Wraps are finally off stunning Panamera

By Richard Yarrow

24th November 2008

At last, the wait is over! One of motoring’s worst kept secrets has finally broken cover – these are the first official pictures of the new Porsche Panamera.

At the front, the super saloon follows the design philosophy that’s been refined over time on the 911 and implemented more recently on the Boxster, Cayman and Cayenne.

The four-door Panamera is 17cm longer than a Cayenne, but has short, sporty overhangs. Its swoopy roofline gives a coupé-like shape, but the bulbous rear is more testing on the eye. The twin exhausts at either end of the bumper work with the chrome strip between the rear lights to visually stretch the car.

No interior shots have been released yet, although bosses promise top-class comfort in the front and two sculpted individual chairs in the rear. The back seats will fold to increase the generous luggage bay.

Powertrains will be revealed next year, but front-mounted V6 and V8 units are to form part of the line-up. Outputs will range from 300bhp to 500bhp, and a hybrid is in development.

There will be a choice of a six-speed manual or Porsche’s PDK seven-speed double-clutch gearbox, with power going to either the rear or all four wheels.

The Panamera goes on sale from late next summer, with prices from around £50,000.