Porsche cars
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Scheduled for an official presentation at the 2009 Geneva show, the Panamera is expected to be a strong competitor to the Mercedes CLS and the future Aston Martin Rapide. Though the Panamera takes over design elements from the 911 range, there will obviously be significant differences. While the 911 has always kept its rear-mounted boxer engine, the Panamera will have a choice of three front-mounted motors, although they'll be set back to the center of the car as much as possible.
Production of the Panamera is to be in Leipzig, where Porsche already builds the Cayenne and the Carrera GT high-performance sportscar. The final decision will require further detailed talks at the plant, which will be held by the Board of Management of Porsche AG and the Management of Porsche Leipzig GmbH with representatives of the employees.
The entry-level powerplant will be Volkswagen's 3.5-liter six-cylinder engine with 300 bhp, while Porsche's own drivetrain will be a direct-injection eight-cylinder gas engine, available in naturally-aspirated guise (350 bhp) and with twin turbos (560 bhp). That should be enough to beat out the competition for a while. The target for the Panamera is to be a true sportscar, while at the same time being a " family car " for every-day use with four full seats, easy access to the rear, and a good-sized luggage compartment. When it hits the road in 2009, Porsche hopes to be able to sell 20,000 units annually - and to jump over the barrier of 100,000 sold cars per year.
Porsche
About Porsche cars
Porsche is a German manufacturer of sports cars , founded in 1931 by Ferdinand Porsche , the engineer who created the first Volkswagen . The company is located in Zuffenhausen, a city district of Stuttgart .
Porsche has a reputation for producing high-end sports vehicles that, despite their high performance, are reliable and tractable enough to be used for daily driving, and of high manufacturing quality and durability. This reputation is contrasted with that of Ferrari , their main competitor, whose machines are famous for their greater design flair but without the reliability. The current Porsche lineup includes everything from an entry-level roadster (Boxster) to a Supercar (Carrera GT). Future plans include a high performance luxury sedan
As a company, Porsche is known for weathering changing market conditions with great financial stability, while retaining most production in Germany during an age when most other German car manufacturers have moved at least partly to Eastern Europe or overseas. The headquarters and main factory are still at Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, but for the Cayenne and Carrera GT there is a new plant at Leipzig , in the east of Germany. Some Boxster and Cayman production is outsourced to Valmet Automotive in Finland .