Panamera - Actual photos

[George Elliott]

but it looks like a Porsche,
lets face it, the 356 was a bath Tub (a cute one) the 911 remains a shape only Porsche could get away with - and they forced acceptance of it on the world because it was built like a Chippendale dresser, sounded like an Orchestra, and once mastered could put in a quick lap, so became the greatest sports car of all time, the 924 was no Oil Painting, the 944 ditto, the 928 was known as a whale, the 914 another oddity, the Cayenne was odd looking (but they showed Rover how to make a 4x4), the Boxter was a near bulls-eye, the design study was a bulls-eye (yet its my least favourite for some reason) the Cayman I like - it looks right but has an oddness (which is probably why I like it).
I like the Panamera, there's sure to be a good diesel too.
I like them all - maybe I am a bit odd??[8|] No, well maybe, but the cars all have some brilliant qualities which is why we drive them, and Panamera will have that too.
really - look at it - it could never be any thing but a Porsche.
George
944T
964

 

[Scorpio.72]

ummmm... just my opinion but how do i word this... []

Cant quite put my finger on it, but i feel i wont be sharing the same compassion to own one of these in 20 years time. I waited years to get my 944, i could wait forever to own any of the cars in the above photos (and id be happy too).

Sorry guys, gets the thumbs down from me. [:'(]

 

[Fen]

At risk of getting off topic a luxury 4-door grand tourer is always going to be longer than an SUV style of vehicle. If they are to have any sort of offroad ability then they need to be shorter than big saloons.

It's just not possible to ban big 4x4 SUVs. How would the ban differentiate between the Chelsea tractor and the genuine working off-road vehicle like a Landy Defender? Fashion will eventually take care of reducing their numbers to a degree but legislation is too blunt an instrument to be used to try to "assist". I have nothing against such vehicles, but until the ecomentalists decided the RR Sport was the spawn of Satan I would never have considered buying one. Afterwards the contrary part of my nature had me tempted and I came close to buying an X5 and then later a Cayenne Turbo. The trouble is that they are practical as they have loads of space inside, they have decent levels of performance (or better), they can be driven anywhere most people want to go and they are excellent at towing; there are few downsides for most people bar the running costs.

Even if it were possible if you ban a class of vehicle for being too big/heavy/thirsty then if you go through with it you have absolutely no defence when they decide to ban a different class of vehicle for being too fast/powerful/thirsty. That doesn't sound like a world I would want to live in.

 

[333pg333]

ORIGINAL: John Sims

ORIGINAL: Fen

I was going to say I quite liked that until I saw the third picture [:'(] Was it really inspired by the God-awful Crossfire? Look at the shambolic load of not parallel but not angled enough shut lines above the rear wheel in the same picture.

Also the Turbo looks somehow less cohesive, partly no doubt because silver doesn't mask the messy joins like the darker colour but also with details like the front fogs which are fine on the 4S but look like they are missing a surround on the Turbo.

Looking at it some more even the front that I originally thought looked quite good has started to look like the ugly love-child of a 456 and a Carrera GT, with some MR2 Roadster in the blood as well.

I agree with all of the above. If anything it reminds me of the Russian rear engined Tatra

and that's not an association you want to be making.

There are a lot of very accomplished sporting four seaters in the market, and many arriving. I think Porsche might struggle with this one. Here's hoping it looks better in the metal. I am still at odds as to who will buy it though.

I've had a go in a Cayenne and it is a very accomplished off road luxury car. However, IMHO if you want a luxury off roader you buy a Range Rover - but many people have other views and Cayennes have sold well.

On a similar line, if you want a sporty 4 door, 4 seater, you get an M5, an AMG Merc or a Jaguar.

Actually John it's ironic that you brought that up. There is very strong evidence that in fact Porsche himself stole quite a few ideas/concepts/designs from the designer of Tatra way back when. Makes very interesting reading.[]

 

[333pg333]

Oh and I think the Cayenne looked stupid and bulbous however they've sharpened it up somewhat. The Toureg (sp?) had better lines in my opinion.
The Cayman is definitely a great evolutionary effort and if they had the balls to make a GT3 type version it would be an instant classic. The PanAm is a balls up, no other way of describing it. It will sell to some, probably those that buy 18th century Cognac and mix it with milk!
As for an uber 4 door GT saloon, the Lambo has it all over the Porkknuckle in terms of looks and I so wanted to like it...

 

[Black80XSA]

Jeez - it makes the Vauxhall Signum look sexy !

