Spy shots of a near-production Porsche Panamera

I think that Porsche is forgetting what they are truly known for: performance sport cars. They're getting too into this whole luxury thing. First, they were known soley for their sport cars, then they bring in their SUV, now, a luxury sedan. They need to stick to the fast cars.

— lexusis350 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2006 6:45:01 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

That Porsche Panamera is in camo and not ready.

It'll blow the doors off of any Lexus when ready ;)

— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2006 7:06:23 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3   

There is nothing luxury about Porsche. Everything is optional on these cars. Buyers spend thousands on things that should come standard.

— urbansouljah (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2006 8:11:22 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

They do make good cars though.

— urbansouljah (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2006 8:12:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Is that spoiler retractable

— RacerRX (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2006 8:20:30 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

No, that spoiler isn't real. It's all part of the camo.

— Matthew1 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2006 8:57:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

this car is going to reak havick. I can't wait.

— MBKing (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2006 9:44:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

this car is going to reak havick. I can't wait.

— MBKing (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2006 9:44:57 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

It needs a window aft of the c-pillar; hopefully there is one and its camouflaged.

— MercBasher (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2006 9:55:42 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

That car is still heavily disguised. You need only to look at the poorly-fitted wheel wells, the out-of-place spoiler, and the mis-shapen rear end to know that...

— 02WRX (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2006 10:06:49 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Obviously still a lot of camo on it. There is padding on the doors.

— chewy (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2006 10:23:07 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Exactly. This Porsche will be priced in between the two (probably closest in price and spec to the CLS63 AMG), and I can't justify buying it. I've suspected all along that it will pretty much be a 911 sedan, and this confirms my suspicions.

The 911 coupe is still one of the most beautiful cars on the road, but a 911 sedan is just ungainly.

I really don't think that hatch in the back is camo- it's truly a 911 sedan.

— S4cabriofox (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2006 11:38:03 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

I would get this car, IF and only if it has the legendary porsche performance.

— audirevolution (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2006 1:35:56 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

I don't like the look of it, camo or no camo...I couldn't justify buying one, especially when MB, Audi, Maserati, even BMW are making much more attractive performance sedans.

PS- is this actually considered to be in the 4 door coupe niche? It looks more like a full size sedan to me

— NARunner (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2006 1:36:29 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I wish I was as talented as some of you guys.

Knowing that it won't be as good looking as the competition even though you have no idea what it looks like.

Note that every panel on that test car is thoroughly padded, disguised and taped up. The profile of the car has been altered with plastic cladding and any pronounced shoulder line and rear haunches have been 'flattened out' with padding.

In essence, you could make a Ferrari F430 look terrible with a 'fake' rear-end and disguised proportions.

Anyway, I'm not too bothered by such comments, you will all be proved wrong when official photos of the ACTUAL car are released.

— Matthew1 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2006 1:25:13 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

In this department I think people would want to go for looks/luxury over performance..So might as well go for the CLS63 or the Rapide..Because porsche's could not come close to Aston or MB in luxury and exterior/interior styling..

— theman (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2006 5:05:09 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I wonder if PROCHE produce this ugly thing! I guess that the real version could be a surprise. Otherwise it will be one of the ugliest car!

— AUDBMLEXMRC (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2006 5:57:17 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

The porsche's rear end DOESNT fit on a sedan, but they r acting stupid here and may fit it in! I hope they dont, because if they did, its not gonna beat the CLS or the Rapide. The Rapide is sweet!!!!

— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2006 8:30:19 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

that rear window line is a fake, it doesn't nearly go back as far as that siler trim. lok closely and you'll see. i hope the arse is smaller though, it looks huge.

— Rupert (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2006 10:02:34 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Yes, Porsche is a brand that built its history through building sports cars, but as an expanding company they should look into other areas of auto industry. The Cayenne which is the first SUV built by Porsche was a success story, maybe not very evident in the USA, but in other countries the Porsche sales increased few folds because of that model alone. What I really hope from Porsche is to add more standard options to their cars base price, instead of the rediculous options list that they have these days.

— Auto_Fan (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2006 10:59:30 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

S4, look again:

The doors are 'cladded'. See how far they stick out from the actual line of the car? Just aft of the front door is the only 'real' bit of the door.

In essence, the entire car is re-skinned to look bigger and fatter than it really is. I mean, look at how far the body sits over the wheels....

The intro to the story is misleading: "Just a few tapes here and there over the smooth body lines".

— Matthew1 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2006 1:45:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Wow, here we go again..Wasn't this the same thing some people were saying about the R8?

— RacerRX (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2006 5:37:10 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

No.

The difference with the R8 was that (stylistically) was just a tweaking of an existing concept car, that was no surprise. Therefore, to extensively clad the car would be pointless, as everyone knew what it was going to look like. They only disguised certain parts, such as headlights and the interior, as not to ruin the surprise of the unveiling too much.

— Matthew1 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2006 8:07:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

This car is getting boring looking at it. Porsche should just stick with upgrading their coupes. Builting a sedan who they trying to impress Aston Martin. Come on stop wasting time Porsche. They need a new Carrera GT before they look at a on Aston Martin Rapid. Stop letting snow fall on a summer day.

— watisthat (View Profile)

Posted on 10/30/2006 1:14:40 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

This car is getting boring looking at it. Porsche should just stick with upgrading their coupes. Builting a sedan who they trying to impress Aston Martin. Come on stop wasting time Porsche. They need a new Carrera GT before they look at a on Aston Martin Rapid. Stop letting snow fall on a summer day.

— watisthat (View Profile)

Posted on 10/30/2006 1:14:41 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Porsche is one of the last independent automakers left, in order for them to survive they need to appeal to more people. By them adding the Cayenne and Panamera that gives them the ability to hold on to customers who's families have out grown the sports coupe life style but still give them the experience of being behind the wheel of a Porsche and that allows them to spend more money on R&D for the sport coupes.

— wbradd3797 (View Profile)

Posted on 11/3/2006 12:12:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Wow the rear end has a old lady hump back i hope the real thing looks nothing like this.Porsche cars have never appeal to me,they all basically look the same just different bumpers, wheels and motors. The cayenne is one ugly rebadged suv with a face only a mother could love and to much body weight. Suv's are meant to do it all, this thing just braggs that it goes fast. It seems to fall way short of any Range Rover.

— score (View Profile)

Posted on 11/4/2006 7:49:33 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1