Porsche Dilutes the Brand. Again
November 25, 2008 | 4:14:55 PM
Behold the Panamera, Porsche's $1.26 billion bet that the world wants a "four-door grand touring sedan" that mashes up the 911 and the Cayenne and might, just might, be available as a hybrid.
The Panamera is the storied automaker's fourth model, and it comes on the heels of the Cayman's debut in 2006 and the Cayenne SUV that appeared in 2002. There's a lot riding on it. Beyond providing a toehold in the luxury GT market, Porsche hopes the car will boost sales that have stagnated at about 100,000 vehicles annually. With the Cayenne accounting for nearly half of all Porsches sold, it's clear there is a market for a Porsche with room for the kids and a set of golf clubs.
Porsche says the Panamera "follows the design philosophy refined over decades on the 911 and successfully implemented on the Boxster, Cayman and Cayenne." Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so we'll tell you about the hardware and let you sound off on the design.
Porsche is positioning the Panamera as a proper GT, so the engine is up front and it drives the rear wheels (although all-wheel drive will be an option). Power comes from a V6 or V8 engine and flows through a six-speed manual transmission or Porsche's new seven-speed dual clutch PDK (don't ask, because you won't be able to say it anyway) gearbox. Output starts at 300 horsepower and goes up from there. Go nuts with the turbo'd V8 you're looking at 500 ponies.
Of particular interest is Porsche's suggestion the Panamera may at some point be available with a gas-electric drivetrain, something we first told you about in January. Such a system would almost certainly be based on the hybrid Cayenne that appeared one year ago at the Los Angeles Auto Show with a 3.6-liter V6 coupled to a 38-kW electric motor. Porsche told us in January a hybrid Panamera would see a 30 percent improvement in fuel economy over the gas version.
Whatever the drivetrain, it will fit in a body that's 195.7 inches long and 76 inches wide, making it just a bit bigger than the 2008 Cayenne. No word on the weight, but with that much mass, it's gotta be portly.
As for the styling, Porsche says the Panamera has "a truly unmistakable appearance." The air intakes are "strongly contoured," the wheel arches are "striking" and the front of the car is noteworthy for "the long and sleek engine compartment — with the distinctly contoured wings" flanking the front lid. Porsche's purple prose goes on from there, but you get the point.
No word on what the Panamera will cost or how it'll perform when it goes on sale in August or September. We probably won't see it in the flesh until the Geneva auto show in March, because Porsche's skipping the Detroit auto show in January.
In a side note, Porsche sent some engineers to Tesla Motors, where they spent a lot of time getting up close and personal with the Roadster before placing an order for one, according to Inside Line. Apparently their bosses in Weissach aren't impressed with the electric Porsche 911 that German tuning haus Ruf is building, so Porsche is working on its own lithium-ion powertrain. It's a safe bet that work would appear first in a hybrid...
UPDATE, 12:45 p.m. Nov. 26: a couple of commenters have argued the Panamera is Porsche's fifth model. But according to Porsche, the Panamera is the marque's fourth model series. The Cayman is based on the Boxster.
Photos by Porsche.
Just a quick correction: Your statement "This is the first new model released since the Cheyenne in 2002", is actually slightly off. The last new model Porsche released was the Cayman in 2006, as a replacement to the Boxster.
Just a quick correction: Your statement "This is the first new model released since the Cheyenne in 2002", is actually slightly off. The last new model Porsche released was the Cayman in 2006, as a replacement to the Boxster.
They didn't need to keep the Porsche back slope to make a sedan - honestly, the front profile is fantastic, but the side view and rear is wrong.
If Maserati can do it, Porsche can do it. I'll chalk this one up to "first try".
That looks incredibly boring.
Whoops! Good point, Lindsay. Post fixed. Thanks!
if it were any other car than a porche, then it would be pretty darn magnificent.
Lindsay: I don't believe the Cayman is intended to be a replacement for the Boxster. It's a model positioned above the Boxster and below the 911.
