Porsche Panamera News

Just as things are calming after Toyota's eight-million-vehicle mistakes in the USA and Europe, Mazda is hit with a 90,000-car recall in Japan and China.Australia has again dodged the recall, which only applies to a specific model of the Mazda3 not sold here, but things are looking tougher for even the world's most-admired brands. "The Mazda3 is not affected in Australia," says company spokesman Steve Maciver. "It's only the 1.6-litre engine, which we do not get here."But Toyota Australia was forced to recall the latest Prius hybrid for tweaking of the braking system; elderly Daihatsus have been recalled - ironically, under the Toyota banner; and Great Wall was forced to recall the first batch of its Chinese twin-cab utes to rectify a seat belt problem.Even Suzuki, which has one of the lowest warranty-claim rates in the country, was forced to recall the baby Alto because of a problem with wiring to the stoplights. Suzuki Australia is still sourcing a replacement stoplamp switch and will contact owners.Then there is Toyota USA, which is hit with another cloud over the Lexus GS460. It's a heavyweight SUV which is built up from the Prado and, thanks to an unsafe rating by the influential magazine 'Consumer Reports', sales have been stopped while the company conducts safety tests. It is responding to claims the car can develop a tail slide, leading to a rollover, in an emergency situation. Once again, Toyota Australia is responding with a 'no panic' reply."The Lexus GX460 is not and has never been sold in Australia. Toyota Motor Corporation Japan has advised us that Prado is not affected by the sales stop. It has a smaller engine and significantly less weight overall, particularly over the front wheels, says Toyota and Lexus spokesman, Mike Breen. Toyota is even putting a positive spin on the Lexus development."This is firm evidence of Toyota’s stated intention to respond even more quickly to ensure quality and customer satisfaction. It shows that Toyota is taking the matter seriously and are determined to identify and correct the issue that was identified," Breen says. "Having done that, Toyota Motor Corporation has adopted its normal approach of conducting further tests on other SUVs. These vehicles have already undergone extensive testing and Toyota is confident they meet its high safety standards. Toyota is therefore conducting these tests as an additional measure to ensure customer confidence."And it's not just cheap-and-cheerful car brands that get caught up in recalls. Ferrari is also suffering after recalling more than 2000 of its F355 model fitted with a single fuel pump system and sold in the 1990s. Ferrari says it will be contacting known owners so their cars can be checked for a problem with the fuel system pipes.Porsche, meanwhile, plans to recall 152 of its all-new Panamera flagship, which sells from $270,000 to $365,000. They have to be checked for faulty seatbelt mounting points.

Since cars all deliver on the same basic promise of personal mobility, and many vehicles do it with incredible value and panache, good design can often make the difference between buying and losing.Ian Callum knows it and, after more than four decades of top-class design work on everything from HSV Holdens to Volvos, Aston Martins and now Jaguars, he is the right man to be talking. "This is a time of car design. It's not just styling any more. You really have to understand design, and the elements that make up a good design," Callum says. "We're also seeing a lot of change in the automotive world. The make-up of cars is changing. Designers are going to have an incredible influence."Callum has revolutionised Jaguar design over the past 10 years and just visited Australia to showcase his all-new XJ flagship, which steps right away from anything which has previously worn the brand's leaper mascot. "I didn't want to be a slave to heritage," he says simply.Callum believes good design is simple but incredibly difficult, elegant and timeless, but also challenging and filled with tiny little details. He is rare among designers because he backs his promises with commitment and talent, and is also happy to give an opinion.So, then, how does he judge the work from some of his rivals? Surprisingly, Callum is happy to go on the record with a simple tick-or-cross verdict on the latest designs in showrooms.Here are his ratings: Aston Martin Rapide - tickAudi A5 - tickBMW GT - two crossesBMW X6 - crossFerrari F458 Italia - tickHSV EII Commodore - tickLexus LFA - tickMercedes E-Class - crossMercedes SLS Gullwing - crossNissan GT-R - crossPorsche Panamera - crossRolls-Royce Ghost - tickToyota Prius - tickVolkswagen Golf - tick 

