18.03.2009
If you are already following DR on Twitter, then you will probably already know what Chris is up to today, if you’re not, then why not? It’s an excellent way to get your automotive fix whilst (supposedly) working.
Chris is out in Weissach sampling Porsche’s new Panamera and regardless of whether you are a fan of this car, it represents one of the most newsworthy stories of 2009 – is it a proper Porsche? Does it look any better in the metal? Have Porsche made a successful entry into this new niche (for them) or is this one step too far? (away from the 911).
It’s a controversial topic without a doubt, so let us know what you think as we learn more from Chris’ day with it.
Here’s a few pictures to keep you going..
Boot space is a bit on the small side but Hilton Holloway, Autocar’s specialist rear-seat test guru, gives world exclusive rear comfort test. Verdict? Very Good.
Look at the size of that rear subframe!
Now that’s what we call a 0-62mph time!! The turbo looks to be very promising and more than a worthy adversary for the RS6 and M5 in terms of performance.
About Eds
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30 Comments
DriversRepublic (The DR Team)
March 18, 2009Posted on DR: Chris Harris tests the Panamera – follow him live on Twitter http://bit.ly/9h2GZ
DriversRepublic (The DR Team)
March 18, 2009Posted on DR: Chris Harris tests the Panamera – follow him live on Twitter http://bit.ly/9h2GZ
giannis (Giannis)
March 18, 2009Chris Harris tests the Panamera – follow him live on Twitter http://tinyurl.com/dhwq8q from: @DriversRepublic
giannis (Giannis)
March 18, 2009Chris Harris tests the Panamera – follow him live on Twitter http://tinyurl.com/dhwq8q from: @DriversRepublic
Karim Dandashy
March 18, 2009God Bless! 4.0 sec… I was thinking 4.5 4.6 mayb, but 4.0… I hate to say it, but I dont think its particularly ugly… I mean, its better looking than an M5 in my opinion and cooler than an RS6 (whos 570hp now sounds like a joke) I love it, but for people like my dad, who cant afford a turbo, I wonder how good the 4s or S will be… hopefully in the 5s
Karim Dandashy
March 18, 2009God Bless! 4.0 sec… I was thinking 4.5 4.6 mayb, but 4.0… I hate to say it, but I dont think its particularly ugly… I mean, its better looking than an M5 in my opinion and cooler than an RS6 (whos 570hp now sounds like a joke) I love it, but for people like my dad, who cant afford a turbo, I wonder how good the 4s or S will be… hopefully in the 5s
Hansi
March 18, 2009When do you get to drive it?
Hansi
March 18, 2009When do you get to drive it?
Steve
March 18, 2009The intention of the day at Weissach was to provide rides in the Panamera, but keep an eye on Chris’ tweets – if he can get behind the wheel then he will.
Steve
March 18, 2009The intention of the day at Weissach was to provide rides in the Panamera, but keep an eye on Chris’ tweets – if he can get behind the wheel then he will.
Andy
March 18, 2009Get chris behind the wheel, and get it sideways!
Andy
March 18, 2009Get chris behind the wheel, and get it sideways!
jeremy
March 18, 2009It was only a matter of actually seeing the car in the flesh right along-side Porsche’s best that would lead writers to exclaim “its really not that bad”. Indeed this will be the tagline of every “first drive” story of this car from every scribe across the globe.
And Chris owns a 612.
Instead of spending so much time on this car- twittering every few minutes about it, journalists should be in Porsche’s face, begging/ (advocating-journalism word) them to make small fun cars again. I suppose the hundreds of press launch’s have a way of making friends of everyone involved. Why should anyone be excited about this car? Oh thats right because it can carry four across europe at a steady 160 without notice of the passengers.
While all the journalists are at Porsche simply grappling with understanding all the “new tech; I discovered one journalist who actually got into the Porsche machine and found a story….
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/high_performance/german_performance/2014_audi_s4_and_s5_massively_lighter_to_use_turbo_fours_car_news
If DR wants to be mostly a news site it should do the journalism that the above mentioned scribe did. Call Porsche/Audi and ask to speak to someone.
jeremy
March 18, 2009It was only a matter of actually seeing the car in the flesh right along-side Porsche’s best that would lead writers to exclaim “its really not that bad”. Indeed this will be the tagline of every “first drive” story of this car from every scribe across the globe.
And Chris owns a 612.
Instead of spending so much time on this car- twittering every few minutes about it, journalists should be in Porsche’s face, begging/ (advocating-journalism word) them to make small fun cars again. I suppose the hundreds of press launch’s have a way of making friends of everyone involved. Why should anyone be excited about this car? Oh thats right because it can carry four across europe at a steady 160 without notice of the passengers.
