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First Drive: 2011 Porsche Panamera conceals a V6 but gives up little else in the transplant

Michael Harley — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Hatchback, Porsche, First Drives, Luxury

2011 Porsche Panamera V6 - Click above for high-res image gallery

We're the lone vehicle in the far left lane of the Autobahn outside of Köln, Germany. The traffic has lightened, so we mash the accelerator to the floor. While we pull strongly up to about 200 km/h (about 125 mph), the speedometer counts much more slowly as it spins around the right side of the dial. Moments later, the digital indicator on the cluster passes 250 km/hr (155 mph). The late-model BMW 5 Series trailing in our wake has met its electronic speed limiter, so it slowly falls away in our rearview mirror. It takes another ten seconds for the display to stop counting and hover at 261 km/hr (160 mph). Bringing our fun to an end, traffic on the horizon forces us to drop back down to more reasonable speeds just a few seconds later.

Northern Europe is the ideal venue to drive Porsche's latest Panamera models, each fitted with new 300 horsepower 3.6-liter V6 powerplants. We spent time driving both the rear- and all-wheel drive models in crowded cities, the open countryside and unrestricted highways. Where did the new V6 come from and what makes it unique? Where does the powerplant position the Panamera in relation to its competition and what is its new price point? These answers and full driving impressions after the jump...

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Porsche Panamera V6

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Porsche Panamera conceals a V6 but gives up little else in the transplant

First Drive: 2011 Porsche Panamera conceals a V6 but gives up little else in the transplant originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche announces Panamera with 300-hp V6 starting at $74,400

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Performance, Hatchback, Porsche, Luxury

Porsche Panamera V6 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Porsche has just announced that it is filling out the remainder of its Panamera lineup with the addition of a V6-powered model that will be available with either rear- or all-wheel-drive. Starting price for the RWD V6 Panamera will be $74,400 while the AWD Panamera 4 will begin at $78,900 (plus destination).

Wondering how that compares with the V8-powered Panamera S? Let's look at some numbers. The 3.6-liter V6 puts out 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, which is a decrease of an even hundred horses and 74 lb-ft from the 4.8-liter V8. Each buyer will have to decide for themselves whether those hundred extra ponies are worth a $15,400 surcharge.

Porsche's seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) dual-clutch transmission will be standard equipment in the V6 Panamera, along with such necessities as an electric moonroof, power liftgate and the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system with navigation.

According to Porsche, the V6 puts 66 fewer pounds over the front axle, resulting in an overall weight of 3,880 pounds. Auto Stop/Start technology ought to help the V6 Panamera eke a few more miles from each gallon of gasoline, and though official EPA numbers are not yet available Porsche says the car will not be subject to a gas guzzler tax. Check out the gallery of high-res images below and hit the jump for the official press release.

Gallery: Porsche Panamera V6

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Porsche announces Panamera with 300-hp V6 starting at $74,400

Porsche announces Panamera with 300-hp V6 starting at $74,400 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche Panamera V6 and AWD Panamera 4 will bow in Beijing

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Porsche, Beijing Motor Show

2011 Porsche Panamera - Click above for high-res image gallery

Starting in May, fans of the big four-door gran turismo from Porsche will be able to opt for a more affordable and fuel efficient variant. The V6-powered Panamera and all-wheel-drive Panamera 4 will debut on April 23 at the Beijing Motor Show before going on sale worldwide a few weeks later. The new non-S and non-turbo variants are propelled by an updated 3.6-liter V6 engine that is also shared with the Cayenne and various other vehicles within the sprawling Volkswagen Group.

For the Panamera, and presumably the new Cayenne that debuts at the Geneva Motor Show in a couple of weeks, the V6 now produces 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. That's a bump of 10 hp and 22 lb-ft versus the V6 in the current Cayenne, though the new motor is in fact an all-new Porsche-designed 90-degree V6 built in Zuffenhausen, not the SUV's VW-derived mill. All V6-powered Panameras get Porsche's seven-speed PDK dual clutch gearbox with drive torque going to the rear axle or both axles in the case of the Panamera 4. Like V8-powered Panameras that have been on sale since last fall, the V6 versions also get automatic start-stop. EPA fuel economy numbers won't be available until closer to the on-sale date in the U.S., but the German press release quotes a combined rating of 25.3 mile per gallon (U.S.) for the rear-drive model and 24.5 mpg for the all-wheel-drive model. U.S. numbers will probably be about 3-4 mpg lower thanks to the more conservative test procedure used by the EPA.

In addition to lower operating costs, the V6 Panamera will also be less expensive to buy. The rear-drive model starts at $74,400 with the Panamera 4 carrying a base sticker of $78,900.

Gallery: 2011 Porsche Panamera V6

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Porsche Panamera V6 and AWD Panamera 4 will bow in Beijing

Porsche Panamera V6 and AWD Panamera 4 will bow in Beijing originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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