Porsche Panamera Official Details and Photos

The long months of waiting for Porsche enthusiasts are now over, as the German manufacturer today debuted its fourth model, the Panamera. The unveiling took place at the 2009 Shanghai Auto Show and the new Porsche will be ready to hit the streets on September 12, 2009.

The Panamera will enter the market at the aforementioned date in three versions: a 4.8l V8 engine which develops either 400 horsepower or 500 horsepower as well as a six-cylinder gasoline engine. At a later time, the Panamera will also get a hybrid version.

Thanks to the engines, Panamera S jumps from naught to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds and can reach a top speed of 175 mph (280 km/hour), while the Panamera 4S does 0 to sixty in 4.8 seconds and achieves the same top speed. As for the all-wheel drive Panamera Turbo, it accelerates to 60 in 4 seconds and achieves a maximum speed of 188 mph (302 km/hour).

Featuring the PDK transmission, the Panamera makes use of a double-clutch gearbox. The PDK uses its overdrive-like top gear as a tool to minimize fuel consumption and in conjunction with the start/stop system making the Panamera S to use 10.8l for every 100 km (26.2 mpg) it travels.

Porsche is introducing five new technologies with the Panamera, including the first Start-Stop system mated to an automatic transmission, air suspension with additional air volume available on demand in each spring, as well as active aerodynamics with an adjustable, multi-dimensional, extendable rear spoiler on the Panamera Turbo.

All versions of the Panamera range come with Porsche Direct Fuel Injection, low-friction drive systems, and weight-optimized lightweight bodies. As for the suspension, it comes in two versions, a steel suspension or an adaptive air suspension with a fully-controlled damper system.

The Panamera is measuring 4.97 meters (195.7 inches) in length and 1.42 meters (55.9 inches) in height, allowing enough room for all of the four passengers, each of them seated in single seats. The interior is, according to Porsche, “offering a supreme standard on the regular series models, may naturally be upgraded on request by a wide range of optional extras and special equipment,” which has been already detailed by the manufacturer.

As we said in our previous coverage of the Panamera, it can be quite expensive. If you go for the top notch version of the Panamera and fit onto it all there is to fit, you could empty your accounts of up to 200,000 euros.