Panamera 10th Anniversary

This article appeared in yesterday's "Porsche newsroom". "10 years of the Porsche Panamera: sports car, luxury saloon, hybrid pioneer". Well...this year marks 10 years since the Panamera was first introduced to the market in April 2009.

So I would like to share some of what was written in this article.

As the title says, the Panamera is exactly what it sounds like.Pioneer of sports cars, luxury saloons and hybridsIt deserves to be called "the best of the best".

The Panamera is a luxury sports car with the versatility of a touring saloon. Porsche originally planned to produce 20,000 units per year, but the Panamera continues to exceed those expectations.More than 235,000 units have now been sold worldwide.

The technology developed in the development of the Panamera will be applied to other Porsche models as well.The Panamera has played an important role for the Porsche brand in the past decade, including the following. Incidentally, all current second-generation Panamera models are manufactured at the Porsche Leipzig plant.

Ahhh...I wish I could visit the Leipzig factory just once.(I'm more interested in Leipzig than Stuttgart.)

History of Panamera Development

It started with 356.

In the 1950s, Porsche engineers developed the "356" based on theComfortable 4-seater with a longer wheelbase in the back and large doors.Type 530 was developed as a

I don't think I've ever heard of a Type 530 before. Then there was the 911-based four-door prototype and the

A variant of the 928 was also developed in the 1980s.

Then, in 1988, Porsche announced the "Type 989A new experiment was undertaken with the "A". It was the development of a four-door coupe with a V8 engine in the front and two seats in the rear.

Unfortunately, however, development was halted in early 1992 for economic reasons, and the 989 remained a prototype.

Birth of the Panamera

At the turn of the 21st century, Porsche has taken the results of market research, competitive analysis, andDeveloped 4-door hatchback saloonThe decision was made to do so. This was Wendelin Wiedeking, then chairman of the executive committee(Known for restructuring Porsche, which had been on the verge of bankruptcy since 1990, and for his decision to acquire Volkswagen after 2005.)but it was also something he had dreamed of.

The specifications of the Panamera at the time were.It has excellent driving dynamics, generous space conditions, and a typical Porsche appearance.The name "Panamera" was inspired by the Mexican endurance race "Carrera Panamericana. The name "Panamera" was inspired by the Mexican endurance race "Carrera Panamericana.

On April 19, 2009, the Panamera was to be unveiled to the world for the first time. At the time, Porsche wasMedia from around the world are invited to a press conference to be held on the 94th floor of the World Financial Center in Shanghai.The Panamera was transported to the 94th floor by a cargo lift in an upright position using special equipment. The Panamera was transported to the 94th floor in an upright position using special equipment and a cargo lift, which took 60 people several hours to complete.

At the time, the Panamera was the standard in its class.Sporty" and "spacious and comfortablebut in fact it was full of innovations on the inside. For the first time in its class, the Panamera Turbo had an idling stop function, and the top-of-the-line Panamera Turbo introduced an air suspension with the ability to add air volume on demand and a rear spoiler that could be adjusted and extended in multiple dimensions.

Since then, the Panamera model lineup has been expanded to include gasoline, diesel, and hybrid drives, as well as RWD and four-wheel drive. Incidentally, theAt the time of its launch, the Panamera was available with a 6-speed manual transmission, but most customers opted for the 7-speed PDKYes.(Actually, when I was looking for a MT car to buy myself, I also looked up 970 Panamera MT as a test, but there were zero matches.)The diesel and hybrid drives had an 8-speed AT.

Developed primarily for Chinese customers, the Executive model was part of the 2013 model change. The engine was more powerful, boasting an output of 570 PS. With the introduction of the Panamera, thePorsche has established its brand in a new market segment and has had success in the Chinese market.

In 2011, Porsche introduced the Panamera S Hybrid to the market as the first parallel full hybrid in the luxury class: despite its 380 PS output, it was the most eco-friendly Porsche to date. Two years later, the Panamera S E Hybrid was introduced as the world's first plug-in hybrid with an output of 416 PS and a range of 36 km.

Second Generation Panamera

The second generation Panamera, which had its world premiere on June 28, 2016, is all new. The wheelbase has been extended, plus, starting in 2017, it was developed on the same platformSports Turismo is also born.The first of its kind in the world, the new model was the first of its kind in the U.S. Its avant-garde design and body concept brought more versatility to the luxury saloon.

In fact, at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, the "Concept Sport Turismowas announced, but it was the predecessor of the second-generation Panamera.

The second generation Panamera is sportier and more elegant.The roof line is extended backward and the taillights are connected to the left and right, a design that further emphasizes the brand identity.The first generation Panamera was the first to be equipped with a chassis system. The second generation Panamera was equipped with chassis systems such as a three-chamber air suspension, rear axle steering, and the PDCC Sport electro-mechanical roll stabilizer system.

The engine power range has been consistently optimized and power values increased. Transmission is now an 8-speed PDK. power spectrum is from 330 PS.

With the second-generation Panamera, Porsche has incorporated hybrids in all model variants.This strategy was well received by customers and in 2018, the67% of all Panamera models shipped in Europe are hybrid drivesThey have adopted the

I still prefer the Panamera.

My husband glanced at me the other day.

I'm going to have to think about it before the Panamera is inspected next year. The Cayenne coupe looks cool, so I may swap it for the Panamera..."

He tweeted such things as.(Not at all realistic, just a level of smugness)

At that time, I also said, "I've driven the Panamera a lot, and well, I guess that's the idea.But when I learned about the Panamera in this way, the result was a renewed feeling of "I still prefer the Panamera.

How far will the Panamera continue to evolve? We hope that it will continue to bring great joy and excitement to those who drive it.

*Article image source.Porsche newsroom, "10 years of the Porsche Panamera: sports car, luxury saloon, hybrid pioneer".