While all the journalists are at Porsche simply grappling with understanding all the “new tech; I discovered one journalist who actually got into the Porsche machine and found a story….
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/high_performance/german_performance/2014_audi_s4_and_s5_massively_lighter_to_use_turbo_fours_car_news
If DR wants to be mostly a news site it should do the journalism that the above mentioned scribe did. Call Porsche/Audi and ask to speak to someone.
Stig
March 18, 2009Thanks Chris – appreciate your live coverage of the Panamera launch!
Certainly impressive to see the Panamera Turbo can rip 0-62mph in 4.0 seconds – even if it does require PDK with the optional sports egg timer! It will be interesting to see how it performs alongside, say, an Audi RS6 and the Aston Martin Rapide?
It also sounds like an impressive debut for the heavy-duty (i.e. designed to handle 700Nm of torque) version of the Porsche/ZF 7-speed PDK gearbox. A bit less excited by the PDK’s stop-start technology and an overdrive 7th gear, but expect they’re less relevant in launch mode…
Anyway, the Panamera Turbo’s new PDK launch performance certainly bodes well for future Porsche models… expect to see the 997 Turbo facelift with PDK paddles, similar horsepower and 350kg less weight punch out some truly impressive stats!
In terms of further technology transfer, rumour suggests we’ll also see active aerodynamics make an appearance on the next gen 991…
[img]http://www.porsche.com/filestore.aspx/zoom.jpg?pool=germany&type=image&id=2009-03-18-zoom-01&lang=none&filetype=zoom[/img]
Stig
March 18, 2009Thanks Chris – appreciate your live coverage of the Panamera launch!
Certainly impressive to see the Panamera Turbo can rip 0-62mph in 4.0 seconds – even if it does require PDK with the optional sports egg timer! It will be interesting to see how it performs alongside, say, an Audi RS6 and the Aston Martin Rapide?
It also sounds like an impressive debut for the heavy-duty (i.e. designed to handle 700Nm of torque) version of the Porsche/ZF 7-speed PDK gearbox. A bit less excited by the PDK’s stop-start technology and an overdrive 7th gear, but expect they’re less relevant in launch mode…
Anyway, the Panamera Turbo’s new PDK launch performance certainly bodes well for future Porsche models… expect to see the 997 Turbo facelift with PDK paddles, similar horsepower and 350kg less weight punch out some truly impressive stats!
In terms of further technology transfer, rumour suggests we’ll also see active aerodynamics make an appearance on the next gen 991…
[img]http://www.porsche.com/filestore.aspx/zoom.jpg?pool=germany&type=image&id=2009-03-18-zoom-01&lang=none&filetype=zoom[/img]
carenvy (carenvy)
March 19, 2009Chris Harris tests the Panamera – follow him live on Twitter http://tinyurl.com/dhwq8q from: @DriversRepublic
carenvy (carenvy)
March 19, 2009Chris Harris tests the Panamera – follow him live on Twitter http://tinyurl.com/dhwq8q from: @DriversRepublic
shaneo
March 19, 2009Where is it on Twitter? I can find it and i want to read it!
shaneo
March 19, 2009Where is it on Twitter? I can find it and i want to read it!
ayrt787Bsenna (Ayo Okikiolu)
March 19, 2009Chris Harris tests the Panamera – follow him live on Twitter http://tinyurl.com/dhwq8q from: @DriversRepublic
ayrt787Bsenna (Ayo Okikiolu)
March 19, 2009Chris Harris tests the Panamera – follow him live on Twitter http://tinyurl.com/dhwq8q from: @DriversRepublic
jeremy
March 20, 2009I for one am thrilled about what the VW/Audi engineer said about their finally dedicating themselves to making their cars lightweight. This is a landmark move in the cars for real people world. I have been waiting to hear anything like this from any maker for 10 years now- indeed it is that important a statement about the future design of high end car for regular folks….
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/high_performance/german_performance/2014_audi_s4_and_s5_massively_lighter_to_use_turbo_fours
jeremy
March 20, 2009I for one am thrilled about what the VW/Audi engineer said about their finally dedicating themselves to making their cars lightweight. This is a landmark move in the cars for real people world. I have been waiting to hear anything like this from any maker for 10 years now- indeed it is that important a statement about the future design of high end car for regular folks….
