Click Thumbnails to Enlarge

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Porsche Panamera latest

By Tim Pollard

12 October 2007 08:11

Porsche Panamera: the lowdown

We've been spotting that old scoop favourite, the new Panamera super saloon, again. And it seems that Stuttgart's stylists are experimenting with a further evolution of Porsche's family face. This artist's impression strips away the disguise from the latest spyshots, and we can see that a new ellipsoidal lens design is planned for the Panamera. Beneath the tear-shaped main headlamps lies a pair of LED day running lights (like on the 911 Turbo) incorporating the indicators. It also appears that the Panamera will get a pair of Jaguar-style gills just aft of the front wheelarches. With Porsche's focus on engineering purity above posing, you'd hope these are functioning to cool the front-engined V8 engines, rather than merely showing off. 

We've seen so many scoops of the Panamera. When do we see the real thing?

Prepare for more spyshots yet. The finished article won't be seen until 2009, when the four-seater will land in showrooms to compete with the sportier luxury saloons on sale. We're talking about the Quattroporte, XJR and upper-echelon 7-series, A8s and S-classes. Not to mention the forthcoming Aston Martin Rapide, the first four-door from Gaydon for generations. Expect a concept car at one of the major shows in 2008. As the Panamera is such a different proposition from its existing sports cars, Porsche is unlikely to be shy building up its imposing newcomer. And you won't miss it: at nearly five metres long, it's a full-size saloon.