Well it might be a read revelation on the road, but given the size of it you aren't exactly going to be hustling it down many B roads in a hurry. Maserati Quattroporte drives well and looks 10 times better, despite its old design

 

[333pg333]

Ok, actual moving pictures.

http://www.porsche.com/microsite/panamera/flash/default.aspx?language=en-us&market=PCNA&pool=usa&browser=other&instance=262&variant=&section=&showintro=true&bandwidth=dsl&width=1152&height=864&specialguest=0

 

[jasonld]

Well I think it looks good, it's the colour and choice of wheels that can make or break a car, the pictures prove that. Just compare the blue 4s to the silver turbo!

..Of course it will be very well engineered ...it's not down to looks alone!

I will reserve my final judgment when I see it in the flesh, as you can never really tell from pictures alone.

I have read all the comments and it's interesting to see this new Porsche is having the same reaction that the 924/944 and 928 had. Even the iconic 901 (911) had mixed reviews when it entered the world. I remember the Boxster also had the same reaction when it was compared to the original concept. Nothing new really, its human nature to question new things! []


So I see this as a good sign! We have a new Porsche people! Bring it on!

Enjoy! []

J.

 

[morris944s2john]

"I have read all the comments and it's interesting to see this new Porsche is having the same reaction that the 924/944 and 928 had. Even the iconic 901 (911) had mixed reviews when it entered the world. I remember the Boxster also had the same reaction when it was compared to the original concept. Nothing new really, its human nature to question new things! []
"
exactly what I think! I expect the styling of the Panamera was driven firstly by engineering and requirements. Function over style. However, I think Porsche have also succeeded in making it a good looking car.
The Lambo 4-door they showed on Top gear this sunday looked too angular and awkward and ugly to me (despite Hammond and Clarkson parising it) I was thinking whilst watching TG that the Panamera is much more pleasing to the eye.

 

[graham.webb]

Good point, John. Anyway, there's plenty of examples where the motoring press do a hatchet job on a new car but the customers (don't forget they're always right!) go out and buy it anyway. To my eyes it looks good even if a bit like a Seat around the C pillar.

The growing debate is good news for Porsche...nobody wants a new product launch to be met by apathy, do they?

A bright and happy thought, Jeff: you might not have to wait 20 years. The 944 became affordable within 15 years, and just look at what's happened to 993, 996 and Boxster prices now that Porsche sell more and the second hand market is oversupplied! How about 10 years?

 

[Scorpio.72]

That's true Graham, but my only thought is will the kids of today look at Porsche in the same way we used too whilst growing up? It wasn't a cost issue that stopped me from buying one sooner, it was just hard to justify owning one when i have a wife and 4 children to passenger about!! []

Like i said its only my opinion (for what its worth) but i think all cars are looking the same nowadays, its hard to tell whats what at a glance.

Whatever happened to individuality in car design? Isn't that how Porsche started in the beginning?

 

[sawood12]

ORIGINAL: Fen

At risk of getting off topic a luxury 4-door grand tourer is always going to be longer than an SUV style of vehicle. If they are to have any sort of offroad ability then they need to be shorter than big saloons.

It's just not possible to ban big 4x4 SUVs. How would the ban differentiate between the Chelsea tractor and the genuine working off-road vehicle like a Landy Defender? Fashion will eventually take care of reducing their numbers to a degree but legislation is too blunt an instrument to be used to try to "assist". I have nothing against such vehicles, but until the ecomentalists decided the RR Sport was the spawn of Satan I would never have considered buying one. Afterwards the contrary part of my nature had me tempted and I came close to buying an X5 and then later a Cayenne Turbo. The trouble is that they are practical as they have loads of space inside, they have decent levels of performance (or better), they can be driven anywhere most people want to go and they are excellent at towing; there are few downsides for most people bar the running costs.

Even if it were possible if you ban a class of vehicle for being too big/heavy/thirsty then if you go through with it you have absolutely no defence when they decide to ban a different class of vehicle for being too fast/powerful/thirsty. That doesn't sound like a world I would want to live in.

Well, maybe banning these cars is a bit excessive as you've pointed out, but they can at least be effectively priced off the road. And i'm talking about significant tax hikes to a few thousand a year. These cars could easily carry a unique classification. My justification for this is that an element of common sense has to be applied here and we have to realise that these large SUV's are now just ridiculous. Yes they are big, but the ratio of interior space to exterior space is rubbish,. And my biggest gripe is the safety aspect. With modern cars these days in all but the most severest of collisions it should be the case that the occupants of both cars should survive. If you look at the case of a decent 5-star rated car vs. a large 4x4 then it is most likely that the occupants of the car will be killed in an accident they should survive and the occupants of the 4x4 are unharmed. Granted you could always get tangled up with a 44 ton articulated lorry, but articulated lorry's are unlikely to be tanking down the outside lane at 100mph with some silly WAG at the wheel on her mobile phone whilst fixing her eye liner in the rear view mirror.

