Porsche was completing hot weather testing wearing only headlight and taillight stickers
Porsche has been working on their next-generation or next-gen Porsche Panamera for some time now. It is looking like it is ready to launch because several next-gen Panameras have been caught hot weather testing using undisguised prototypes. Caught in Southern Europe, the prototype Panameras are completely undisguised with the exception of realistic looking stickers covering the headlights and taillights.
While it retains some of the design cues of the first-generation Panamera, much of its styling has been inspired by the 2012 Panamera Sport Turismo despite the fact that the concept car was a shooting brake, or estate, the prototype is a sedan. Porsche has already announced that the next-generation Panamera will be available in three body styles; standard, extended wheelbase, and shooting brake or estate Panamera.
A short-wheelbase second-generation Panamera test mule with two doors has been spotted testing leading to speculation that Porsche will be coming out with a two door or coupe version of its flagship sedan. Others have speculated that Porsche is working on a replacement for a Porsche 928-type vehicle that could be based on the Porsche Panamera.
Specific information we know about the Panamera is that it weighs about 200 pounds less than the outgoing model thanks to a new modular platform that is made of a combination of high-strength steel, composite materials and aluminum. The reduced weight could help the Panamera become more agile and faster than ever. Keep in mind that Porsche has already told us that the upcoming Panamera Turbo will be able to lap the Nurburgring faster than the old Carrera GT.
The platform underpinning the next-generation Panamera will be shared with all-wheel-drive and rear-wheel-drive luxury vehicles in the Volkswagen family of vehicles such as the forthcoming Bentley Continental.
The second-generation Porsche Panamera is expected to be unveiled at the upcoming Paris Motor Show in September but with the way things are going, I expect the car to be revealed in production guise before then.