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/high_performance/german_performance/2014_audi_s4_and_s5_massively_lighter_to_use_turbo_fours
Stig
March 20, 2009…also interesting that the Panamera’s lightweight doors feature a load-bearing structure made of laser-treated pressure-cast aluminium, an aluminium outer skin and door window frames made of thin-walled pressure-cast magnesium…
[img]http://www.porsche.com/filestore.aspx/zoom.jpg?pool=germany&type=image&id=2009-03-18-zoom-04&lang=none&filetype=zoom[/img]
…and one of the clear future benefits derived from Porsche’s control of VW, Audi et al are the scale economies in buying aluminium!
Stig
March 20, 2009…also interesting that the Panamera’s lightweight doors feature a load-bearing structure made of laser-treated pressure-cast aluminium, an aluminium outer skin and door window frames made of thin-walled pressure-cast magnesium…
[img]http://www.porsche.com/filestore.aspx/zoom.jpg?pool=germany&type=image&id=2009-03-18-zoom-04&lang=none&filetype=zoom[/img]
…and one of the clear future benefits derived from Porsche’s control of VW, Audi et al are the scale economies in buying aluminium!
jeremy
March 22, 2009@Stig -
Stig,
I think you might not be aware that these Pana’s will weigh between
3950–4350 lb . Lets be in no doubt these are very long, very wide, and
very heavy cars. The tech is not that impressive with regard to weight- unless
compared to an S-class or 7-series BMW.
Actually what it seems to come down too is that Porsche have created a four door Skyline, that will not handle quite as well.
Indeed Audi are talking about making 3000lbs cars of almost the same size as this Porsche- we are talking over 1000lbs lighter. That is major. And I’m so sorry no one here at the republic seems impressed by their want and effort to be doing this.
Audi have the right idea while Porsche have not figured it out yet.
jeremy
March 22, 2009@Stig -
Stig,
I think you might not be aware that these Pana’s will weigh between
3950–4350 lb . Lets be in no doubt these are very long, very wide, and
very heavy cars. The tech is not that impressive with regard to weight- unless
compared to an S-class or 7-series BMW.
Actually what it seems to come down too is that Porsche have created a four door Skyline, that will not handle quite as well.
Indeed Audi are talking about making 3000lbs cars of almost the same size as this Porsche- we are talking over 1000lbs lighter. That is major. And I’m so sorry no one here at the republic seems impressed by their want and effort to be doing this.
Audi have the right idea while Porsche have not figured it out yet.
Steve
March 22, 2009@jeremy – You’re quite right to emphasise the importance of weight, particularly in its contribution to performance, handling and fuel efficiency – however much of the modern executive car’s weight is dictated by the equipment that buyers now expect.
But if you take a look at the Panamera’s rear subframe again , you can see that the Porsche engineers have spent a great deal of time building ‘lightness’ into its structure. Now assuming they didn’t completely forget about the rest of the car, it would be reasonable to assume that they’ve tried pretty hard to continue that philiosophy and keep the rest of the car trim.
I guess we have the advantage of speaking with the various engineers from within each manufacturer and assessing whether their heads are pointed in the right direction, but I would have expected Chris to have pointed out in his initial reviews if he thought that Porsche had built a ‘porker’ (excuse the pun…)
The Panamera is big, but not much bigger than a Merc CLS (and certainly smaller than a 7-series of S-Class). We can also see from Chris’ in-car video that it also handles rather well, so it’s probably best that we reserve judgement on whether Porsche have dropped a clanger (weight wise) until we drive it for ourselves and compare it with a representative selection of competitors.
Steve
March 22, 2009@jeremy – You’re quite right to emphasise the importance of weight, particularly in its contribution to performance, handling and fuel efficiency – however much of the modern executive car’s weight is dictated by the equipment that buyers now expect.
But if you take a look at the Panamera’s rear subframe again , you can see that the Porsche engineers have spent a great deal of time building ‘lightness’ into its structure. Now assuming they didn’t completely forget about the rest of the car, it would be reasonable to assume that they’ve tried pretty hard to continue that philiosophy and keep the rest of the car trim.
I guess we have the advantage of speaking with the various engineers from within each manufacturer and assessing whether their heads are pointed in the right direction, but I would have expected Chris to have pointed out in his initial reviews if he thought that Porsche had built a ‘porker’ (excuse the pun…)
The Panamera is big, but not much bigger than a Merc CLS (and certainly smaller than a 7-series of S-Class). We can also see from Chris’ in-car video that it also handles rather well, so it’s probably best that we reserve judgement on whether Porsche have dropped a clanger (weight wise) until we drive it for ourselves and compare it with a representative selection of competitors.