[FancyTuning]

Just shortly after its entry in retail, the new Porsche Panamera is also available as a rental car: the sports limousine stands at the ready beginning on 1 October at many German locations of the Avis car rental service. The models Panamera S and Panamera 4S – the fourth series of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG – will especially be offered at major city and airport locations. The rental price per day (Monday to Thursday) begins at 189 Euro, according to Avis. The cost of weekend rental
(Friday to Monday) starts at 567 Euro for the Gran Turismo. As a longstanding business partner of Porsche, Avis offers the sport saloon as a rental car exclusively in Germany.

With the four-door Panamera, Porsche positions itself in the upper class and addresses customers who expect the consistent sportiness of a Porsche, in addition to the exclusive comfort and spaciousness of a limousine. The use of efficient V8 motors with direct injection, an intelligent, light construction, the start-stop system, optimal aerodynamics, the innovative Porsche PDK dual clutch transmission and additional measures have lead to an ideally low consumption of fuel, with which the four-door Gran Turismo sets new standards in its direct field of competition.

Photo: Zercustoms

Hi, I'm 12 and I photoshopped a couple pictures of the Cayman to make a 928. The 2011 928 would get a 300hp Panamera V6 with RWD. The 928 GTS would look sportier with a GT3 style rear wing, a 400hp V8, and also RWD. The 928 S4 would have a wider track than the 928, get a 400hp V8 engine and have AWD. Finally the 928 Turbo would get the same 500hp V8 from the Panamera Turbo, but would be much much faster than the Panamera due to the light-weight coupe layout, it would also have a wider track to accommodate the AWD. Pricing for the base 928 would start around $60K, the GTS about $75K, the S4 $80K+, and the Turbo retailing at about $120K. All while fitting the Porsche philosophy without lacking performance, the 928 would make a spacious Porsche appealing to more buyers.

We'd add that this 928 could be based on a shortened Panamera platform, dropping two of the doors, but retaining rear seat room for two short-legged adults. Hey Porsche VW, you really should hire this kid.

It's sort of like loading an armored Bentley, except, you know, times 31. [Photo Credit: SEBASTIAN WILLNOW/AFP/Getty Image]

Porsche's Cayenne also shares this fun little design feature with its key fob and even has little head lights to boot.

Back To Top Ten Easter Egg Design Features

Panamera key fob via Teamspeed

So where am I you ask? I'm not telling, but expect finding me to be harder than trying to find Waldo from our last little scavenger hunt. Do you get a prize for finding me? Nope. Will you be the envy of all your friends? Perhaps, depending on who your friends are. Is there a prize? Only the one in your heart from knowing the true identity of The Auto Insider.

One final tip. The latest theory that Ray Wert and I are one and the same? Drop it faster than you can think of a killer COTD. Since I was in Shanghai, and Ray Wert was not, don't even waste your time looking for our GT-R-humping boss-man.

Now, if only I could get an entry in Wikipedia too!

So how'd they get the Panamera and it's fat butt up there? Check out the images above and you'll see it was quite the squeeze, almost mimicking what you'd see if Santa Claus were real and he was shimmying up your chimney after eating all your cookies and making out with your Mom. Wait a minute...

Getting the Panamera, or any car for that matter, up to the 94th floor of the world's second tallest building is no easy task. Workers jimmied the 4-door Porsche into the freight elevator using a motor ramp and some careful coordination to get it into an upright position for its ride up 1,394 feet to what is considered to be the world's tallest event platform.

Question is — How'd they get it down?
[WCF via Porsche]

A Four-Door Porsche?

In a first-ever move for the company, Porsche introduces the four-door Panamera at this year's Shanghai Motor Show

The legendary sports car maker is changing the whole idea of a four door sedan. People may do a double take when they see the first-ever four-seat sports car from Porsche called the "Panamera", just introduced at the Shanghai Motor Show in China.

The 2010 Panamera is Porsche's fourth model line and the company says customers will see an unprecedented vehicle concept, a gran turismo offering dynamic performance, elegance and luggage space - all delivered at zero to 60 miles and hour in under 5 seconds.

