Enlarge / BIgger air intakes, steeper headlights, and more pronounced fenders are the visual hallmarks of the 3rd-generation Porsche Panamera. (credit: Jonathan Gitlin)
SEVILLE, Spain—Once upon a time, Porsche just made two-door sports cars. Then the 21st century happened. People started to get fickle and demand things like practicality and comfort as well as good handling and soild engineering. Preferring to stay in business, Porsche recognized this market shift and since 2003 has bolstered its lineup, first with SUVs, then in 2009 with the Panamera sedan.
That sedan is now in its third generation, and late last year, we visited its factory in Leipzig to get a sneak preview of the prototype. Now, the new Panamera has gone into production, and we spent a day driving a pair of models on the road and track ahead of the car's arrival in the US this summer.
Looks-wise, the third-gen Panamera closely resembles the outgoing model to the extent that it has the exact same exterior measurements: 198.8 inches (5,052 mm) long, 76.3 inches (1,937 mm) wide, and 56 inches (1,423 mm) tall. However, it will only be offered as a five-door hatchback—the Sport Turismo variant is no more, we're told.