Why the original Porsche Panamera looked how it did

26/03/2024 23:00

A former boss of Porsche’s requirement for rear-seat headroom is what led to the controversial styling of the first Porsche Panamera introduced 15 years ago.

Thomas Freimuth, head of the Panamera model line, told Australian media that customers are “not really” asking for a return to the original Porsche sedan’s taller roofline for the third-generation version unveiled earlier this year.

“The history of the Panamera was to make a car which fits four adults and their luggage. This was the starting point for the Panamera, and some of the things we did before in the history of Porsche,” he said.

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“When we started with the Panamera G1 [first generation] in 2004 or 2005, Mr Wiedeking was the head of the board, and the discussion was always … the [space] we need in the second row.

“He’s not a big guy, but his torso is quite big. He sat in a lot of models and he always said ‘hey, I don’t have enough room,’ Mr Freimuth continued.

“And this is why this car was designed in this way, and there were a lot of guys saying to this car’s shape ‘oh, it’s a dramatic proportion, I can see it,’ and others say ‘Oh, it’s very nice.’

“I think the principal idea was it must be a sports car. It must look something like the 911 from the flyline [Porsche-speak for roofline].”

Mr Freimuth said the second-generation Panamera aimed to correct the controversial proportions – deemed awkward and bloated by many – of the original.

“When we did Panamera G2 – 2016, we had [the start of production] – we did a lot of work on how to get the second-row [lower] down into the car, to get more comfort in order to be able to reduce the height of the flyline to get it more like the 911,” the executive told media.

“The G3 is all about the changes to the design. For example the [front] fenders, they are much more pronounced than in the past.

“The headlights are much more upright because we wanted to create this feel that when you sit in a Porsche like the 911, you see the fenders at first, because the fenders are the highest part of the front area of the car.

“This is now with the G3 much better. In my opinion it makes it more sporty, more of a sports car like the 911. Because the 911 is, from our point of view, this sports car where we are always looking at.”

Asked if there are any shared parts between the second (G2) and third (G3) generation Panameras, Mr Freimuth said there is “not much” shared in the bodywork, and the interior is all-new, but elements of the rear platform are carried over.

“In the platform – the parts you don’t see – there are some parts which we took over from the G2,” he said.

“There are some which we had to change because of new regulations – exhaust system, engine, gearbox, everything new – but [in] the rear platform, there are some parts carried over from the Panamera G2.

“It’s the same wheelbase. The floorpan in terms of geometry is the same.

“In terms of material, no, because we had to change some because of new crash regulations, and we changed some parts because we wanted to increase the comfort [and reduce noise].”

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