click above image to view more high-res spy shots of the Panamera
It looks like either way it goes, Porsche is about to drop a bomb on the world with the Panamera. Either the car will look like the increasingly unadorned mules -- a rather unsightly melange of Boxster-Cayenne-Cayman cues -- and people will wonder "Um, was ist das?" Or in a reveal worthy of Criss Angel, the car will somehow get unrecognizably elegant by the time the production model is displayed in two years.
KGP Photography has caught a slew of new spy shots showing the car that would lead one to place the bets on the former scenario. Porsche went its own way with the Cayenne styling, and in spite of the howls from Porschephiles, the bet paid off massively. But you can mark us down as shocked if Porsche actually bestows on us a Panamera with styling as... interesting... as what we see here.
[Photos: KGP Photography]
Paris Preview: Officially Official, Honda's new hybrid is the Insight!
Mazda Kiyora city car concept, MX-5 facelift head to Paris
Leaked: Official updated Mazda MX-5 image
Reader Spy: Chevy Volt caught on set of Transformers 2
Spy Shot: Production interior of Chevy Volt (maybe)
By the Numbers - August 2008: New Digs Edition
In the Autoblog Garage: KITT Shelby GT500 KR
First Drive: 2009 Cadillac CTS-V
In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Nissan Murano
In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Dodge Journey R/T
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Tyk @ Jul 10th 2007 1:42PM
I thought it was an amateur photoshop at first! I know porche engineers have never done a sedan before.. but, they must have seen one right?
Jared @ Jul 10th 2007 3:00PM
What Porsche should have done is what Aston Martin is doing. Aston is making the Rapide look just like the vantage but a stretched 4 door look.
Porsche should take its 911 Turbo and stretch the middle 2 feet and enlarge the back seats and make it a 4 door. I have seen one! It looked awesome. Like a little 911 limo.
This thang is ugly.
Mike G @ Jul 10th 2007 3:13PM
Apparently the sedan the Porsche engineers saw was a Pontiac Grand Prix lol. I wonder if the interior will have lovely lady humps as well.
Viv @ Jul 10th 2007 3:32PM
Hey don't insult my Grand Prix. It looks a 1000 times better than this piece of crap.
Johnny Rocket @ Jul 10th 2007 4:11PM
The closest thing to good-looking Porsche four-door would be to go the RX-8 route with suicide doors. That's not a sedan, but it preserves the sports car look. Honestly, the CLS may be the only body formula that works well as a sedan.
Don @ Jul 10th 2007 6:12PM
The 3/4ths front view actually doesn't look too bad.
Viv @ Jul 10th 2007 1:44PM
Hideous. That's all i can muster out right now.
Mr. Oak @ Jul 10th 2007 1:45PM
Ghastly.
Mike @ Jul 10th 2007 1:47PM
This makes Bangle's designs look good.
acidic @ Jul 10th 2007 1:48PM
It looks like the Sperm Ships from the Family Guy episode where Stewie is trying to get in the way of Peter and Lois having another child. That or the really ugly Corvette stretch from Mystery Men (which was featured on here before as an eBay grab).
You would think that they could grab a person or two from Audi to help out with this disaster. Only time will tell I guess...
acidic @ Jul 10th 2007 1:49PM
Oh, forgot to add that the Aston Martin Rapide will clean this thing for sales if they both go on sale at the same time.
G @ Jul 10th 2007 1:51PM
Looks a lot like the Lexus GS430 from the side and rear 3/4. I guess Germany has also given up on design as well as engineering...
Mike @ Jul 10th 2007 1:54PM
The distance from the B-to-C pillar is too long, that's the major issue. It's screwing up the roof line, it's too long.
They are probably trying to pre-emptively defeat the skeptics "typical Porsche idea of a back seat" claim before it's announced and they are over compensating and screwing up the design.
They should use the MB CLS500 as a case study in the coupe/sedan hybrid back-end design.
Richard @ Jul 10th 2007 1:56PM
Hmmm.
The face of a Porsche, the arse of a...Grand Prix?
Fug!
Like the Cayenne.
bmoredlj @ Jul 10th 2007 1:58PM
I'm starting to worry....what could they do to that back end that WON'T look....odd?
Camaro02 @ Jul 10th 2007 2:00PM
Too big for its own damn good.
Kind like the Seadog boats at Navy Pier: http://www.seadogcruises.com/
It might be useful, but it just doesn't look right.
bmoredlj @ Jul 10th 2007 2:03PM
I'm still holding out hope that those mule mods are contributing to serious visual dissonance, preventing anyone from seeing the final lines.
I certainly hope the final version will have no rear wing/spolier, but rather something that retracts.
Reuben @ Jul 10th 2007 2:08PM
OH DEAR GOD MY EYES!!!
Mike @ Jul 10th 2007 2:12PM
Do I see a trailer hitch in those pictures of the back end?
felipe @ Jul 10th 2007 2:13PM
jeez. i don't think it's all bad.
i kind of like it, in a 'chubby chick' like sort of way.
i'd drive it.