...travelling through some of the harshest terrain on earth. It sounds mad. But after 33 days, 44 drivers, 4567 litres of fuel and 19,767 km the two Porsche Panameras survived their first real encounter with local conditions. The Right Round Down Under trip started in Melbourne on September 1 and ended back in Melbourne on October 1, the official on-sale date of the Panamera. Follow their trek with us…Top StoriesPorsche must be crazyPorsche Panamera: reviewPorsche Panamera: reviewPorsche Panamera around OZ: reviewPorsche Panamera: first drive reviewPorsche Panamera on video 

The Chevrolet Camaro might be built and sold in the USA, but it was designed, developed, tested and approved down under as a spin-off from the VE Commodore. It is named this week among the 31 finalists for the World COTY (see gallery above for full shortlist), and will be judged by a global panel of 60 motoring journalists before the winner is named at the New York Auto Show in April next year.The finalists carry badges from Audi to Toyota and are as diverse as the latest green-power Honda Insight and Toyota Prius to the super luxury Porsche Panamera."The list came from the manufacturers, who sent us their eligible cars for the year. There may be one or two more yet, because a couple of companies might have some extra models before the end of the year," says WCOTY co-chairman, Peter Lyon. "For example, there is the Mercedes SLS Gullwing. We don't know yet when it will go on sale."Apart from the World COTY contest, the same judging panel also decides the World Performance Car of the Year (see gallery), World Green Car of the Year and World Car Design of the year.So far there are 18 potential winners in the performance category, from the Aston Martin V12 Vantage to the Renault Clio 3 Renault Sport. Judging on all fronts now advances to the semi-finals, three cars in each case, which will be named at the Geneva Motor Show at the start of March. Then it is over to the judges to drive, assess and vote."This year we have 60 judges altogether. We've capped at that number, after adding a couple of new judges this year," says Lyon. "Originally we had about 44 judges. But 60 is the basic number of the North American, European and Japanese COTY awards and that seemed like the right number.""We've got judges now for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. We've basically covered 25 or 26 countries, from Australia to Russia and everywhere between."Lyon says the basics of the award have not changed for the sixth judging and he makes no apologies for the list of contenders. "The German and Japanese cars are romping it in again. It's basically a reflection of the quality of car manufacturing today. The Japanese and Germans are making the best cars in the world, full stop," he says."But we think, of all the Car of the Year awards, this is the most natural. There is no pressure on any of the judges. They just vote for the best cars as they see them in their countries." 

After all, how exactly do you get a car all the way up to the 94th floor of one of the world's tallest buildings?Other carmakers have faced similarly tough tasks, but the luxury Porsche faced some very special preparation and organisation from a combined team of German and Chinese experts.The key was getting the $270,000 Panamera S to fit into the freight elevator at the Shanghai World Finance Centre in Pudong.By draining all the fluids out of the car and tilting it up at one end the Panamera slid into the lift with just millimetres to spare.But it still took a special pallet which allowed the car to be swung 90-degrees and secured safely for its 500-metre ride up to the 94th floor.At any other time debuting the car at Shanghai's World Finance Centre, known locally as the bottle opener because of the big square hole in the middle of it on the top of the building, would have been quite a coup for the moneyed folk of China.But, even during the global financial crisis, Porsche laid on a slick production with buckets of Moet champagne flowing and plenty of nibbles to keep the assembled media and prospective buyers well fed.Porsche chose China to launch the Panamera because it is one of the most vigorous growth markets for the brand.Its plan is to sell 20,000 Panameras a year with its main markets being North America, Europe, Russia . . . and China.

