The heir has been chosen to take up the throne of the Leipzig Car Dynasty. It came from the root of 911 Carrera and it will continue the outstanding Cayenne, Boxter and the Cayman’s domination in their segment. Coming with the new look and attitude toward its predecessor, Porsche Panamera will set the new paradigm of sports car.
Although mass production was set to take place in April 2009, soon after its debut in the Shanghai Motor Show, many of Porsche-fans could hardly wait to put the prince of Porsche in their garage.
Not only does this latest model have spacious compartment for luggage, but no less important, the car facilitates easy access to the rear seat. Having front engine, four doors and sleek outlook, there is no reason why we should not call Panamera the epitome of luxury car.
There is an interesting story behind the reason of making Porsche in four-seated car and four doors. The story can be translated into two assumptions, according to Motor Trend magazine. “You need to understand two important things about Panamera’s development. First, Porsche boss Wendelin Wiedeking, who is 1.90 m in height, insisted he had to be able to sit comfortably in the back seat. Second, it had to look like a Porsche. Those two facts drove the reason why the car looks a bit out of the ordinary in profile.”
Porsche has combined its sports car emotional character DNA with the outstanding of both luxurious and spacious performance sedan. The fusion will answer the needs and wishes of both drivers and passengers in a dream sports car.
All Porsche’s designers spent a lot of work and passion to build such masterpiece. They were translating beautiful in classic sense and ferocious engine in one Porsche coupe concept before designing the car. The approach will assure us to get the best of drive, particularly for a driver when sitting behind the wheel. Through the line of design, the Panamera has unmistakable appearance and comfortable cabin to enhance the car’s engine exertion.
During the Panamera development, lot of work was spent in wind tunnel to fulfill a bunch of goal in mind. Aerodynamic was mere a serious business as a focus in every high-speed performance car. And since Porsche has put their line in high performance and luxury sports car, noise leak in the cabin will therefore be the next issue in their masterpieces. While shoving to speed, the engine of a Porsche is designed to be as noiseless as possible.
As a result, Panamera has come up with strongly contoured air intakes instead of a conventional radiator grille. Striking wheel arches and the long and sleek engine compartment, with the distinctly contoured wings flanking the flat front lid, create the typical 911 “landscape” Porsche customers have appreciated for over 45 years. V-shaped seams along the hood and a rear window that tapers like an arrow to the rear also are an identity of a sports car. Muscular shoulders over the rear wheels, the sweep of the coupe-like roofline and visible tailpipes again bear the thoroughbred Porsche DNA. An elegant roof arch extends over the generous interior.
They took an integrated solution among body architecture, noise silencing and engine system. In order to produce a stable aerodynamic body when speeding, the Panamera body is carved to lean against the wind.
The engineers designed exhaust system to produce deep bark sound when the car is being pushed hard, emphasizing that no artificial sounds were added but natural roar of V8 bi-turbo or induction engine.
The ‘S’ and ‘4s’ equipped with 4.8 liter V8 engine will deliver 400-hp and can sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 283 km/h. The 4S 0.2 second is faster when it reaches 100km/h and it has the same top speed as the previous model. We can found the real power of Porsche Panamera in the last Gran Turismo type equipped with 500hp V8 bi-turbo engine. That muscle is big enough to be a “jet pilot” on ground.
The power from engine bursts to wheels goes through a manual six-speed gearbox to feel the real sports car. Another transmission option is Porsche-Doppelkupplung (PDK) or the new seven-speed Double-Clucth Gearbox. The last opt goes for the all-wheel drive or turbo that guarantees a sense of flying on the ground.
A Porsche would not have become a luxury car without featuring interior in the car.
Passengers in Panamera enjoy supremely ergonomic comfort on both rear seats. Designed to meet the needs of having privacy, each seat is equipped with a large center console that flows all the way from the dashboard to rear seats. The prominent design of its line boasts 13 leathers and color combinations, including four bi-color options. We can choose one of the seven interiors of selection and the gambit from the Olive Nature open-pore wood to sporty carbon filter.
Having built up with the latest cutting-edge technology as well as equipped with an array of fabulous features, the new Porsche bloodline has truly set up a new trend in the realm of sports car. The trend is where a Panamera will make you star on roads.
Published in the 5th edition of PMR Magazine S’pore, September 2009.
