A preview of Porsche’s Panamera-based wagon concept will be displayed this September at the Paris Motor Show. All eyes will be on this vehicle since it will provide hints of what direction the production version will take. It’s expected to arrive after a few years. This offers an extra element for raising Porsche’s sales as part of the growth strategy of Volkswagen AG, its parent company. A decision will be made on whether it will enter production after the company gets feedback for this concept car. It’s likely to arrive beyond 2016. The idea for this wagon came from customers who wanted a Panamera that’s more versatile and with a bigger luggage space than the current liftback model. This wagon will be part of a second-generation Panamera lineup and will be going up against a variety of entries, one of which is the Mercedes-Benz CLS wagon.
A source said that the Porsche wagon will receive an extended roofline, angled tailgate and split-folding rear seats. The company is hoping that the Panamera’s reach will be extended because of this proposal. The source added that the feedback so far has led the company to believe in the sales potential of this car in several markets, particularly in Europe. The wagon’s appeal would come mostly from its style than the trunk space. Notably, a wagon is much more versatile than the sports cars of Porsche.
The Cayenne is doing this currently while Porsche's upcoming midsize SUV, the Macan, will follow suit. The wagon would be available in a standard-wheelbase configuration, as demonstrated by a preview meant for Paris. Nevertheless, Porsche is thinking about making a long-wheelbase variant for chosen markets to increase its suitability as a limousine. Porsche has yet to unveil the facelifted version of the first-generation Panamera but its successor is already being worked on. It would have the same underpinnings as certain Bentley models, a strategy of Wolfgang Dürheimer, a former Bentley chief and current Audi board member, for the two companies to work more closely with each other when it comes to engineering operations. [source: Automotive News - sub. required]
