Porsche Panamera Gets Shanghaied:
In recognition of the fact that China is a huge player on the world stage, the Porsche Panamera made its debut at the 2009 Shanghai Motor Show. The 2010 Porsche Panamera Gran Turismo, as it is officially named, is the first all-new model from the German carmaker since the introduction of the Cayenne in 2002. The first Panameras hit streets in the U.S. in October 2009, for a starting price of $89,800.
The Engine:
There are two 4.8-liter, direct-injected, V8 powerplants available for the Porsche Panamera: one with 400 hp and a turbo version with 500 hp. The lower-power engine uses rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, depending on the model, while the higher-horse engine only comes with all-wheel drive. In any case, the Panamera uses Porsche's new PDK 7-speed double-clutch transmission. What all this gets us is a four-door sports car with a 175-mph top speed (188 with turbo) and a 0-60 time as low as 4 seconds. Yup -- in a four-door.
The Design:
Porsche admits that there were, um, conflicts among the design departments when asked to come up with a four-door sedan with performance and luggage space in mind. Throw in better fuel economy while you're at it, too. The resulting bubble-backed shape is controversial among car buffs, but when you see it alongside the rest of the Porsche lineup, it fits in. (The shape of the roof allows enough headroom for adults in the rear seats.) Engineers used steel, aluminum, magnesium, and plastic -- but no spendy carbon fiber -- to build a lightweight but roomy automobile.
The Technology:
What would a Porsche be these days without a rear wing that lifts automatically? When the Panamera reaches 55 mph, the plastic lifts away from the body beneath the rear window and tilts to -3 degrees. Above 127 mph, it tilts to 10 degrees for more downforce. And in the turbo, the wing splits and grows wider. The Panamera will also have fuel-saving start-stop technology that shuts down the engine at red lights, plus dynamic chassis control, traction management, and hydraulic steering assist. And all the cars are available with a Sport Plus package that lowers the body 25mm and the 0-60 to as little as 3.8 seconds.
The Interior:
The interior of the Porsche Panamera shines where you least expect it in a sports car: the rear seats. The hunchbacked roofline allows grown-ups to sit in the comfortable back seats without becoming hunchbacked themselves. The 115 inches between axles even offers room for legs. The rear seats fold down individually for as much as 44.6 cubic feet of cargo space in a car 76 inches wide and 195 inches long. Adaptive cruise control, heated front and rear seats, rear refrigerator, and a Burmester high-end audio system are all optional.
