Photo: CarPix
Previewed as early as 2012, with the Panamera Sport Turismo Concept at the Paris Motor Show, the first station wagon to wear a Porsche badge is finally close to being officially unveiled.
In fact, we could be about a week away from seeing the new model completely uncovered. In the meantime, Porsche saw fit to continue testing a pre-production prototype in full camouflage and our spy photographers were just around the corner to catch it.
Since it's still full winter in Northern Sweden, the shooting brake version of the Panamera is currently conducting cold-weather testing. Judging by the quad exhaust pipes at the rear and the general look of the car, we first thought we were looking at a Sport Turismo Turbo version, which should be powered by the same 4.0-liter V8 as the liftback sedan variant.
With 550 hp and 770 Nm (568 lb-ft) of torque on tap, the powerplant is more than able enough to make the Panamera Sport Turismo Turbo run circle around most stations wagons out there. The dying CLS 63 S Shooting Brake and the upcoming E63 S T-Modell might have a word with that statement, but the facts remain. It will be pretty hard to take on a Porsche station wagon, especially if it's in top trim.
On the other hand, the green brake calipers and the left-mounted filler cap are telling a different story, and the prototype in the photo gallery is definitely a plug-in hybrid version.
Apart from the longer and slightly higher roofline and the obviously different rear, the Panamera Sport Turismo will be pretty much identical to the regular model. That said, there should be some minor differences on the inside as well.
Thanks to the slightly higher roof, passengers in the rear may get improved headroom, and even though it hasn't been confirmed officially, they may also get an actual bench seat as an option instead of the two individual bucket seats. Don't bet on it, though, since that would imply that Porsche has also invested in a different center console for the rear, which would have only a 50 percent chance of actually happening.
Even though the age of five-door shooting brakes was recently revived by Mercedes-Benz with both the CLS and the CLA in their respective guises, the rumor talks about the Panamera Sport Turismo remaining the only one of its kind on this rarefied market. We say this because slow sales for the CLS Shooting Brake, which would have been the Porsche's biggest rival, may mean that there won't be a new generation.
Either way, expect the new Porsche model to be slightly more expensive than the car it's based on, which in turn will make it a lot more exclusive regarding sales. Using the same criteria, a base model should also be out of the question, with the S version being the most likely “entry level” model.
There is no official word if it will be available in the U.S. or if it will also have a long-wheelbase version, but there are high chances for both rumors to become a reality in due course.
Since it's still full winter in Northern Sweden, the shooting brake version of the Panamera is currently conducting cold-weather testing. Judging by the quad exhaust pipes at the rear and the general look of the car, we first thought we were looking at a Sport Turismo Turbo version, which should be powered by the same 4.0-liter V8 as the liftback sedan variant.
With 550 hp and 770 Nm (568 lb-ft) of torque on tap, the powerplant is more than able enough to make the Panamera Sport Turismo Turbo run circle around most stations wagons out there. The dying CLS 63 S Shooting Brake and the upcoming E63 S T-Modell might have a word with that statement, but the facts remain. It will be pretty hard to take on a Porsche station wagon, especially if it's in top trim.
On the other hand, the green brake calipers and the left-mounted filler cap are telling a different story, and the prototype in the photo gallery is definitely a plug-in hybrid version.
Apart from the longer and slightly higher roofline and the obviously different rear, the Panamera Sport Turismo will be pretty much identical to the regular model. That said, there should be some minor differences on the inside as well.
Thanks to the slightly higher roof, passengers in the rear may get improved headroom, and even though it hasn't been confirmed officially, they may also get an actual bench seat as an option instead of the two individual bucket seats. Don't bet on it, though, since that would imply that Porsche has also invested in a different center console for the rear, which would have only a 50 percent chance of actually happening.
Even though the age of five-door shooting brakes was recently revived by Mercedes-Benz with both the CLS and the CLA in their respective guises, the rumor talks about the Panamera Sport Turismo remaining the only one of its kind on this rarefied market. We say this because slow sales for the CLS Shooting Brake, which would have been the Porsche's biggest rival, may mean that there won't be a new generation.
Either way, expect the new Porsche model to be slightly more expensive than the car it's based on, which in turn will make it a lot more exclusive regarding sales. Using the same criteria, a base model should also be out of the question, with the S version being the most likely “entry level” model.
There is no official word if it will be available in the U.S. or if it will also have a long-wheelbase version, but there are high chances for both rumors to become a reality in due course.
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