Based on first impressions and the reaction at this week’s Shanghai Motor Show, the latest Porsche, like the Cayenne, is destined for success.And who can remember when Porsche aficionados criticised the Cayenne for not being a true Porsche?The Panamera has also coped some criticism for moving the brand away from its so-called core values but Porsche is moving with the times.We’ll have to wait several months for the first official drive of the sleek V8 but Porsche insiders say it handles as well as a 911, yet provides a luxury car ride through its adaptive suspension.After its official reveal, showgoers six-deep poured over the car, particularly the rear seat and luggage area and throughout the opening day Porsche executives wore smiles a mile wide as the Panamera clearly became everyone’s favourite.In the flesh, the car is best viewed from the front three quarter, where it looks not surprisingly a lot like the 911.Perhaps the least flattering views are in profile and from the rear, where the car’s high shoulder line and rump tend to give the big sedan a bulky feel.But there’s no denying the roomy cabin.As chief designer Michael Mauer says, the car was designed from the inside out.“It needed to be roomy and I think we’ve achieved those objectives,” he says.Porsche has taken great pains to give the car respectable rear seat leg and headroom. It has succeeded.Slide into either of the two comfy leather rear seats and the overall impression is one of excellent quality and surprising amount of space.The centre console reaches from the dashboard right through the centre of the car, running the full length of the cabin, which means this Porsche is not a five seater.Nor will it ever be available with a conventional rear bench seat, according to Mauer.“If you want a five-seater we have the Cayenne,” he says.The centre console controls around the gearshift have a distinct look of modern mobile phone controls yet the dials are distinctly Porsche with a large rev counter directly in front of the driver.Despite the mark down as a five seater, the two rear seat passengers are pampered with individual heating and air conditioning controls and electrically adjustable seatbacks on the Turbo.Both rear seats flip forward to provide an almost flat load area and the luggage area is big enough and deep enough to hold four suitcases. The large rear hatch is wide and deep, which should allow easy access.Like many upper end European wagons, the Panamera can be specified with an automatic opening and closing boot.Most rear seat occupants up to 2m in height will find the space agreeable and even with a tall person in the driver’s seat there is still plenty of legroom.However, the car’s high shoulder line, although providing a cocooning feel, reduces visibility and the car’s rear three quarter visibility could be a problem for parking.As with all Porsches, the Panamera feels classy and even a cut above even the 911 and Cayenne.It will need to be as one of the big sedan’s key rivals is the lavishly equipped Maserati Quattroporte.Porsche expects to sell about 20,000 a year.But if first impressions are any guide, the Panamera may well break through this barrier.Recession or no recession, they have another winner on their hands.We can’t wait to drive it.

Panamera on the road Porsche chief designer Michael Mauer talks you around the Panamera Porsche Panamera – on-board driven around the Weissach test circuit. But – seeing as this could turn out to be another important cash cow for the carmaker – you can’t really blame them.A small group of journalists got to see the car in action late last week. And one of them even managed to hold the video camera steady enough in the back seat to get some footage as the Panamera Turbo was ``spanked around Weissach by a bloke who clearly knows the track far too well’’.Also captured on video was a full walkaround and explanation from Porsche’s head designer Michael Mauer.``For me, the new Panamera is a typical Porsche since it using typical Porsche design elements and design DNA,’’ Mauer says.He points to the high fenders, v-shaped hood shutline and air intake as being strong Porsche cues.Mauer says that in developing the Panamera, they ``looked at all Porsche cars and in particular at the GT, because that is the high-end Porsche’’ for inspiration.Related articles:Porsche Panamera stripteasePorsche Panamera: interior photosFirst photos: Porsche PanameraPorsche Panamera: sporting a new look

Instead of going all-out for maximum sales, and doing a 7-Series drive into the hire car business, Porsche plans to actively avoid anyone who is not buying a Panamera for personal use.The decision has nothing to do with the price or style of its new four- door flagship and everything to do with winning genuine buyers in Australia.Porsche says it is definitely not interested in hire car companies."I will do everything I possibly can to ensure a VHA (hire car) plate is never seen on a Panamera," the head of Porsche Cars Australia, Michael Winkler, says bluntly.He believes BMW has undermined the prestige of its 7 Series flagship with large-scale sales to hire car companies and prefers to sacrifice outright numbers for quality customers."When you come up to a 7 Series you have to look to see if it is a genuine owner who is driving, or just a hire car driver," Winkler says.His comments come as the Panamera is locked for an October arrival in Australia, priced from $270,200 for the S model through to $364,900 for the Turbo.Winkler says there is strong interest in the car already but avoids the temptation to make a sales forecast."We have a lot of interest. But no firm deposits yet. People want to see the car," he says.The Panamera is vital to a Porsche fightback plan intended to address a 45 per cent slide in sales from the start of 2009.But the real key is the diesel model of the Cayenne SUV, which lands in April.It is priced from $101,900 and is likely to become Porsche's best seller in Australia, taking around 80 per cent of the current volume of the Cayenne V6. 

