This is the first undisguised photograph of the new Porsche Panamera four-door saloon. It may be lacking disguise, but there’s precious little we can see in this artfully cropped first picture of the Panamera. Although it offers an annoyingly restricted view, this is the first time we’ve seen Stuttgart’s new gran turismo.
And this Panamera teaser photo is just one part of an extensive pre-launch publicity campaign kicking off today. A special Panamera website is stuffed with (carefully controlled) videos, spy photos, limited facts, podcasts and – get this – even a Porsche Panamera song.
Porsche Panamera teaser photos, podcasts and jazz songs? Have they lost their marbles?
Perhaps. Porsche today launches a new Panamera Online Magazine (www.porsche.com/panamera), which includes videos of disguised prototypes and a direct mail campaign targeting potential customers. Whether slick-suited execs considering an Aston Martin Rapide or Merc S-class really want to hear the dubious Panamera jazz song remains to be seen…
It’s going to be a long wait until we finally see the Panamera production car late in winter 2008-09; the precise launch date is still kept under wraps, but bank on the saloon arriving in dealers in summer 2009.
What else has Porsche announced about the Panamera?
Porsche denies it’s wringing the Panamera launch for all its worth. Today’s announcement reads: ‘Even this limited view of the dynamic front end clearly proves that the four-door Panamera is a genuine Porsche all the way, the Panamera naturally benefiting from Porsche’s 60 years of sports car know-how in Zuffenhausen and the driving dynamics so typical of the brand.’
Eh? How does this narrow-angle shot reveal anything new about the new Panamera? About the only fact confirmed today is that the new Panamera will have ‘space for four adults’…
Otherwise, our previous scoop stories on the Panamera hold true. The super-saloon will be powered by a 4.8-litre V8 in naturally aspirated 400bhp and turbocharged 500bhp forms; a smaller 3.6 V6 arrives in 2010 and a hybrid in 2011. All will be rear-wheel drive at launch, although higher-powered versions will gain 4wd later.
Click on our player below to hear the official Porsche Panamera jazz song (yes, really!) and Porsche-supplied Panamera podcast
What do you think of the Porsche Panamera? Click ‘Add your comment’ below and have your say
