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"I always believed Porsche would build a car like the Panamera - a car where the Porsche experience could be shared with more than just the co-pilot," said Detlev von Platen, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America. "Just like with the Cayenne, we found another chance to forge a new path and create a car that did not exist: a sports car truly for four. Our dealers are excited because this will bring new customers, and the list of hand raisers is growing every day. Despite the tough economy, I am confident the Panamera will be a success." To date, Porsche has received nearly 5,000 Panamera orders worldwide.

Porsche Engineers Resolved Conflicting Design Priorities

From the beginning, the Panamera project raised significant technical challenges for Porsche as it presented several engineering conflicts of interest: it had to have the silhouette of a coupe, yet offer four full-size seats with generous interior space and luggage room; it must set the performance standard in its class, yet offer best-in-class fuel efficiency; it should provide Porsche driving dynamics and performance and the comfort of a luxury sedan; and it had to have a driver's cockpit typical of a sports car and a top-quality and luxurious interior with the equipment expected in the premium sedan segment. In essence, first and foremost, it had to be a Porsche.

The Panamera body is the synthesis of lightweight technology typical of a sports car helping to provide generous spaciousness and efficient aerodynamics. To create its lightweight structure, Porsche employs advanced production methods and several grades of steel, light alloys like aluminum and magnesium and plastics. In the case of the Panamera Turbo, the result is a car weighing 4343 lbs. This structure allows for two full-size, contoured rear seats that set standards in the luxury-performance class in terms of both comfort and adjustability. The Panamera also comes with a highly functional, variable luggage compartment. The rear seat backrests tilt forward individually, providing up to 44.6 cubic feet or 1,263 liters of luggage space.

One visible and innovative highlight of the aerodynamic package is the active four-way rear spoiler on the Panamera Turbo. Through its management of control angles and surface geometry geared to driving conditions, the rear spoiler optimizes both the car's aerodynamics and performance.

Innovative Panamera Interior Concept

The choice of materials, in combination with the new design language, sets a new standard for Porsche in terms of feeling, surface touch, flair and elegance. In conjunction with the high quality materials used, a long list of features and amenities provide a truly innovative, elegant and sporting interior.

Along with the brand-new Panamera interior architecture, the driver will also recognize familiar Porsche design elements. These include five circular instrument gauges, much like in the 911, with the tachometer in the middle and the ignition lock placed to the left of the steering wheel, which is the tradition at Porsche. The low, sporting seating position also reflects what's found in the Porsche sports cars, giving the driver and passengers the direct feeling for the road so typical of a Porsche.

Via the center console, the seven-inch touch-sensitive screen standard on all models and the roof console, the driver has direct access to the wide range of functions. The functions most important for controlling the car are arranged in function groups, within convenient reach of the driver via buttons to the left and right of the gearshift lever.

The Panamera also comes with a 4.8-inch high-resolution TFT multi-function color display in the instrument cluster, integrated in the second dial from the right. The driver is able to quickly choose which functions to present on the screen, such as lists of radio stations, telephone numbers, or a specific map in two or three dimensions from the navigation system. The entire operation process is conducted via a convenient control stalk or the rotary knob on the righthand side of the standard multi-function steering wheel.

The interior, with a center console extending all the way through the interior from front to rear and sports car-style single seats, offers the driver optimum ergonomics while at the same time highlighting each passenger's personal space. Unique to the class, rear passengers enjoy free, unrestricted visibility to the front, with the interior design giving rear-seat passengers a feeling of direct participation - a cockpit for four that involves everyone in the Porsche driving experience.

In the Panamera Turbo, 14-way electric seat adjustment is combined with a Comfort Memory Package, comprising electrical extension of the seat bottom and lumbar supports at the front as well as electrical adjustment of the steering column. At the rear, two single seats with a folding center armrest offer even tall passengers generous legroom and headroom.

Adaptive sport seats with 18-way electric adjustment are available as an option for the front occupants and offer firmer upholstery and even more lateral support. Adaptive sport seats and comfort seats at the rear with a wide range of electrical adjustment are available as an option, as well.

The Panamera Turbo features seat heating front and rear as standard. In conjunction with seat heating, seat ventilation is available either in front or on all seats. The Porsche seat ventilation system pulls moisture away from the body rather than blowing air toward the occupant. Both seat heating and ventilation adjust to three intensity levels.

Suspension Technologies Deliver Sports Car Performance and Premium Sedan Comfort

The Panamera chassis and suspension is not a compromise between sporting performance and superior comfort, but rather a combination of the two. In its basic setting it offers a high level of driving comfort, yet at a touch of the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) button, it turns into a thoroughbred sports suspension.

Another highlight is the adaptive air suspension that can provide extra air volume on demand. An innovation in automotive technology, it offers an even greater variation of sporting and comfort features and is standard on the Panamera Turbo and optional on the other models. The optional Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) system with its two active anti-roll bars can further enhance driving dynamics and comfort.

Through the Sport Plus button, the optional Sports Chrono Packages enable the driver to choose at the touch of a button the high-performance configurations for the engine, drivetrain and suspension systems, including Porsche Traction Management (PTM ) with its fully-controlled all-wheel drive. PTM is standard on the Panamera Turbo.

Porsche Panamera Turbo: Photo Gallery, Review (1/2) and Specifications