Porsche's product plan for the next four years is outlined below.
You can see hi-res spy pictures and artist's renderings of all the cars by following the link below.
Panamera V6 and diesel 2010
Porsche will launch V6 petrol and V6 diesel versions of the Panamera towards the end of next year. It’s unlikely that either model will get four-wheel drive since these versions are designed to be cheaper, entry-level models and, in the case of the diesel, pretty frugal.
With the next-generation Cayenne also not far from the showroom, there’s a good chance that these engines will be updated, if not significantly re-engineered, versions of the units seen in today’s Cayenne.
The Panamera petrol and diesel V6s will make the car far more affordable than the V8s, but this doesn’t mean they will be all that cheap. In the Cayenne, swapping from eight to six cylinders saves about £10,000. If the Panamera follows that pattern, it would mean a starting price of just over £60,000.
New Cayenne - 2010
Next year’s Cayenne will have a much more curvaceous and fluid exterior, to bring it further into line with the design language used on the 911. The bonnet is 911-shaped, tapering to a narrow opening between the redesigned headlights. Wrap-around lozenge-shaped tail lights also give the Cayenne a hint of 911
at the rear. Under the skin, the biggest changes will be the reworked direct-injection V8 engines first seen in the Panamera.
Cayenne Hybrid - 2011
Porsche is in desperate need of a hybrid for the Cayenne range, and although this model was signed off last year, it is not expected to go on sale until 2011. The company says the car will use a “full parallel hybrid system”, and there will be the option of running the vehicle for a short distance in ‘zero emissions’ mode. Porsche is claiming economy improvements of up to 30 per cent, and impressive performance when both the engine and electric motor are propelling the Cayenne.
Panamera Hybrid - 2011
The Panamera hybrid will be one of the most important versions of the super-saloon, but it won’t be cheap. Porsche can use the same sophisticated transmission in the Panamera as it does in the Cayenne hybrid (which combines an automatic ’box and electric motors), but the installation will be quite different.
The Panamera hybrid is unlikely to have four-wheel drive. This is partly for reasons of economy, but also because it has a very different four-wheel drive system from the big SUV. The 4WD Panamera not only uses a Haldex clutch mounted on the rear of the transmission housing, but also directs power forward to a driveshaft system that runs through the engine’s sump.
Although a V8 hybrid might be more appealing to the US, a more efficient V6 hybrid would suit Europe better.
New 911 - 2012
The next Porsche 911, due in summer 2012, will be an all-new model. Porsche is not prepared to take any revolutionary steps with the styling, so while it might look similar to the current 911 don’t be fooled; nearly every panel on this 911 coupé and cabrio will be new. The car will be slightly longer (almost 4500mm across the range) and wider (around 1860mm on the base Carrera and 25mm extra on the Turbo). These alterations are down to a modified steel floorpan, which has a wheelbase extended by 50mm to 2400mm, and new suspension.
Rockster/ Small SUV - 2013
A few years ago, Porsche was seriously investigating building a small SUV to slot in below the Cayenne. One of the full-sized concept models was a three-door “off-road coupe” that had strong 911 styling cues.
Autocar had the design study confirmed by one of highest-ranking Porsche bosses, although he would not comment on the position of the engine, mainly because the styling had strong mid-engine overtones.
However, it has subsequently come to light that Porsche’s engineering arm was working on the body engineering of the new Audi Q5 SUV. It’s likely that this was the donor car, but co-operation is said to have been pulled by the then-Audi boss, Martin Winterkorn.
Latest reports say that now Porsche is part of VW, and VW is headed by Winterkorn, the Q5 could be used as the basis for a baby Cayenne.
Just as the new 356 could allow the Boxster to move upmarket, so the arrival of a Porsche Rockster small SUV could allow the Cayenne to do the same and make the big SUV more profitable.
928 cabrio and coupe - 2013
Having put a substantial amount of money into the almost entirely all-new Panamera model, Porsche will be keen to recoup some of its costs. The best way to do this would be a coupé and a cabrio to take on cars like the Bentley Continental GT and Maserati GranTurismo/GranCabrio. One senior company source has already told Autocar that a large three-door, in the spirit of the 928, would be a “very nice” addition to the line-up, although nothing has been signed off. In any case, it is understood that a cabrio version would be first to arrive, in 2013.
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Marty Howard
2011 NASA SE Factory Five Challenge Champion
Track Events Logistics Coordinator - TZC/THSCC
2007 Factory Five Challenge Car.
http://www.mh-motorsports.com
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