This Sunday, the World...
This Sunday, the World Touring Car Championship is in action around the picturesque French town of Pau. James Thompson was the star last time out in Valencia, becoming only the second driver to win twice on the same weekend in WTCC history. The series is being lead by BMW duo Andy Priaulx and Jörg Müller.
Due on sale in 2009...
Due on sale in 2009, the Panamera will be the manufacturer"s fifth model, and top the range above the 911, Cayenne, Cayman and Boxster. It will offer the most luxurious Porsche experience ever, and have a price tag of around í‚á£100,000 to match. The styling will take cues from the 911 at the front, with a slightly lower roofline and dramatically curved glass areas. Bosses have released this early teaser design study to give a hint of what to expect.
Built on a new platform - likely to be derived from the Cayenne - the four-seater will be front-engined and rear-wheel drive. Power will most likely come from a revised version of the Cayenne"s 450bhp 4.5-litre twin-turbo V8. Expect scintillating performance, with 0-60mph in five seconds and a top speed of more than 180mph. Porsche is confident the Panamera will live up to its reputation for great-handling cars. "In terms of performance, design and driving dynamics, it meets our high standards in every respect," said chief executive Dr Wendelin Wiedeking. "With this sports coup탩, we are making our customers an attractive offer in the top performance segment."
Around 20,000 Panameras will be built every year at Porsche"s Leipzig factory in Germany - where the Cayenne and Carrera GT supercar are produced.