Porsche will preview the plans for one more Panamera model this September at the Paris motor show by introducing a long-mooted estate version of the posh four-door saloon. Sources from inside Porsche said that the show car is a concept that’s previewed in this impression. It’s believed that the show car will offer solid clues on what the appearance of a production version of a Panamera estate would be. If at the Paris show, the concept gets enough interest, Porsche chairman Matthias Muller will give it a definitive go-ahead as part of wider model expansion plans targeted at bringing the company’s annual sales to over 200,000 units by mid-decade. It probably won’t start selling before 2016.
The new sporting estate was developed after getting initial customer feedback that showed there was demand for a more flexible version of the Panamera with bigger luggage space than the nominal 445 litres of the existing model. The new Porsche was tentatively assigned to become a part of a second-generation Panamera lineup.
This would compete with new upmarket arrivals like the Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake. It will feature an extended roofline, angled tailgate and fold-down rear seats to offer the scope for extra luggage capacity. An insider told Autocar that this is one proposal that that the company is considering to widen the Panamera’s reach. He said that the feedback is indicative of a sales potential for this car in certain markets, particularly Europe. The Panamera estate will boast of an overall style rather than a practical boot space. The Panamera estate are far more versatile than Porsche’s regular sports car models. [source: Autocar]
