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Porsche Panamera (2009): spyshots

By Ben Whitworth

Spyshots

11 August 2008 13:53

Porsche is about to give a diesel version of its upcoming Panamera four-door hatch the production green light. CAR’s sources claim that Stuttgart is readying a 3.0-litre twin-turbo diesel V6 for the Cayenne, and if sales of the diesel off-roader are strong – almost a given under the current economic conditions – then the engine will be prepped for use in the Panamera.

What? A Porsche Panamera diesel?

Yes. And if the thought of a four-seater turbodiesel Porsche doesn’t have die-hards reaching for a stiff drink, the news that the engine will be a V6 rather than a flat-six, – ‘borrowed’ from the Volkswagen group – certainly will. Tweaked and fettled by Porsche, the bi-turbo common-rail unit should develop 300bhp and 450lb ft of torque, running through the newly introduced PDK double-clutch transmission.

The move dovetails neatly with Porsche’s current green attitude – the ‘new’ 911 features direct injection and nudges 30mpg, and a hybrid version of the Panamera is also on the cards. But put the coronary on hold – it’s likely to be 2011 before any formal decision is taken on the diesel Panamera…

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