This is the first premium car with an automatically shifting double-clutch transmission to feature an engine start/stop system that saves fuel and reduces emissions by turning the off when it is not needed, such as sitting at a stop light, for example. The Panamera will be on sale in the United States this October.

While drinking some beers this evening on my Huangpu River-front apartment balcony in Pudong Shanghai, I happened to notice one of the many Chinese TV boats playing a Porsche Panamera preview as it passed by. Intrigued, I grabbed my camera and shot a couple of quick shots before it got away.

Not content with seeing the Panamera defeat the laws of physics on the river, I'll also be bringing you live coverage of all the rest of the hoopla from the 2009 Shanghai Auto Show floor next week.

We've now got more details on the Panamera Turbo's auto-deploying wing. We're told "The visible highlight of the overall aerodynamic package is the active four-way rear spoiler on the Panamera Turbo. Through its efficient management of control angles and surface geometry geared to driving conditions, the rear spoiler optimizes both the car's aerodynamics and performance." Yeah, that's pretty much all it says. Check out the rest of the press release below describing in not-a-lot-of-detail what else to expect technologically from the four-door Porsche.

PORSCHE® SHARES MORE PANAMERA® INNOVATIONS Automatic Engine Start/Stop Function Among Several New Technologies to be Featured on Porsche’s Upcoming Four-Seat Gran Turismo ATLANTA – March 18, 2009 —-- As the moment draws near when the Porsche Panamera makes its public debut at the Shanghai Motor Show on April 19, 2009, the Stuttgart, Germany based auto manufacturer reveals a few more technical details to whet the appetites of those in search of the emotional and driving character of a sports car coupled with the high luxury and interior comfort of a performance sedan in one unique vehicle that is still instantly recognized as a Porsche. When it goes on sale in the United States on Oct. 17, 2009, the Panamera will showcase some inno- vative technologies. These include the first automatic engine start/stop feature used with an automatically shifting double-clutch transmission, air suspension with additional air volume on demand, and on the Panamera Turbo active aerodynamics with a multi-stage, adjustable rear spoiler that deploys when needed. With the Panamera, Porsche’s fourth model line, customers will see an unprecedented vehicle concept – a four-seat gran turismo offering both dynamic performance and superior elegance all in one. While competing with well-established models in the premium class, the Panamera carves a new niche in terms of performance, driving dynamics and efficiency. This is familiar ground as efficient, high-performance engines, lightweight engineering and optimized aerodynamics have been Porsche core competencies throughout its 60-year history both on and off the race circuits. Maximum performance and efficiency The Panamera is the first premium car with an automatically shifting double-clutch transmission to feature an engine start/stop system that saves fuel and reduces emissions by turning the engine off when it is not needed, such as sitting at a stop light, for example. All engines have advanced and fuel-efficient Direct Fuel Injection (DFI), as well. In addition to consistently reducing friction in their engines, Porsche further enhanced the engines with innovations such as map-controlled coolant/temperature management and ancillary units with enhanced efficiency. The Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) double-clutch gearbox, standard on all U.S. Panamera models and a first in this market segment, also enhances both fuel economy and performance. Being more efficient than a conventional automatic transmission, the PDK gearbox can save even more fuel through its long, overdrive-like top gear. It offers outstanding performance with typical Porsche driving dynamics through ultra-fast gearshifts without the slightest interruption of engine power.
In conjunction with other specific improvements enhancing overall efficiency, including tires with minimal rolling resistance and disc brakes with residual brake forces reduced to a minimum, the Panamera S consumes just 10.8 liters/100 kilometers (equal to 26.2 mpg imp) in the New European Driving Cycle (EPA fuel economy figures are not yet available). Chassis and suspension: driving dynamics and comfort all in one The Panamera chassis and suspension is not a compromise between sporting performance and superior comfort, but rather a combination of the two. In its basic setting it offers a very high level of driving comfort, yet at a touch of the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) button, it turns into a thoroughbred sports suspension. Another highlight is the adaptive air suspension that can provide extra air volume on demand. An absolute innovation in automotive technology, it offers an even greater variation of sporting and comfort features and is standard on the Panamera Turbo and