Porsche announces four-door car

[limoncello]

CNN link on the new Panamera:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/AUTOS/07/27/porsche_panamera/index.html

Excerpt from CNN on numbers -
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.

Neat sketch - should be one slick car -

[deliriousga]

Looks pretty cool for a 4-door. I don't know about outselling the Cayennes though at the the $125K range quoted in previous articles.

[Rail26]

Mikey Likey!

[tqtran]

Originally Posted by deliriousga

I don't know about outselling the Cayennes though at the the $125K range quoted in previous articles.

Since the spring the target price has been $80-$100K, to compete with BMW 7series and Merc S class. Where did $125K all the sudden pop up?

[deliriousga]

Originally Posted by tqtran

Where did $125K all the sudden pop up?

From another forum a couple of months ago. Porsche was discussing it with a couple of ideas for a 4-door. The 80-100K range would fit pretty well with their line-up.

[tqtran]

Originally Posted by deliriousga

From another forum a couple of months ago.

Which one? Do you have a link to the thread that states 125K? I would like to see what its saying. I venture several Porsche forums and I never heard of 125K.

[deliriousga]

Ok, I found the latest reference to it in this forum http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?t=214596&referrerid=27688

It references a January, 2005 article in the German magazine "Auto Motor und Sport".
http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/d/77599 and http://auto-motor-sport.de/d/77671

It has the range listed as 100K-150K Euros (~125K-175K Dollars at the time) and has some good pics of a red Panamera.

Here's a link to a MotorWeek article from3/15/05 http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=101990 with good pics of a silver Panamera.

This has been discussed in the 928 forums for a while as possibly being the "new 928". Since 928 production was stopped in 1995, owners are longing for a comparable replacement. The Panamera, with a water-cooled V8, hatch back and 480+ HP is the closest thing to date. Also, the original 928 was revealed in the early 1970's as the "Panamera concept car". The price range of $125K+ would be in range with the original 928. Mine was $65K in 1987, about $120K in today's dollars.

I know as a Boxster owner it's hard to understand, but to a 928 owner there just is no better automobile so the hope of a new model is huge. I can't explain it. Even last weekend when we were flying through the mountains, while it was a blast in the Boxster, I just kept thinking "I wish I had the 928 today". The gearing has a much wider range and being thrown back in the seat when you hit the gas is a nice feeling.

Here's a comparison of the Panamera to a 1985 928S: