ISUK:
Spyderidol:
Porsche have done it before. Look at how fresh, new and unusual the 901/911 design was when it hit the market.
Take another good look at the 901 vs its predecessor the 356. It's pretty clear that the styling was an evolution rather than a revolution
Yes and no. The 901 was, in its overall layout and design references, definitely an evolution of the 356. There is one critical difference though, which does not come across properly on these pictures due to the wide-angle shot, in the way lines and surfaces are described. The 901 introduced a well-balanced mixture of organic and geometrical elements whereas the 356 was dominated by organic shapes and surfaces (as any other car of the 50ies did in fact). Porsche could not afford to retool production on a high frequency back then and therefore not only featured a very clean and enduring design but themes and proportions that were less linked to fashion of their time period. I´m afraid though that these times will be over.
The Macan will be based on an existing chassis and therefore the aesthetically differences are, just as on the Cayenne, limited. On an independent model such as the Panamera the proportions themselves are very different to the competition. The side profile looks interesting, it might provide enough differentiation in comparison to other brands as well as the Cayenne.
On a general side note though, since I read through most of this thread again now, some seem to forget the Porsche of the past and focus on some highlights only. Wasn´t it Volkswagen that they developed the 924/944 and, since the project was ditched, subsequently produced them on their own? Didn´t the 944 have better acceleration and handling than the regular Carrera of that time period? What Porsche made famous and well-known was their engineering talent (considering all aspects of development) that was displayed in their cars.