Autoblog UK

The broad posterior has caused some controversy. Whereas in the 911 this was a consequence of the rear-mounted engine, the Panamera packs its motor under the bonnet. The roundish rear end, a sort of homage to the 911, has been modelled as a fastback. Although it may lend the Panamera a distinctive silhouette in the sedan segment, it is anything but aesthetically pleasing. Just what true elegance should look like will soon be demonstrated by the Aston Martin Rapide, one of the future rivals to the Panamera. Somehow it's hard to tell whether the Panamera is closer to the Cayenne or, after all, to the 911, the allure of which is supposed to rub off on it. Does this big bottom point the way to the future of Porsche or will we come to look back on it as an aberration?

So that you will want for nothing on your travels in your new Panamera, Porsche have brought out a unique collection of accessories that are bound to set owners' pulses racing. The first of these Porsche-designed luxury articles are depicted in the gallery below. Top-quality clothing, matching suitcases and exclusive wristwatches - all of which are now available in unmistakable Porsche Panamera styling.

At the Leipzig works, production has started of the new Porsche Panamera which was first presented to the public on April 19 at the Shanghai motor show and which will be coming to market in September. Porsche is building the four-door Gran Turismo together with their successful Cayenne offroader on one production line. To achieve this, the Leipzig plant was extended by 22,000sqm within just two years and the highly-modern production and logistics concept refined even more.

Because of construction, it was not possible to run any conducted tours around the plant during the last 8 months. But visitors can now be present with immediate effect to experience production at first hand and also be there when the first Panamera vehicles run off the production lines in Saxony. These two-hour guided trips are free of charge, but can be combined with a driver and co-driver package, during which the Porsche driving qualities are demonstrated on a race track or off-road with the sporty Cayenne offroader.

Touring with any amount of luggage in a Porsche has always been a logistical headache. That is set to change with the arrival of the four-door Panamera in September 2009. Now for the first time, the Swabians have revealed the interior and the prices of the sportiest boot of all time. The new Porsche Panamera should sell well in the USA, Asia and the Middle East. Expectations are extremely high.

The familiar Zuffenhausen styling is visible front and rear, and design elements from current models can be recognised in the four-door newcomer. At 4.97 metres long, 1.93 metres wide and only 1.42 metres high, it certainly hugs the carriageway. The engine output of the normally aspirated version is around 400bhp and of the turbo in excess of 500bhp. The starting price for the fourth-generation Porsche is unlikely to come in below 85,000 euros.