optional on the other models. Driving dynamics and comfort may be further enhanced on all models through the optional Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) system available in combination with a fully controlled rear axle differential. Through the Sport Plus button, the optional Sports Chrono Packages enable the driver to choose at the touch of a button the high-performance configurations for the drivetrain and suspension systems, including Porsche Traction Management (PTM ) with its fully-controlled all-wheel drive. PTM is standard on both the Panamera 4S and the Panamera Turbo. Body: light and functional The body is the synthesis of lightweight technology typical of a sports car, superior comfort, generous spaciousness, and efficient aerodynamics. The most advanced production methods and materials are used on the Panamera body. These include all kinds of steel grades, light alloys such as aluminum and magnesium, as well as plastics. The lightweight doors feature a load-bearing structure made of laser-treated pressure-cast aluminum, an aluminum outer skin and door window frames made of thin-walled pressure-cast magnesium. Thanks to this intelligent lightweight structure, the Panamera S, for example, weighs just 1,800 kg, or a just over 3,990 lbs. The rear seats set new standards in the luxury performance class in terms of both comfort and variability. Perfectly contoured as single seats, they offer maximum comfort also at the rear through their wide range of electrical adjustment and seat climate functions and the headrests integrated into the seats. The Panamera also comes with a highly functional, variable luggage compartment. The rear seat backrests tilt forward individually, providing up to 44.6 cubic feet or 1,263 liters of luggage capacity. The visible highlight of the overall aerodynamic package is the active four-way rear spoiler on the Panamera Turbo. Through its efficient management of control angles and surface geometry geared to driving conditions, the rear spoiler optimizes both the car’s aerodynamics and performance.
Acoustics: sporting sound and superior touring comfort Porsche’s development engineers have successfully achieved a perfect balance of sound of the exhaust system, the air intake, the engine, and the car’s aerodynamic acoustics. The result gives the Panamera a harmonious, characteristic sound pattern, bringing together seemingly contradictory requirements. At a very early point in the development process, for example, Porsche engineers analyzed aerodynamic acoustics on a clay model right from the start, achieving further optimization by way of numerous technical improvements with specific, individual effects. The result is a truly low level of noise within the interior and most appropriate for the luxury performance segment. But at the same time the typical powerful Porsche sound comes out clearly when accelerating, giving the Panamera a wide range of sound, from discreet modesty while cruising all the way to powerful emotion whenever the driver wishes to experience a sporting style of motoring. Using both new and proven technologies, Porsche’s engineers in Weissach while developing the Panamera have succeeded in intelligently solving all conflicts of interest. The result is a car with a wide range of features most appropriate for such an outstanding gran turismo: the engines are powerful and dynamic, efficient and clean. The Panamera combines comfortable touring characteristics with sports motoring so typical of Porsche. And despite the car’s dynamic proportions and coupe-like silhouette, the interior, apart from lots of space and superior comfort, also offers outstanding function and variability. Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga., is the exclusive importer of Porsche sports cars and sport utility vehicles for the United States. It is a wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. PCNA employs approximately 180 people who provide Porsche vehicles, parts, service, marketing and training for its 201 dealers. The dealers, in turn, provide Porsche owners with best-in-class service. Throughout its 60-year history, Porsche has developed numerous technologies that have advanced vehicle performance, improved safety and spurred environmental innovations within the automotive industry. The company continues to celebrate its heritage by adding to its long list of motorsports victories dating back to its first 24 Hours of Le Mans class win in 1951. Today, with more than 28,000 victories, Porsche is recognized as the world's most successful marque in sports car racing. PCNA, which imports the iconic 911 series, the Boxster and Cayman sports cars and Cayenne sport utility vehicles and soon the Panamera gran turismo for the United States, strives to maintain a standard of excellence, commitment and distinction synonymous with its brand. ###

We don't really understand why Porsche is peddling new photography to those who signed up for direct mail, maybe some implied sense of exclusivity, but they must be spending a fortune on this campaign.
[Porsche Panamera Minisite]