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Spyshots: 2016 Porsche Panamera Prototype Undergoes Winter Testing

Porsche continues to be hard at work with the development of what could easily become their most expensive project of all time, the all-new Panamera sedan, scheduled to debut some time next year. In order to compete with more competent rivals, the German automaker is currently dumping most of its resources into this large executive car and we have the latest details to prove it.
2016 Porsche Panamera 12 photos
Photo: SB-Medien
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The fully disguised prototype is actually just a test mule with the body of the current model covering the important details while engineers are busy developing a brand new engine range and powertrain system.

The front hasn't been changed but major differences can be seen in the boot design, featuring a brand new shape that's both more practical and beautiful. It's clear that inspiration was taken from the Sport Turismo concept shown in 2012 at the Paris Motor Show. The whole presence of the car appears less "bulky" as Porsche wants to make the Panamera into a lightweight technological showcase.

Rumor has it that a large chunk of weight, somewhere in excess of 91 kg (200 lbs), will be dropped.

Some may say that's not enough, but when you're dealing with a luxury car, there's only so much you can get rid of. Speaking of which, the Panamera should receive new LED headlights, semi-autonomous driving systems and a barrage of luxury goodies like 3D sound, full internet connectivity and wireless phone charging.

All-new engines are currently being developed and will be launched together with the 2016 Panamera. There will be a brand new twin-turbo V8 model that through better thermal management should be around 10% more efficient than the current 4.8-liter. The exact displacement of the engine has not been discussed yet, but it should be 4.0 or 4.4 liters.

A clever emphasis will be placed on the V6 range, since this is where most of the customers are situated, especially in China. As with most premium cars these days, electric technology will be abundant through the use of hybrid drivetrains, electric superchargers or capacitors. The latest rumors suggest an all-electric Pajun (smaller than Panamera) is also on the agenda, offered with around 400 kilometers of battery range or better. We really wouldn't be surprised if the Panamera would go electric too.

Of course, Porsche will never admit that it's made a mistake, but the second biggest problem with the Panamera besides the looks is the ride, which is way harder than what most consider to be its rivals (S-Class, A8… that kind of stuff). Hopefully, the will at least fix that with an optional air-rise system because it's clearly letting the car down.

The biggest change of all is that like the Mercedes S-Class, the Panamera could spawn a coupe version. This hasn't been approved for production, but it sounds exciting considering that it harks back to the days of the 928.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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