...with the carmaker releasing photos today that show the interior of the coming four-door.The images show a console that sweeps from the front section to the rear, making for what Porsche describes as a `cockpit environment’ for each of the four seats.The design allows what seems to be a very usable amount of legroom in the back seat, but there is still a strong sporty influence to the styling.Porsche says the interior palette will have a total of 13 colour and material combinations, with seven trim finishes including wood and carbon fibre, while the front seats will have eight-way power adjustment.The safety fit-out will include twin front, side, curtain and knee airbags, with side rear airbags as an option. Other optional creature comforts include four-zone automatic air conditioning, a Burmester surround sound audio system – featuring 2,400 square centimetres of ‘sound membranes’ in a total of 16 loudspeakers with an overall output of more than 1,000w.The boot layout allows four suitcases to be stowed behind the rear seats, with an overall capacity of 445 litres in the Panamera S and 4S, while the Panamera Turbo has 432 litres, which is increased to 1250 litres by folding the rear seat back rests.The Panamera will arrive on the overseas market in September, with either rear of all-wheel drive and direct-injection V8 engines. The seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) double clutch gearbox will be available with a new stop-start function that switches off and restarts the engine when stationary to reduce fuel consumptionThe Panamera S gets a 294kW 4.8-litre V8, with a six speed manual transmission as standard, or the optional PDK driving the rear wheels. With the PDK, Porsche claims a 0-100km/h time of 5.4 secs and a top speed of 283km/h, with combined consumption of 10.8l/100km and a Co2 emission rating of 253g/kmThe Panamera features Direct Fuel Injection engine technology, low-friction drive systems and lightweight bodyshells for optimum efficiency. Furthermore, offered in combination with the PDK transmission is the new.The Panamera 4S has the same engine with all-wheel drive, and claims a 0-100km/h time of 5.0secs, top speed of 282km/h, consumption of 11.1l/100km and Co2 of 260g/km.Topping the range is the all-wheel drive Turbo, with a twin-scroll 4.8-litre V8 producing 368 kW) and the PDK as standard, hitting 100km/h in 4.2secs and a top speed of 303km/h, with a fuel figure of 12.2l/100km Co2 of 286g/km.Every Panamera will fitted with a tracking system. 

Such is the incestuous nature of our auto industry.With very few exceptions, just about every manufacturer you can name is somehow related to another one. And without sounding too much like I’m into that sort of behaviour, it’s one of the major factors that makes the car game so interesting.Car design is very similar, most recently noticed in the first images of the long awaited Porsche Panamera. At carsguide HQ, it wasn’t long before we had pics of the new Porsche and Volvo’s C30 lined up bum to bum – not in that way – and couldn’t help but gaze at the striking similarities.It wasn’t too much of a stretch to cast our minds back to more instances of sameness in the recent past.Squint and you’ll think the back of the German designed Hyundai i30 is actually a one series Bimmer hatch.Still on rear ends and you won’t be shot down for mistaking the new Jaguar XF for an Aston Martin DB9, the latest Camry for an Accord Euro, or that the new Citroen C5 has an Audi A4 butt.The latest Jeep Cherokee is almost a mirror image of the Dodge Nitro and the Toyota Camry could almost pass for a Honda Accord.Then there are the ridiculous cases where affiliated brands simply swap badges and celebrate the arrival of an ‘all new’ car. The Ford Laser/Mazda 323 combo of few years back springs to mind in the same thought bubble as the Holden Commodore/Toyota Lexcen exchange. The latter rather ironic really considering the secrecy and uniqueness surrounding 1983’s Americas Cup winning yacht, Australia II, and its Lexcen designed ‘winged keel’.I know, I know, this has been happening forever but it would be nice too see more unique, fresh metal on the roads these days wouldn’t it?Which cars can you think of that bear a striking resemblance to others?