I’m not sure about the small hatch for Porsche.. I’m also not to warm about the Panamera design. The smaller version seen below looks better in the form but something is just not right to me.. oh and a front engine? I guess time will tell..
*note: I’m using ecto to post this.. testing the new alpha.
With impending European Union limits on carbon dioxide emissions, makers of high performance vehicles like Porsche have been scrambling to find a way to meet the new requirements (whatever they may be). One obvious way is to make smaller lighter cars, and German magazineAutoZeitungis reporting that Porsche will follow up the introduction of the Panamera sedan with small front-engined hatchback.
It wouldn’t be the first such configuration from Stuttgart, although it seems likely to be smaller than the old 924/944 lineup. The magazine is reporting that the new car will use a flat 6 from the Boxster/Cayman with all-wheel drive on a VW platform. That engine choice would preclude the Golf platform since the boxer engine wouldn’t fit in the transverse engine layout. So if this comes to pass, a variation of the Audi A4 architecture is likely to underpin the new model.
Another more likely option might be to use the Golf platform with a variation of the the R32 drivetrain. This would certainly provide the necessary performance and it wouldn’t be out of line with what Porsche did with the Cayenne. MotorAuthority has a rendering of what such a car might look like, and it’s definitely better than what we’ve seen recently in spy photos of the Panamera. This car would definitely be a lot closer in spirit to what a Porsche should be.
- autoblog via MotorAuthority
