Photo: SB-Medien
Towards the very end of October 2013, this weird-looking Porsche Panamera test mule emerged onto the Nurburgring test track in Germany. Sitting lower to the ground and sporting strange foam extensions, it was obviously a preview concept for the next generation of the now iconic Porsche sedan. But what engine did it use and what sort of platform underpins it.
Thanks to Autocar, the first secrets of the Panamera might have been revealed. According to the Brits, Porsche engineers are hard at work with two new engines, a V8 and a V6. Of course, Porsche already has similar units, but these new ones might be downsized for efficiency and according to the British source have been tailored specifically for use in car based on the new MLB platform.
Besides the new Panamera, which is reportedly coming in 2016, the same architecture and presumably engines will be used future Bentley models and a number of Audis, from the A4 to the A8 in fact.
All of this will happen under the huge umbrella of the Volkswagen Group, for which modularity and diversity are key. The Panamera will have RWD, AWD, diesel and plug-in hybrid versions, possibly all from launch. A two-door version based on the same platform is also being considered. Rumors of a possible successor to the famous 928 have been around for a while, but as the production debut of the next-gen sedan draws near, it's becoming obvious a final decision on the two-door has not been made yet.
Launched in 2009, the Panamera was widely criticized and yet proved very successful, especially in China and the US. Last year in April, a facelift was announced and later launched with a downsized 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 replacing the naturally aspirated V8 used by the S and 4S. If we were to make a wild guess, we'd say the new V8 has a 4-liter block but has different components to Audi's version.
Besides the new Panamera, which is reportedly coming in 2016, the same architecture and presumably engines will be used future Bentley models and a number of Audis, from the A4 to the A8 in fact.
All of this will happen under the huge umbrella of the Volkswagen Group, for which modularity and diversity are key. The Panamera will have RWD, AWD, diesel and plug-in hybrid versions, possibly all from launch. A two-door version based on the same platform is also being considered. Rumors of a possible successor to the famous 928 have been around for a while, but as the production debut of the next-gen sedan draws near, it's becoming obvious a final decision on the two-door has not been made yet.
Launched in 2009, the Panamera was widely criticized and yet proved very successful, especially in China and the US. Last year in April, a facelift was announced and later launched with a downsized 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 replacing the naturally aspirated V8 used by the S and 4S. If we were to make a wild guess, we'd say the new V8 has a 4-liter block but has different components to Audi's version.
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