheel.

PS: If you drive a 911 with PDK you will understand why it is the right choice for the Panamera.

"Then you add a few "anything not 911 sucks" groupies into the equation to support you argument. On top of that you are commenting about a dash you have not seen or tried to use so what makes you an authority on interiors anyhow? Do you design them for a living? If not then what are your comments based on? Again your opinion without any fact to support it."

Oh horse hockey. The 911 groupies thing is a canard.

My first Porsche was a 944. I loved (you could almost say revered) that car and learned an awful lot from it. I think the 928 is a beautiful, timeless design (quite unlike the Panamera).

As to facts- does the thing have 132 buttons or not? Does it offer a manual or not? What makes YOU an authority on interiors and why do you think 132 buttons on a dashboard is ergonomic nirvana?

Besides you didn't answer my question- what's wrong with a Porsche Prius? If they can make SUVs and ugly sedans why can't they make an economy car?

Oh lets be real!! The die hard Panamera/Cayenne haters along with most of who you reference in this thread are the same people who hated everything Porsche released other than the 911 since day 1. I grew up with the type who can't stand anything other than their precious 911 or change for that fact. For years I watched as my 911, 944 & 928 friends bickered about how one wasn't a real Porsche and forget the poor 914 owner who wouldn't even be considered equal or a Porsche. They were called VW's for the longest and now the Porsche fans are paying big premiums for a clean car.

You say that now and so do many others that at one time bashed the 928 for not being rear engined and air/oil cooled. I find now that the Panamera is being released that the Cayenne is less hated and ridiculed. Standard issue for the haters of anything not 911 now they have something new to bash. Given time even the Cayenne and Panamera will be accepted as a Porsche just like the 914/944/928 have become.

Honestly I was never a big fan of the looks of the stock base 944 or 928. I normally don't mention it because there is no need for others to be subjected to my opinion about them. The 951/S2 and S4/GT/GTS are my favorites and I find the original base models to be lacking the looks of these models, although it doesn't make them and less amazing and are fun cars. To be honest I am not a fan of the looks of the 993 and have some issues with parts of all Porsche's if you want to get critical, however they are still amazing machines and as I said before, looks are a part of the whole.

I did not count the buttons although it doesn't look like that many to me. Number of buttons or spaces mean nothing until you answer: Are they all active or are there some dummy switches? Look at the picture and you will see that everything is controlled from one central location unlike other Porsche's and some of those are blank plates allowing for expansion or updates or just plain symmetry . If you take all the switches in a new 911 or cayenne and place them in one location like they did here you will find they too have almost as many. If less, it is because some are multi function and they appear to have separated some of those which IMO makes it less confusing while driving. So just because they are centrally located makes it a bad thing. I actually like the fact that they are centrally located and at my finger tips reach.

Most newer cars have as many switches and are poorly placed. Verdict is out on whether they are placed properly or not.

To begin with what is right about a Prius? Now you want Porsche to make an economy car

I have a friend who has a Prius and it is the worst thing I have ever been in. I would take my 1980's Peugeot Diesel over one and that was almost as bad as the Audi 100LS. They have no value to me and serve no purpose other than to feed the guilt of some Americans who think they are doing something for the environment when in fact they IMO are dangerous electrical boxes that will only create a ton of bad waste when the batteries are spent. They are also as ugly as anything I have seen. Give me a VW TDI over one anyday and what purpose would making a Porsche Prius serve? The point behind the Cayenne and Panamera was to make a uniquely different vehicle from those already made. To take an SUV and make it vehicle that can perform like a Porsche and handle as well as one. Hybrid versions of the Cayenne and Panamera are in the works and IMO i would prefer to see a diesel instead. Although Porsche must comply with CAFE regulations and these become necessary evils.