That back end is hideous. The whole car looks like the love child of a Miata and a PT Cruiser. What are they thinking?
Look like I'm fan 001 then.
All it needs is a Whale Tail.
All it needs is a Whale Tail.
All it needs is a Whale Tail.
All it needs is a Whale Tail.
I wouldn't kick it out of my garage, if you know what I mean. I question the practicality of that rear seat, but I'll give Porsche the benefit of doubt for now. No doubt it's fun to drive.
Long live the Opal.
AND....... EPIC FAIL.
I agree that this car shouldn't be a Porsche, but it's still Fing hot. I cannot think of a reason to say no to a 500-hp AWD station wagon (because that's what it is). Reminds me of the mid-90's Audi RS4 wagon, which was a Porsche killer. Looks like Porsche is out for revenge...
Come on by Sam's place when the AWD version hits. Maybe I'll give you a lift up to my ski house. We can throw the snowboards in the back and do donuts in the parking lot. Now doesn't that sound fun????
Who needs those suckers
The "What Do You Think About The Panamera?" survey question is obviously loaded, considering the title of the article is Porsche Dilutes the Brand Again. I don't usually expect this low-brow type of populist journalism from WIRED, I hope it was just an over-sight.
The 928 LIVES!!!
looks like an old jaguar xke saloon
its lacking an identity. time to do a retro look. take porsche back to the time when the porsche silhouette was enough to send chills up your spine!
is "Brand Dilution" the PC way of saying f'ugly!?!?! why would anyone buy this over an M5 or an AMG.
Not horrible, but it looks strange for some reason.
"That back end is hideous."
Isn't that Porsche's trademark?
Hmmm, remind anyone of the Jenson or the 928?
It saddens me to see the dynasty grovel for market share.
Too much inbreeding at ArtCenter
Too much inbreeding at ArtCenter
"(don't ask, because you won't be able to say it anyway)"
Hmmm, this might be true except for the fact that I'm FLUENT IN GERMAN
Tigas kinda has a point...
Sorta does look like a big 928.
I for one like it. People DO need space these days. If youre capable of buying a Porsche, then you are likely rich enough to own lots of things such as Golf Clubs, extra polo shirts, fancy organic food, or malaysian children
Well, to be honest, since Porsche has already said "Screw brand dilution; let's make an F'in SUV!!" I don't see how this could dilute the brand further.
That being said I'd have been **MUCH** happier if Porsche had made this and never conceived of the d*mn Cayenne in the first place. A Porsche SUV?!?! What the F were they thinking?!
The rear end of this "Panamera" is kinda funky, but most Porsche rear ends are, so I'm not bothered by it. Porsche grand tourer with four doors? Sure, why not.
On the one hand (yup)...
Lambo dropped a 4 door this season. If they can move into the market then there has to be a solid reason and that means Porsche could stand to play that game. Also, having the connections to Audi and VW they've got some leeway in what the finally decide to bring to market, having an obscene amount of market research info, etc. They know who they're targeting with this model.
On the other hand...
*heavy sigh* This thing looks like the big girl at the dance. No amount of sculpting can hide the overall bulk and heft of this car. I can only imagine what kind of miracles they had to work to balance that rear end (like bulking up the rest of the car to offset that enormous metal bubble). Adding length to make the proportions look right...is just wrong.
"meh" is right. I wouldn't turn down a free one, but I won't be adjust my top 10 must have list to make room for this thing anytime soon.
Looks like a Datsun.
Front looks good. The back is ugly. Kind of a dumb idea to begin with, but some yuppie will think it's cool.
I'm guessing that not one of the negative posters here has owned a Porsche. This is a beautiful car that many of us Porsche owners with growing families have been waiting anxiously for. The final design is fantastic and I look forward to getting my hands on one as soon as the hybrid is available. Get back in your f*ing Priuses and go home.
