The Porsche Panamera is 10 years old
The first time we saw a production version of the Porsche Panamera was at the 13th Auto Shanghai in April 2009.
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It has therefore been 10 years since Porsche once again ventured off the traditional path to build a car some of the brand’s purists weren’t initially fond of. They had just gotten over the Cayenne when Porsche introduced a four-door luxury sedan, and for many this was taking it too far. Now that a decade has past, the Panamera has been accepted in the hearts of every Porsche fan who now consider it simply as a more versatile, slightly more touring version of the Porsche 911.
That description fits the Panamera very well, actually. Seen as a spiritual result of the Porsche 989 concept that arrived in the late 1980s, the Porsche Panamera is a very refined, comfortable GT car that many 911 and 718 owners use as their daily driver to get to and back from work or take the family on vacation. We all love the Porsche 911 and both 718 models, but there are some things they can’t do, like take a family of four up to a cottage for a weekend of skiing. The Panamera can do that and do it in complete comfort.
On the flip side, Panamera owners know that there’s nothing compromised when it comes to performance. The Panamera lineup currently includes the most powerful production Porsche model on sale, the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. There’s also a GTS version, a Panamera Turbo that reaches 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, and a Sport Turismo trim with more cargo capacity. The base Panamera starts at $98,300, and you can also get all-wheel drive in the Panamera 4 which starts at $103,600. Last but not least, the Panamera 4S Executive is also available and will get you a little more space in the back and more luxury.
In other words, the Porsche Panamera was built using the same recipe as other Porsche models: Plenty of versions for every need, all sharing the same base DNA and performance-oriented personality. It also played an important part in the development of the rest of the Panamera lineup.
“As a technology platform for innovations that were later transferred to other models, the Panamera has played a significant role in shaping the past ten years of the brand’s history,” explains Michael Steiner, then first Vice President of the product line, today Member of the Executive Board Research and Development.
And so, to the Porsche Panamera, here’s to the next 10 years and beyond.
This article was written by:
Charles Jolicoeur