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Almost as Quick as the Car: Porsche builds 25,000th Panamera

Chris Shunk — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:33:00 EST

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

When the Porsche Panamera was introduced in 2009, skeptics panned the sedan as oddly proportioned and thoroughly unattractive. Later, as the media began to test and review the all-new Porsche, skepticism gave way to fanaticism as the Panamera's amazing handling and jaw-dropping powertrains won over even some of its biggest doubters. Less than a year after the vehicle's introduction, Porsche has ample reason to celebrate as the Leipzig factory has just built Panamera number 25,000. That's peanuts for a mass-market automaker, but an incredible feat for a sports car maker that in most years is thrilled to produce 100,000 models globally.

Panamera number 25,000 is Ruby Red and packs a 300-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 that was added to the lineup back in May. The special Panamera will be delivered to the U.S. market, where to date 5,000 copies of the sedan have been sold. Porsche looks to keep up the Panamera momentum with a hybrid variant that is expected to bow in 2011. Hit the jump to get the details in the release.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Porsche Panamera V6

Photos by Michael Harley / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Porsche]

Almost as Quick as the Car: Porsche builds 25,000th Panamera originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:33:00 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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