FAIL WHALE, soon available in car form.
it looks confused
Agree with Lance - the Cayman isn't a replacement Boxster. VW and Porsche have always like the five door sedan (concept D anyone?) - not sure the US gen pop understands it though.
Looks like a rounded off Jensen Interceptor. From the side, there just seems to be something fundamentally wrong with the rake of the windshield in relation to the hatch in the back, as if they belatedly realized they needed more rear headroom.
i wonder if they will make a 2 door version?
i wonder if they will make a 2 door version?
You've had time enough since the Cayenne hit the market many years ago. But you still are not accustomed to the fact that Porsche doesn't build 2-door sports racers only anymore. Is this a reason to judge a car you haven't even seen yet? Is this a good reason to say, sorry, ehm, to guess a car is portly? Porsche leaves it to some portly other companies to oversleep the development of the market and leaves it to those portly companies not be able to deliver autos anymore to states where CO2 restrictions forbid them to do so. Chuck, your article is a silly conservative manifesto during a time when the auto market is in an important change. Seems you did not yet take notice of that change.
Nice to see Buick working something sporty!
I think it's great ... I have a 911 (because it's got 4 seats) but the kids keep growing! Tested a Cayenne, but found it uninspiring - I suspect the panamera will feel more like a sports car, proving both exciting yet completely practical too. Gees... it's a hatch back! You could probably fit a sofa from Ikea in it! I can't wait to see it up close.
Oh Boy! A four door 911. Yeah!
I actually think it's not a bad looking car - certainly better than the monstrosity which is the Cayenne.
I found the PDK comment amusing - Porsche are acutally using PDK as an advertising point in British and Irish motoring magazines (i was bemused by the name at first). Because of this i looked it up... PDK = Porsche Duppelkupplung - which translates easily enough into Porsce Double-Coupling (clutch)... apparently it allows auto box which is more efficient and faster.
Based upon the looks and knowing that Porsche builds a solid car, I would think that this big girl is properly balanced. This would explain the look of the cabin sitting over the real wheels. While I would not turn it away, I would rather go out and grab another subaru.
I heard a new website is coming for all things Panamera related - http://www.panamerapit.com check it out!
Well, I would chalk this one up to first try but you have to remember that they spend tons of money on product testing and poll audiences to get their take on the car. This means one of two things: Either they randomly selected a group of people with horrible taste in vehicles or...the other models they had to offer were even uglier than this one.
People had the same complaints about the Cayenne... and that thing has sold exceptionally well for Porsche, despite the parts sharing with it's VW cousin. I think Porsche is doing the right thing here. In a struggling economy people want a fun car with a little more practicality.
This thing is so thick in the middle you can't see it's hips. If the Maserati is a supermodel, this thing is a baby boomer who doesn't dress her age...
Yes, it's a Porsche. You don't have to have owned one to get it. Obviously they know how to build some fine vehicles.
And yet, I find myself thinking: "Damn, what a fat ass". Reminds me of a Bentley for some reason (same designers maybe, Bentley = VW group?). Took me a minute to pin it down but: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley_Continental_GT
The rear quarters are smoother than the Bentley but... MEH
is it rear engine front wheel drive? if not it should be, they should have called the bushwagon.
PDK? Too hard to pronounce? Maybe Porsche Double Coupling is close enough
Lot a bandwagon blather here. This is absolutely breath-taking. It maintains the performance edge while shedding the "impractical" badge that Porshe has so proudly worn for - ever. See the Lambo four door and tell the philanthropist family man that he can finally drop his kids off at private school without them spilling out of front seat. I truly dig the evolution. Dasswussup.
And by the way, whoever said a fat ass is bad...?!
Porche has specialized itself in a very narrow corner of automotive design and engineering for a long time. Having constricted themselves in the evolutionary design process it could be difficult to conceptualize anything different and Cayene and Panamera demonstrate just that. On the other hand they have shrewdly calculated that their clientele will buy anything bearing the brand name. That said I think Panamera will do as well as Cayene no matter how horrendous it may seem to purists.
