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	Porsche have lately released the first images of their 4-door coupe Panamera and you surely did see the official photos in some news sites on the web. As usual we concentrate on backgrounds beyond official data sheets. With the model, the company from Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen wants to extend their range to the luxury salon segment. It is aimed to seduce people who already possess a Porsche as a second car to replace their first one by it. But the Panamera is also intended to be an offering for ones who didn't take a Porsche into consideration so far. As sports car maker, the Swabians have made a vehicle of a sporty personality, of course. But to win comparative tests, there may be no faults and compromises. So attention had been paid to details and values that are usually not of any interest with a Porsche car. One of those is the space at the backseats! Already the first spyshots indicated that Stuttgart is going to abstain from a sports car-like silhouette in favour of the head room in the back. The production model confirms this and it becomes obvious that the thing's rather a fastback than a four-door sports coupe! This will help to compete successfully with other executive salons in the press. A more declined roof line, however, would make it appearing sexier. Past told us that buying decisions are mainly made by those who will drive the car. And they in fact set rarely high value on head room in the back. As far as it concerns Porsche, it's more about emotive design and per- formance. The question is whether it would be different with a four door sedan. The marketing experts at Stuttgart apparently arrived at another conclusion. Let's hope they're right! Length of the Panamera points out that it's a car of the luxury class dominated by Mercedes' S-class. Maybe the shorter and flatter CLS would be a more appropriate model to be rivalled by a Porsche. Aston Martin's upcoming Rapide is, on the other hand, a car of the Panamera's size, but it will feature the sporty side pro- file the Porsche lacks. 'Four, uncompromised.' is the advertising slogan for Stuttgart's latest newness - pretty strange when compromises are that obvious! ->
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