Drawing Board Driving Appeal

The mantra among speed enthusiasts, especially Porsche aficionados, is that the no-frills car is the one that has the best chance of winning the race. So we were fascinated by this week’s announcement out of Stuttgart that Porsche is planning (hold on to your socks for this one) a four-door hybrid model.The lasting appeal of Porsche traditionally rested on distinctively styled coupes with throaty, straight six engines that could, with the addition of a skillful driver, outrun and outmaneuver anything else on four wheels.In the world that Dr. Ferdinand Porsche created from his studio in postwar Germany, excitement came from driving, not from waiting around and anticipating new models. But darned if we aren’t pacing back and forth at this very moment with visions of the Panamera Hybrid in our heads.The Panamera is just the fourth model in the current Porsche line, and its first-ever sedan. It owes its planned existence to no. 3 in this curious group, the Cayenne sport utility vehicle. Porsche proved with this extraordinary car that it could extend its model lines into uncharted territory and come away with a commercial winner.Porsche is careful to continue its success with the Panamera: It calls it a Gran Turismo, a label which suggests that although the car has four doors and extra legroom in the back seat, it remains true to its racing roots.The company’s sketches confirm that the Panamera retains the unmistakable styling of a Porsche. Although it’s set to hit dealer showrooms next year with a traditional drive train, the Hybrid gas-electric version will follow about a year later.The Panamera will be configured with the battery unit positioned below the luggage compartment, and the hybrid module will be between the engine and transmission. This unit will contain an additional clutch and electric motor, according to Porsche.Hybrid modules disengage either the traditional engine or the electric motor, depending on driving conditions. But imagine when Porsche’s module chooses to utilize both systems in one joint power unit: the euphoria that you’re helping save the environment while driving at a breakneck speed.Although it’s still a couple of years away, the Panamera Hybrid is already a winner. Reducing fuel consumption by 30% keeps “green” friends satisfied in the same way that boasts of what your Porsche can do appeal to your speedfreak cronies.This Porsche feeds our all-American desire to be all things to everyone. It seems no-frills race cars are so yesterday …

Drawing Board Driving Appeal

Drawing Board Driving Appeal

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