Proof positive one size doesn't fit all. The 911 shape is great on a 911 not on an SUV and NOT on a sedan.
If Porche wanted to do a sport sedan think the Benz CLS.
This is the car makers fifth model, not fourth.
911
Boxter
Cayenne
Cayman
And now Paramera.
Brand dilution is the understatement of the year!!! Porche has completely lost their way. The racer has turned into a geezer that wears granpa pants.
Porsche's are no longer sexy. This is just a sign that their target market of baby boomers have gotten old. This looks like a Jaguar XJ. Remember the poster of a 911 turbo flying as it goes over a hill, ancient history.
Time for a new generation. (Tesla, time to jump in here)
Looks like a Jensen Interceptor.
Greed drove Porsche out of their niche, and now their brand has lost all respect to a large chunk of the population.
fail.
People will probably buy it just because it's a Porsche and for no other reason. However, on looks alone, I'll pass, it is the ugly duckling of the bunch:
Rapide/Estoque/Quattroporte --all much more $$$ though
CLS/XF/A7 --these are the real competitors
I like it....sort of a Mercedes/Jag/Porsche mix breed
"Brand Dilution" is a hackneyed cliche used by people who can't think of anything intelligent to say.
I've owned two 911s, a 930, a 996, and two 356's, and I really am looking forward to owning a Panamera.
Porsche has only lost its "reputation" among people who have never owned one and never will. And to those who think Porsche has made a mistake in branching out, they ought to check out Porsche' bottom line - it's totally brilliant.
If youre capable of buying a Porsche, then you are likely rich enough to own lots of things such as Golf Clubs, extra polo shirts, fancy organic food, or malaysian children.
Posted by: andy | Nov 25, 2008 6:20:14 PM
--------------------------------------------
Winner for best comment. You didn't miss it, did you? Rich enough to OWN ... malaysian children. ROFLMAO!
.
The other comments made me think of an old tune ...
--------------------------------------------
Oh, my, god. Becky, look at her butt.
It is so big. *scoff* She looks like,
one of those rap guys' girlfriends.
But, you know, who understands those rap guys? *scoff*
They only talk to her, because,
she looks like a total prostitute, 'kay?
I mean, her butt, is just so big.
I can't believe it's just so round, it's like,
out there, I mean - gross. Look!
She's just so ... black!
.
I like big butts and I can not lie
You other brothers can't deny
That when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist
And a round thing in your face
You get sprung, wanna pull out your tough
'Cause you notice that butt was stuffed
Deep in the jeans she's wearing
I'm hooked and I can't stop staring
Oh baby, I wanna get with you
And take your picture
My homeboys tried to warn me
But that butt you got makes me so horny
Ooh, Rump-o'-smooth-skin
You say you wanna get in my Benz?
Well, use me, use me
'Cause you ain't that average groupie
I've seen them dancin'
To hell with romancin'
She's sweat, wet,
Got it goin' like a turbo 'Vette
I'm tired of magazines
Sayin' flat butts are the thing
Take the average black man and ask him that
She gotta pack much back
So, fellas! (Yeah!) Fellas! (Yeah!)
Has your girlfriend got the butt? (Hell yeah!)
Tell 'em to shake it! (Shake it!) Shake it! (Shake it!)
Shake that healthy butt!
Baby got back!
.
Baby got back!
.
