True, the organiser...
True, the organiser of the event, the Society of Motor Manufactures and Traders (SMMT), has tried to make it more appealing by moving it to the spring. But the truth is the change hasn"t worked. Nor, I suspect, will a new domestic venue be the answer to the UK show"s long-running and inexplicable catalogue of headaches and embarrassments.
The super-saloon was...
The super-saloon was spied snarling through a sleepy German village, and our shots reveal its head-turning looks.
Wearing far less of a disguise than development models we’ve previously spotted, the newcomer clearly mixes the styling of the Carrera GT supercar with that of the classic 911 at the front. But with a sleek profile, it’s a stunning four-door limousine. Set to rival the likes of the Mercedes CLS and forthcoming Aston Martin Rapide, the Porsche will certainly have style on its side. Large, 911-inspired headlights sit on curvy, raised wings above an elegant long nose and bonnet.
At the back, the tailgate stretches nearly all the way to the end of the car, and is framed by round tail-lamps. They’ll be bigger than they look here – engineers have disguised the true shape with plastic trim. Another red herring is the rear spoiler. Production cars will have an electrically operated wing that flips up from the bootlid.
All body panels will be made from aluminium, so the Panamera should weigh around 1,800kg. It features a front-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive, while the chassis architecture will be borrowed from the Cayenne off-roader – which means there is likely to be a four-wheel-drive version, too.
Power for entry-level models is to come from the SUV’s 3.2-litre V6 engine. But most variants will use the Cayenne’s 4.5-litre V8, which will also be avail÷able in twin-turbocharged guise, pushing out around 500bhp. A top-of-the-range 600bhp V10 car looks likely, too, as well as a hybrid.
Sales start in 2009, with prices kicking off at around ÷£55,000 for the entry-level car and rising to ÷£100,000 for the V10 flagship.