The Porsche Panamera celebrates 10 years today and it was in April 2009 that the company first presented this Gran Turismo to the world. While Porsche initially planned production of 20,000 units per year, the Panamera clearly exceeded those expectations. More than 2.35 lakh cars have been delivered to date worldwide and the demand is clearly increasing. Put it was a tough battle to get this car on the production line. Porsche engineers kept coming back to this idea.
In the 1950s, they developed a comfortable four-seater based on the 356. The Type 530 had a lengthened wheelbase, larger doors and a raised roof at the rear. Others followed, including a four-door prototype based on the 911 and, in the 1980s, lengthened variants of the 928. Ferry Porsche used one of these as his private car. In 1988, Porsche made a new attempt with the Type 989: the four-door coupe offered space for two full seats in the rear. The drive power was provided by a V8 front engine. Design elements from the 989 were later incorporated into the 911 of the 993 generation. Like all similar concepts before it, however, the 989 remained a prototype. For economic reasons, development was discontinued at the start of 1992.
Then in the early 2000’s, Porsche conducted market studies, analysed the competition and decided to develop a four-door hatchback saloon and that saw the emergence of the Panamera. The Panamera’s first official appearance was on April 19, 2009 in Shanghai. The first model, internally known as G1, set standards in its class thanks to the wide spread between sportiness and comfort. It was packed with innovations: for the first time, a luxury class production model was offered with a transmission and start-stop system. The top model Panamera Turbo also introduced air suspension with additional air volume on demand, as well as an adjustable, multi-dimensionally extendable rear spoiler. The Gran Turismo also set the course for all other Porsche model lines with its new display and operating concept.
The model range grew rapidly and sustainably, culminating in an engine range covering power output from 250 to 550 horsepower with petrol, diesel and hybrid drives as well as rear-wheel and all-wheel drive. In the beginning, the naturally aspirated V6 and V8 engines were available with a six-speed manual transmission. Most customers opted for the seven-speed Porsche dual clutch transmission PDK. Diesel and hybrid drives were available in combination with an eight-stage automatic transmission.
Of course, there was a second generation to be made that it made its world debut on June 28, 2016. The development involved multiple streams: in addition to the Gran Turismo with a standard and extended wheelbase, a third variant was developed on the same platform: the Sport Turismo. From 2017, its avant-garde design and body concept brought more versatility to the luxury vehicle class.
Thanks to chassis systems like the three-chamber air suspension, rear-axle steering and the PDCC Sport electromechanical roll stabilisation system, the Panamera was as at home on the streets as it was on the track. This was underpinned by a lap time of 7:38 minutes on the Nurburgring-Nordschleife – set by Porsche works driver Lars Kern in a standard Panamera Turbo. The engine range was consistently optimised, while the power output values were increased: new engines were introduced across the range, and the transmission was now an eight-speed PDK. The power output spectrum started at 330 hp, today the top model is a 680 hp plug-in hybrid.
Now, for Porsche, it’s all going to be about electric mobility solutions and of course, the Panamera too has already gone that way. It’s just the beginning for the decade old Panamera and wait to see what more comes from this very capable luxury saloon.