I like 'em round, and big
And when I'm throwin' a gig
I just can't help myself, I'm actin' like an animal
Now here's my scandal
I wanna get you home
And ugh, double-up, ugh, ugh
I ain't talkin' bout Playboy
'Cause silicone parts are made for toys
I want 'em real thick and juicy
So find that juicy double
Mix-a-Lot's in trouble
Beggin' for a piece of that bubble
So I'm lookin' at rock videos
Knock-kneeded bimbos walkin' like hoes
You can have them bimbos
I'll keep my women like Flo Jo
A word to the thick soul sisters, I wanna get with ya
I won't cuss or hit ya
But I gotta be straight when I say I wanna *fuck*
Till the break of dawn
Baby got it goin' on
A lot of simps won't like this song
'Cause them punks like to hit it and quit it
And I'd rather stay and play
'Cause I'm long, and I'm strong
And I'm down to get the friction on
So, ladies! {Yeah!} Ladies! {Yeah}
If you wanna roll in my Mercedes {Yeah!}
Then turn around! Stick it out!
Even white boys got to shout
Baby got back!
.
Baby got back!
Yeah, baby ... when it comes to females, Cosmo ain't got nothin'
to do with my selection. 36-24-36? Ha ha, only if she's 5'3".
.
So your girlfriend rolls a Honda, playin' workout tapes by Fonda
But Fonda ain't got a motor in the back of her Honda
My anaconda don't want none
Unless you've got buns, hun
You can do side bends or sit-ups,
But please don't lose that butt
Some brothers wanna play that "hard" role
And tell you that the butt ain't gold
So they toss it and leave it
And I pull up quick to retrieve it
So Cosmo says you're fat
Well I ain't down with that!
'Cause your waist is small and your curves are kickin'
And I'm thinkin' bout stickin'
To the beanpole dames in the magazines:
You ain't it, Miss Thing!
Give me a sister, I can't resist her
Red beans and rice didn't miss her
Some knucklehead tried to dis
'Cause his girls are on my list
He had game but he chose to hit 'em
And I pull up quick to get wit 'em
So ladies, if the butt is round,
And you want a triple X throw down,
Dial 1-900-MIXALOT
And kick them nasty thoughts
Baby got back!
.
(Little in the middle but she got much back)
I have no problems with them making a four door sedan, just like other great cars such as those from Aston Martin, but the styling has a few problems. The front looks like a Corvette, the rear-quarters are weird, and the interior centre console is too angular and ugly.
Is this a joke? Because I'm laughing out loud. What next Porsche? A mini van? You'd probably screw that up too.
YUUUUCK..... didn't they learn their lession with the 928....
Good idea, bad design..., very bad design.. well it sucks.. it is so fucking bs ugly someone should tell those guys to checkin with their porsche design studio... because it just sucks... yuck.
The rear is hideous! I want to puke.
BUTT UGLY!
The back end reminds me of a badunkadunk...
So ugly, Porsche have being repeating such an ugly design for 40 years!It´s time to change!
This sentence:
> The Panamera is the storied automaker's fourth model
isn't correct. Porsche has produced far more than four models of car in its history. I don't care enough about cars to know how many they're selling now, so you might mean "fourth model currently available" but you should correct that sentence anyway.
If you have not owned a Porsche, that does not preclude a person from having an opinion. I am sure it drives well, so what. It is not attractive, and I would want my car to attract especially at these prices. Well take out the back seats and it can be a unique hearse. Its not too ugly for that.
Ive owned several 911's I love the brand, the marque, however this is just another in the line of ugly front engined garbage that I would not even look at if it passed me. Personally the Maserati 4 door makes this thing look like something that belongs in Communist Czech. Ugly.. probably too heavy and any performance coming out of the motor will likely be swallowed up by its ovewieght chassis. Give me a 911 variant any day.. the rest can go off the wreckers!
oh come on -- it will have a strong following by overpaid middle-aged doctors and lawyers and brokers who wouldn't know better anyway.
wondeful. that is nice car. john wondeful. that is nice car.
http://www.babatek.com
If Porsche cant come up with anything other than distorted 911s why bother with different models.s Its all wrong but people will buy it cause its a Porsche. Makes the old 928 look hot.
EDITOR: Joe Brown | 
web sites:
I now need a new keyboard because I just threw up on this one.