Misha, I think you're suffering from a serious case of denial. Everything points toward this being the real thing.
It seems that the rear looks quite bulbeous from the direct side view and the 3/4 rear. In the other pictures, it doesn't seem too bad. Really looking forward to seeing it in real life, but I am afraid that it is out of the same desing box as the cayenne...
-Joost-
Nov 23, 2008 12:24:22 PM
Nov 23, 2008 12:51:19 PM
550 Spyder:
the hatchback concept isn't my cup of tea. I hope they come out with a sedan version.
The sloping back is a natural design element for a Porsche limousine because a 3-volume classical sedan design would be very unnatural for the Porsche design tradition.
Of course they could have avoided the 5th door, even if they decided to give the car the sloping fastback look, and put a luggage area cover like the Carrera engine cover.
But why does the hatchback offend some people, I cannot understand!
It gives better access and loading space and it is therefore a practical feature for an all purpose GT car.
Americans don't generally like hatchbacks and they even prefer a VW Jetta to a Golf wheras in the ROW the Jetta is very slow selling.
In the case of Porsche, many american favourite models like the 928. 924/944 had a very practical rear door and still no one found this as a negative feature. Even the Cayman has got a hatchback and this hasn't put off anyone.
Our US friends should start liking the hatchbacks too. Times are changing!
If americans can get used to afro-american Hussein Obama as President, I don't think the hatchback is an issue that cannot be easily overcome!
Nov 23, 2008 1:07:44 PM
Nov 23, 2008 1:45:39 PM
Spyderidol:
Thanks Flyer - It's amazing what a difference some color and rims can make!
Large limousine-sized cars need dark colours and large wheels.
A silver or beige S-class with 17" wheels looks almost hideous compared to a black one with 19".
The same goes for the outgoing 7 series. (I haven't seen the new one yet).
Nov 23, 2008 4:11:12 PM
The nighmare has become reality, it turns out it is really that ugly. Makes the GT-R looks good and the California a work of art, I am barely kidding.
I reminds me a little bit of the Scaglietti in a sense that in both cases the original sketches were very promising (the one picturing the sideline in case of the Panamera) and the final product does not replicate them.
In case of the Panamera it may be caused by the sheer size of the thing.
I agree with temm, I would take a 7-series instead in a heartbeat.
Misha011:
Joost , that's benefit of advanced age (I am 56) - I take nothig at face value and question everything . Speaking about questions , in your sentence : " Everythng points toward this being the real thing" - what is ' Everything' , if you care to elaborate ?
Misha, with everything, I meant the fact that these pics look a lot like the official pictures we have seen by porsche vefore. Both in composition and in color and background. Also, these pictures seem to be inline with pictures of noth heavily and not heavily camouflaged panameras. Also, Porsche doesn't have a history of entirely cocooning mules. Untill now, their tactic seem to have been to slowly peel away the layers of camouflage on the mules on the street. I can't remember any big surprises of cars that were released. Additional, the dutch article on autotelegraaf.nl tells us that the mebargo on press pictures was to be lifted on monday 24 november, so this is another hint that these are the real pictures. Another thing is that Christian claims to have seen a) CAD imagery of the real thing. b) the real thing, c) these pictures, and tells that they are all the same. OK, these pics could be of a cocooned model (but why release press pics of a fake car?) And yes, christian might have seen that fake car, but I can't imagine that there are also CAD pictures made of a fake car.
The only thing that points TOWARD the cocooning theory is the strange thickness of the doors as we have seen it in several spypics, but it could be that the doors are just terribly thick.
All in all, my conclusion is that this is the real thing. I hope that it isn't, but I wouldn't put my mooney on the cocoon theory.
-Joost-
Nov 23, 2008 4:32:13 PM
but Lars997:
Spyderidol:Mine too! So that means its a girls car?
My wife loves it!
My wife loved it without me trying to influence. She said it makes the normal 3-box limousines look "ordinary".
Maybe it is because women themselves are not so stereotypical in appearance and they like to experiment with their hair, clothes etc!
A limousine must not have a hatchback many people say, as if this came like a commandment from god.
Personally, I like what I see in the pictures and the more I see them the more I like the car.
A 4-door Porsche couldn't look much different IMO, although I'd prefer a smaller front overhang, like BMW's.
Joost , thanks for reply and now I see your points of 'Everything' and that you have , too , some doubts / questions if they are 100% correct or not . You opted that they are true . However my standing is that they are not . Do I need to say that it's not about me or my ' cocoon theory ' but about Porsche Co. and my 40 years of admiration and respect for their cars . Only Geneva motor show and public desplay , will bring the true and final Panamera .
Funny that no one mentioned the "ugly dumpo style" door mirrors this time round.
I remember they were a big issue when the 997.2 was shown.
At least the Panam's rear lights aren't horribly drooping like on the FL Carreras.
Cheers to all the frustrated-would-be-car-designers on the Forum
Nov 23, 2008 6:20:09 PM
Nov 23, 2008 6:29:07 PM
These are official images as per Porsche Cars Canada. One of the silver cars is a turbo on 19in wheels (20 will be standard) and 21in optional. No word on why it was photographed on the wrong wheels...
The car will be 4 seats ONLY no rear bench ever or possible (seats sit too low and the middle seat won't fit on the tunnel.)
Interior shots will be out by the end of the year. 17 new colors, new leather and 4+ new woods. No word on pricing but they said CLS550 on the low end for the S 2 wheel drive and S65 on the turbo high end.
You can see the wing on the siver top down shot.
IMHO the blue with the parchment leather looks great!