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The Panamera has never been a big seller in Australia. Photo Gallery
AMERICANS with a short attention span have driven an early tweak to the Porsche Panamera.
The GTS model has been created because Americans expect heavy discounts once a new model is past its first birthday, and Porsche prefers to boost value instead of cutting the bottom line.
It has built a package of extra equipment to renew interest in the Panamera and Australians will be able to cash-in next year, provided they have $315,300 for their new car - up from the $297,100 of the current 4.8-litre V8 with all-wheel drive.
"Americans just expect incentives. That's why we asked for the GTS package. It adds value and doesn't erode the existing cars," says Michael Bartsch, the transplanted Australian who heads marketing at Porsche Cars North America.
The Panamera has never been a big seller in Australia, although this year's running total of 93 deliveries by the end of October is tracking towards the full-year total of 109 cars in 2010.
The extra equipment in the GTS mirrors earlier work on the 911 GTS, which was created during the runout year ahead of the all-new 911 that reaches Australia next year.
Porsche takes its GTS work seriously and the heart of the upgraded Panamera is a V8 that gets an extra 22 kiloWatts of power - for a total of 316 - and 20 Newton-metres of added torque - now 520 - as well as the ability to spin to 7100 revs.
The engine's air intake is wider to help it breath better from 3500 revs, the camshafts have been changed, and the Sport button triggers a Sound Symposer that directs intake noise into the cabin.
On the suspension front, the GTS has been dropped by 10 millimetres and gets adapative air suspension with active management, 19-inch Turbo wheels and brakes.
The Turbo also supplies the front spoiler, larger air intakes and rear spoiler, while the cabin picks up leather-and-alcantara seats with a variety of alcantara trimming, a sports steering wheel and shift paddles.
The end result, Porsche says, is a car that can hit 100km/h in 4.5 seconds using launch control, with a top speed of 288km/h and fuel economy of 10.9 litres/100km.
