Porsche AG has approved production of a four-seat sedan as the brand's fourth nameplate.
The rear-drive car with a front-mounted engine will be called Panamera and debut in 2009. The name comes from the historic La Carrera Panamericana long-distance race, Porsche says.
Contrary to speculation over the past few months, Porsche will design and build the Panamera without a partner. The Cayenne SUV is a joint project with Volkswagen AG.
Porsche expects to produce 20,000 Panameras a year. About 42 percent are expected to go to the United States.
The Panamera will be produced at the Leipzig, Germany, plant where Porsche builds the Cayenne and the Carrera GT supercar. Porsche says it will self-fund the $1.20 billion investment for the Panamera, which includes development costs.
Porsche expects the Panamera project to create 600 jobs at its Leipzig factory and another 400 positions at its plants in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen and Weissach, Germany.
Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking says the Panamera's platform will be developed at the Porsche r&d center in Weissach: "There are no plans for a joint venture with another carmaker, but to ensure the profitability of this new model line, we will cooperate more closely than so far with selected system suppliers."
Porsche would not disclose any details about the dimensions of the Panamera or its engines and transmissions. German car magazines have speculated that the car will extensively borrow components from the Cayenne, including engines, transmissions and the all-wheel-drive systems.
"The Panamera is a perfect fit for Porsche. It has all the typical DNA characteristics of a genuine sports car," Weideking said in a statement released today after the carmaker's supervisory and management boards approved the project.
Porsche did not give a price range for the Panamera.
Porsche released a sketch of the car with the announcement
Attached image(s)
QUOTE (seanery @ Jul 27 2005, 06:26 PM) |
"The Panamera is a perfect fit for Porsche. It has all the typical DNA characteristics of a genuine sports car," Weideking said |
I'm still not big on this idea....the 928 was one thing, it was a GT, still 2-doors and all. A 4-door Porsche to go with the peppervagon, sheesh. At least this time they are giving us some hope with the RS Spyder and the new C(g)ayman. They'll never make everyone happy but it's hard to argue from a business standpoint when you are selling the hell out of the Cayanne not to platform/part-share with a Maser Quatroporte (sp) beater....
One more thing, they'd better NOT race that thing in NASCAR
QUOTE (JmuRiz @ Jul 27 2005, 01:45 PM) |
One more thing, they'd better NOT race that thing in NASCAR |
Cayenne sales have slowed, from what I hear in a pretty serious way... Hopefully they won't start losing money on that deal. Or on the Panamera deal, either.
--DD
QUOTE (Dave_Darling @ Jul 27 2005, 02:04 PM) |
Cayenne sales have slowed, from what I hear in a pretty serious way... Hopefully they won't start losing money on that deal. Or on the Panamera deal, either. --DD |
Why not... Mercedes has its "4 door coupe" (the CLS). The way I see it, if Porsche can sell enough cars to stay independent, it's all good. No matter whether the cars have 2 or 4 doors.
Hopefully, they will come out with a wagon.
And then a low-priced hatchback so my 16 year old daughter can bug me for one.
QUOTE (Dave_Darling @ Jul 27 2005, 11:04 AM) |
(cayenne) Hopefully they won't start losing money on that deal. --DD |
Dubbed the Panamera, the new model is expected to reach a production level of about 20,000 vehicles annually. A retail price for the model wasn't released, but analysts have said it could range from $125,000 to $175,000 per car, depending on the options.
In my opinion, the Panamera makes a lot more sense for Porsche to build than the Cayenne did. I think it will sell well if not priced too high. $125-175K is too high in my opinion. $75K is more appropriate. Not that I would ever afford that, but $75K sedans around here are a dime a dozen (plenty of customers).
Demick
It's no different than any of the mid sixties ferrari stuff... not much... along those lines..
It's a modern 330, just not really.
M
does anyone else see that Seanery's original post does NOT say four DOORS,
but instead says
Porsche AG has approved production of a four-seat sedan
I know, I know, Sedan = 4 doors, but I wouldn't be surprised IF Porsche were
to make a 2-door version of the Panamera, maybe that could be the GT!
let me guess, it's going to look like all the rest of them in their range: bland.