 

[Big Dave]

Personally i think it looks PANTS..
It looks too heavy + bulbous...
I still dont like the Cayenne...
I dont even think the 928 is a nice car [ thatl upset the 928 owners...]..[8|][]. It looks heavy + cumbersome...
Porsche ought to stick to making great sports cars.. Not venturing into the "saloon" car world....
Whereas the Maseratti + Ferarri "saloons" look great, the Porsche Panamerra doesnt,..
But i suspect itl be just as big a hit as the 4/4 is.....

 

[Scorpio.72]

If you look at the case of a decent 5-star rated car vs. a large 4x4 then it is most likely that the occupants of the car will be killed in an accident they should survive and the occupants of the 4x4 are unharmed.

I have to agree with this having crippled a Corsa @ just 15 mph in my Shogun during a traffic jam (he stopped, i didnt). [] The real damage 4x4s can cause is under-estimated until your involved in an accident with one of them, even at low speeds!!!

However, even 4x4s aren't as safe as you think, Top Gear did an article on 4x4 safety a while back showing that even at 30mph, by swerving to avoid a car hard braking in front of you, 4x4's simple rollover and die (thats the main reason i got rid of mine, the program really highlighted a safety issue i never ever thought about). Their test totally destroyed the 4x4 @ just 30mph!

Maybe someone saw this program and understands what im going on about, its getting late here and i could be seen as rambling on! []

 

[rd944]

ORIGINAL: Scorpio.72

However, even 4x4s aren't as safe as you think, Top Gear did an article on 4x4 safety a while back showing that even at 30mph, by swerving to avoid a car hard braking in front of you, 4x4's simple rollover and die (thats the main reason i got rid of mine, the program really highlighted a safety issue i never ever thought about). Their test totally destroyed the 4x4 @ just 30mph!

precisely why i didnt accept the rangerover i was offered as a straight swap on my 924 despite the fact it was easily worth more. I knew i'd roll it. Mind, I did live halfway up an Alp at the time

 

[swright]

We are really going off topic here. But il join in anyway[]

This talk of banning 4x4's because they pose more of a threat to other road users is ridiculous. If that's the argument then why not ban buses, lorries, coaches, hearses etc etc? And as for the 'green issues', my last Range Rover ran LPG so was 'greener' than all the so called green cars of today like the Prius!! Which incidently has a bigger carbon footprint than a Discovery ffs!!!!!!

 

[Diver944]

I just saw this weeks Top Gear with the 4 seat Lambo [8D][8D][8D][8D][8D][8D][8D][8D]

That's the one I'd have

 

[morris944s2john]

ORIGINAL: Diver944

I just saw this weeks Top Gear with the 4 seat Lambo [8D][8D][8D][8D][8D][8D][8D][8D]

That's the one I'd have

I saw it and its horrid, I couldn't believe they were praising the looks. Maybe they are planning and preparing for panning the Panamera when TG eventually get one.

On the subject of looks, i agree the Cayenne is not photogenic but does look much better in the metal.

 

[morris944s2john]

ORIGINAL: swright

We are really going off topic here. But il join in anyway[]

This talk of banning 4x4's because they pose more of a threat to other road users is ridiculous. If that's the argument then why not ban buses, lorries, coaches, hearses etc etc? And as for the 'green issues', my last Range Rover ran LPG so was 'greener' than all the so called green cars of today like the Prius!! Which incidently has a bigger carbon footprint than a Discovery ffs!!!!!!

Look up "Hug a Hummer" on the web. A group of economists showed that over 30 years a Hummer has a lower Carbon footprint than the Pious.[] Not that thos "footprint" nonsense actually means anything real.

 

[MarkK]

Cayenne isn't like "other" 4x4s,it handles brilliantly and stops on a sixpence(have you seen the size of its calipers and discs!!),the biggest disbeliever would be impressed if they went on the "Cayenne experience" blasting around a track,then some big emergency stops from over 100 mph,then taking the same car on an offroad course climbing up massive muddy gradients,its a very special car,people just don't understand the things you can't pigeonhole it with Range rovers and the like,i bet more people are injured by foreign lorry drivers changing lanes badly than Cayennes.
Someone very sadly had a serious accident night before last, half a mile from my house (there was a fatality) in a Lotus elise(only car involved) and that weighs practicaly nothing.... the roads are a very dangerous place in any car and there is always something bigger than whatever you are driving.If i was in a Smart car or a Renault Twingo i wouldn't want an "S" class Merc smacking into me,thinking of banning a car because of its size is just silly talk.
The Panamera will be a mass produced starting at 45-50k,i bet they will sell loads of the things just like the Cayenne,its not really comparable to a Lambo or Ferrari 4 door is it??