Porsche has decided to give attendees of this year’s Shanghai Auto Show a break from some of the more dour and derivative offerings by giving its controversial Panamera its first public exposure.
By Gareth Dean
It’s fair to say that many of us did not expect Porsche’s eagerly-awaited grand tourer to make its debut anywhere outside Europe, but the Stuttgart firm has its reasons for shifting the event from Geneva to Shanghai. The last financial year saw 8 190 Porsches sold in China, while markets such as Germany saw a 5 percent drop in sales during the same period. There is also a great deal of interest in Porsche products in neighbouring markets such as India and Russia.
The newcomer is something of a behemoth when compared to most of its stable mates. Standing nearly 5 metres long, 55-inches high, and with a 76-inch width (for reference, the current Mercedes S-Class is just under 74-inches wide) the Panamera looks set to provide comfortable accommodation for its four occupants.
Say what you will about the styling, but it does faithfully capture many of the marque’s key design features, including those signature horizontal headlamps, C-pillar curving into the rear section and wide, purposeful stance. The interior is somewhat conservative when compared to the bodywork, but it’s nonetheless tastefully appointed and features front seats with 18-way adjustment and rear pews with 8-way adjustment.
The engine lineup initially comprises a pair of V8s set to be joined by a V6 unit at a later date. The V6 is a VW-sourced 3,6-litre engine developing 224 kW which is channelled through the rear wheels. Next up is the 298 kW 4,8-litre V8 found in the Panamera S. This unit can be mated with Porsche’s PDK dual-clutch transmission which sends power to the rear wheels and propels the S from 0-100 km/h in 5,4 seconds on the way to a 283 km/h top speed. The Panamera 4S uses the same 4,8-litre powerplant, but the additional traction served up by its all-wheel drive underpinnings shaves 0,4 seconds off the 0-100 km/h dash. The range-topping turbo bolts a pair of blowers onto the V8 to coax a whopping 373 kW out of the engine, allowing this model to crack the 0-100 km/h run in 3,3 seconds and hit a top speed of 303 km/h.
As with its 911 and Cayman ranges, Porsche has paid particular attention to weight-reduction and handling dynamics. The Panamera can be specified with an air suspension system with additional air volume available on demand and what the company claims is the first start/stop system allied to an automatic transmission.
“Introducing the Panamera,” said Klaus Berning, Executive Vice-President Sales and Marketing of Porsche AG, “we are entering a market segment completely new for our customers and we are once again consistently expanding our model portfolio.”
By establishing a stronger presence in such markets as Asia and the Middle-East, Porsche has set firm production targets for the Panamera of 20 000 units per annum. Nevertheless, Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking has made it clear that production rates will be carefully monitored to ensure that an excess of Panameras do not flood the market if demand drops. “In no case will we produce too many,” Wiedeking explained. “In that case, I would intervene myself.”
