By Siavash Emamzadeh

o doubt impressed by the sales of their first-ever

SUV, 2002’s Cayenne, Porsche embarked on

building another unique model. This time, they
had their sights set on producing a sedan, and for only
the second time in nearly 80 years of existence, entering
a new auto segment. Lo and behold, meet the 2010
Panamera: Porsche’s newest brainchild.

The Panamera makes a rather conspicuous arrival,
falling under the “hatchback sedan” genre. A hatchback
because of external measures needed to be taken to
reduce the effects of wind resistance and also improve
performance. In fact, double the measures were taken
to ensure the newcomer’s longer and thus heavier frame
wouldn’t inhibit Porsche-calibre performance. As such,

bachelorettes looking for company on joy rides, Porsche
is even more mistaken. Without the burden of having to
consider what’s best for the family, this market will place
even more emphasis on the exterior of the Panamera.
The revelation that the Panamera is a go also raises
another question: why is Volkswagen AG, Porsche’s
new parent company, delaying plans to manufacture a
sedan from one of its other subdivisions, Lamborghini?
The Estoque, Lamborghini’s four-door concept sedan,
premiered at 2008 Paris Auto Show and was slated
to be available in 2012, but has since fallen victim to
a standstill in development. A suspicion that plans to
produce the concept were at a halt arose in 2009 when
reports suggested that the concept was abandoned
altogether. Subsequently, Lamborghini denied these
reports, but only provided a vague reassurance that the

“Even Porsche loyalists may have a hard time coming to terms with this stranger baring
the shield-like badge.”

the exterior has been moulded into a finely rounded
figure, consisting of a roofline that recedes to the end

of the car without levelling in the rear—more or less a
trademark of hatchbacks. But even for a hatchback, the
Panamera sports an unusual shape that renders the rear
window in a unique position at the end of the car. And
with the engine mounted in the front, as opposed to mid
placement in the Cayman for example, the Panamera also
conveys a noticeably extended nose, further emphasizing
its bizarre shape.

Naturally, such ventures are not well received by
the public. At its introduction, the Cayenne, for instance,
was met with raised eyebrows because it wore an
unusual style—for a Porsche, that is. On the contrary,
the Panamera appears to don an unusual style, period;
because not only is it a crossover, but it is a cross-
crossover; that is, a sports coupe merged with a sedan
merged with a hatchback. Add to that the unavoidable
oddness that surrounds a car representing its brand’s first-
ever leap into a new genre. With this in mind, it wouldn’t
be irrational to think that criticism of this model may
linger on longer than that of the Cayenne. Porsche, on the
other hand, appears to be confident that the dislike will
be short-lived. Clearly, their confidence stems from the
success of the Cayenne, which started out as a “first” and
has now evolved into Porsche’s best-seller.

But at some point, isn’t confidence just another
word for denial? Porsche must have some idea that the
Panamera may just very well be as much of a catch as a
Pontiac Aztek (R.I-P.). Dare I say even less of a catch?
The Panamera’s base price tag of $115,000 already
isolates a large number of potential buyers and due
to its untraditional looks, may prove to deter others.
Even Porsche loyalists may have a hard time coming
to terms with this stranger baring the shield-like badge.
Besides, the idea of a four-door performance car seems
contradictory. I have yet to hear of a family that is so
tardy —or lazy —that they require a ride capable of
delivering little Timmy to school at 300 kilometres
an hour (ultimately through a 30 kilometre school
zone). The Camry and Accord are much wiser family-
oriented options—and ring in at about $75,000 less, too.
Otherwise, if their target market is wealthy bachelors or

concept is still alive. Many will agree that the Estoque,
at least in terms of appearance, turned out to be a major
success, with looks along the lines of a sleeker and

more gracious 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. If there really
are families considering throwing money in the sum

of six figures at the exotic sedan genre, the Estoque
definitely qualifies as the most predominant eye candy.
In this respect, it would’ve been more worthwhile for
Volkswagen AG to develop the Estoque rather than focus
their efforts on the Panamera.

If potential buyers can somehow get past the
unconventional look, however, the Panamera won’t be
as disappointing. It meets and exceeds common power
standards and boasts the latest technologies. For starters,
the base S and 4S models deliver 400 horsepower,
while the turbo produces 500 horses, which is all the
more impressive considering the extra weight that the
extended frame carries. It is also suited with the PDK
double-clutch transmission: a mechanism that allows for
manual shifting without a clutch pedal—which for many
is like a flower without thorns. In addition to its notable
performance, the Panamera also offers fuel-saving
features. Usually found in hybrid vehicles, the auto-stop
system helps save fuel by disengaging the engine while
the car is at a halt. Once the brake pedal is released, a
process akin to first starting the car by key ensues: the
starter motor summons a charge, while select cylinders
are simultaneously activated, propelling the car forward.
Certainly, if auto shoppers can get past the look, these
features, a handful of others and swanky luxuries await
them.

That is a colossal “if,” however. The first things
prospective auto buyers look at are the price and
exterior of a car, among others. With prices ranging
from $115,000 to $200,000 and a look that garners
an abundance of pans, the Panamera may very well
bring in a mediocre number of sales. In that case,
Porsche should reflect on their venture as a blessing in
disguise that awakened them to their Cayenne-inspired
overconfidence. Better yet, it might— hopefully it will—
save them from coming out with, say, a rickshaw.

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