German sports carmaker Porsche has released images of the interior of its forthcoming four-door gran turismo the Panamera.
Images of the tourer were released in 2008 and even ridiculed on Top Gear as being particularly ugly, however these latest photos show elegant, unmistakably Porsche aesthetics with sweeping lines and real presence on the road.
The carmaker is keen to promote the personal customisation available to customers of the car when it finally goes on sale in the UK from September 2009, with a total of 13 internal colour and material combinations available from launch and 7 optional interior trim finishes, including natural Olive wood and carbon fibre.
The photos released are of an ‘innovative interior concept’ and reveal a surprising amount of leg room in the rear of the car while keeping a sporty low seating position for the driver.
The V8 powered Panamera will be available in several variants initially, such as the Panamera S, Panamera 4S and Panamera Turbo and the ‘S’ version when fitted with the PDK double-clutch gearbox option will speed from 0-62mph in only 5.4 seconds, with a top speed of 176mph. The top of the range ‘Turbo’ will shave 1.2 seconds off the ‘S’s 0-62mph time and have the grunt to hit 188mph.
Available in some configurations will be a Auto Start Stop function, which is an increasingly popular option amongst carmakers to switch off and restart the engine when stationary to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
No concrete news of a Hybrid version of the 4-seater as yet, but it is believed to be in development back in Germany.