Looks long, too bad they couldn't do something a little closer to what Mazda did with the RX8. That looks nice for a 4 door.
Thought this had already been dismissed as false? .. C-GT parts bin porsche!
slap a 928 rear end on that sucker and it will look a lot better.
QUOTE (JmuRiz @ Jul 27 2005, 01:45 PM) |
One more thing, they'd better NOT race that thing in NASCAR |
I was just joking about the NASCAR stuff, I see it just as an alternative to the Maser, CLS etc. I agree that it makes a lot more sence than the Cayanne did. I know the post didn't say 4-doors but it sure looks that way from the sketch Porsche had in the press release.
This bad idea has been around since the 928. IMHO: Panamera = Fugly.
The look from the front quarter looks a helluva lot like a Pontiac Grand Prix. What cars with 4 doors competes with that (price and sportiness)? Not many and of those upper end cars, how many do they sell yearly?
Attached image(s)
QUOTE (Scott Carlberg @ Jul 27 2005, 12:09 PM) |
from what I've read about the Cayenne, Porsche used it's own money to develop the Cayenne, no outside resources/money was used. |
QUOTE (mudfoot76 @ Jul 27 2005, 12:36 PM) |
I think that is why you have a Toyota truck in the NASCAR truck series (it is mfg'd in southern Indiana) but no camry/avalon/whatever... |
When are they coming out with an 18-wheeler to give Peterbuilt a run for the money?
Or an ATV?
Or a golf cart?
Or a boat?
P
You mean like http://www.cadillacbikestore.com/?
QUOTE (zymurgist @ Jul 27 2005, 03:58 PM) |
The Camry is built in Kentucky. Sounds like it ought to be eligible for NASCAR racing. |
I hear ya. I'll watch ALMS or the actual 24 Hours of Le Mans, but circle track racing doesn't excite me enough to drop whatever I'm doing to catch the whole race. I'll watch if I'm taking a break from working in a hot garage, though.
Ok, those pictures bring more into the light... forget everything I ever said, that thing is the world's ugliest car ever made.. except for maybe the pininfarina 'enjoy'..
M
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Porsche will build a four-door car starting in 2009, the company announced Wednesday.
To be called the Panamera, the car will have four doors and four seats but will have a swooping, coupe-like profile. It will have a front-mounted engine driving the rear wheels. Pricing for the car, which is still under development, has not been announced.
The company expects to sell at least 20,000 Panameras per year, according to the announcement, which would make it the company's most popular model by far. Porsche is currently on track to sell about 9,600 Boxster sports cars this year, about 14,000 Cayenne SUVs and about 8,000 911 sports cars.
The Panamera has been rumored for several months and alleged "spy photos" of the car have been published on the Internet and in some publications.
The car, which will be created on an entirely new fundemental architecture, will be built solely by Porsche and will not involve a joint venture with any other company. The Porsche Cayenne SUV was created in cooperation with Volkswagen which sells its own version as the Volkswagen Touareg.
"The Panamera is a perfect fit for Porsche," said Dr. Wendelin Wiedeking, president and CEO of Porsche in a prepared statement.
"It has all the typical DNA characteristics of a genuine sports car," he said. "In terms of performance, design, and driving dynamics, it meets Porsche's high standards in every respect. Through this sports coupe we are making our customers a highly attractive offer in the top performance segment."
Porsche vehicles details and photos
QUOTE (TROJANMAN @ Jul 27 2005, 01:51 PM) |
The company expects to sell at least 20,000 Panameras per year... |
But we don't know what the asking price will be yet.
Maybe they're targeting the Honda Accord/Toyota Camry market and will price it in the low $20's...
QUOTE (URY914 @ Jul 27 2005, 03:58 PM) |
When are they coming out with an 18-wheeler to give Peterbuilt a run for the money? Or an ATV? Or a golf cart? Or a boat? P |
QUOTE (zymurgist @ Jul 27 2005, 12:58 PM) | ||
I've often wondered about that. The Camry is built in Kentucky. Sounds like it ought to be eligible for NASCAR racing. I think the sticking point may be the fact that Toyota doesn't build an OHV V-8, OHC's only. |
I guess we shouldn't expect the Panamera to sport an OHV engine so Porsche can go Cup racing too, huh?
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