Very true and I suspect that the Panamera is one car so effected.

Further proof of this is the option for the rSAP connected built-in cell phone with external antenna beyond the basic bluetooth phone integration. The combination of rSAP phone and heat-insulating glass is common on launch cars spec'd out by the dealers.

If the heat-insulating glass is installed, cell phone signals are blocked just the same as radar signals. The only way around this dilemma is to use an external cell phone antenna either as an inconvenient driver-supplied add-on if ones cell phone (BlackBerry?) has an external antenna port, or as part of the PCM system.

Europeans are used to rSAP phones where the bluetooth connection is allowed to "take over" the personality of the phone inside the car and use its SIM card info to identify itself to the network. This only works for GSM phones that have SIM cards and comply with the rSAP standard, something quite rare in USA cell phones. It won't work at all for any phones that don't have SIM cards like those from Verizon or Sprint.

For North American residents, one must put up with the very limited selection of rSAP-capable phones from a GSM carrier like AT&T, T-Mobile, Rogers, etc., or be best advised to NOT order heat-insulating glass, no matter how "cool" the feature seems.

The only way around the cell/radar blocking issues with heat-insulating glass is to manufacture the offending glass NOT with an evaporated thin metal film (usually silver), but use another technology like 3M's system. It is non-radio-wave blocking, but must cost more, or something.

 

...or you can dangle the cell phone outside the window...

 

I have ordered the insulated glass and have written confirmation from the dealer it will not interfere with radar detectors or cell phones. The insulating material does not contain any metal.

 

I hope thats correct, my only experience w insulated glass was when (dont laugh) I owned a 96 Impala SS, it made my radar detector useless, these days tons of crap out there, Lexi with laser cruise, people w/junk detectors, youve got to always be up to date with your ECM, lest I be ridiculed, I sold the Impala after 6 mos I have no real idea why I bought it, my p-car is an 02 GT2 so I am normal...really

 

How interesting.

I stopped in at the "Porsche Zentrum" at the Quail Lodge during car week in Monterey. I specifically asked about the heat insulating glass and was ushered to a product specialist who told me that it did contain a metallic coating and that was why it was optional.

I'll have to try the same inquiry with my dealer.

P.S. Are you referring to Option 865 - "thermally and noise insulating glass for all round more efficient reflection of infra-red radiation. Enjoy an even more pleasant climate and peace and quiet in the passenger compartment." OR the standard "All Panamera models are equipped as standard with tinted heat-insulating glass and a grey top-tint on the windscreen." ???

The standard "heat-insulating glass" is supposed to be fine for radar and cell phones whereas Option 865 "thermally and noise insulating glass" was purported to use a metallic coating.

To which glass was your dealer confirmation referring?

 

Couldn't you get a remotely mounted radar detector antenna too?

 

I am referring to option 865. I was also at the Quail event and wished I would have asked there. I had already built my car and had the letter from my dealer so I considered it a non-issue. If they gave me faulty information, I will not take delivery of the car.

Update: I just looked at the configurator and for the cayenne this option warns of possible issues. For the panamera it gives a different description for the option and has no warning.

 

Very interesting!

I'll definitely have a talk with my dealer and see who at Porsche I can talk to about this.

 

IMO you'll want a remote radar detector and laser system anyway. if you're in, go all in. i have it on both my cars and it's fantastic. (plus, i don't like junking up the interior windshield with a radar detector)

first i've heard about not getting mobile reception in the car though.

 

My dealer put me in touch with a very helpful person at PCNA in Atlanta. It turns out that Porsche employees also have a keen interest in the radar and cell phone properties of Option 865 glass, as well.

I should have more info sometime next week after the Panamera project manager returns from Europe. I am expecting a discussion of some very recent radar detector testing initiatives by PCNA and the possible availability of engineering information about the glass from PAG.

 

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'd be interested in a brief description of your set-up.

Bill

 

I just received this information from a "porsche.us" email address:

I got word back from the engineering department in Germany that our thermal glass won't work with the radar detector.
Currently, no cutout similar to the S Class is provided as not feasible from a production standpoint. This is a very unfortunate situation. I asked our training department to incorporate that into the dealer training and to tell customers up front that if they intend to use a radar detector, they should refrain from ordering the glass.

I'm now following up by asking about cell phones and EZ-Pass transponders.

 

Did he confirm that the coating is on all glass and not just the side windows? It is unbelievable that this was not communicated prior to orders being placed.

 

Well, for sure it's on the windshield. My contact is going to ask how the Panamera "Thermal Glass" option is different (or not) from that offered on the Cayenne. They claim to have no reports of cell phone issues with the option offered on the Cayenne.

 

My dealer found out the process is completely different from the Cayennne. A substance is sprayed directly on the Panamera glass that apparently has some form of metallic compund in it. On the Cayenne it has a plastic material that is between the panes of glass. He also said Joe West who is the lead product specialist for NA did not know the answers to our questions.