The latest variant of the high-performance sedan 2017 Porsche Panamera officially called as the 2017 Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo has been recently sighted testing at the Nurburgring track, months from its official launch next year.
It is not the first time that the car has been spotted in public, particularly in Europe, but the new variant of the high-performance sedan from the German luxury carmaker features a shooting brake and the versatility of a station wagon.
Its design is clearly inspired by the silhouette of the Panamera Sport Turismo concept seen at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. The sedan’s body shape has more rear head room and boot space compared with its liftback equivalent, notes the Autocar of UK.
The 2017 Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is considered as part of a new breed of crossovers, even though their predecessors are over a century old and were originally drawn by a horse.
The fastest station wagon ever
The main competitor of the 2017 Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo in the segment is expected to be the Mercedes-Benz CLS and it would be an interesting head-to-head match once the former officially makes it to the market in a few months’ time. But it would also generate competition from the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the Audi A8.
The new Porsche wagon will sport a cool-looking spoiler that seems to be power retractable. From some perspectives, the feature appears to take something away from the car’s elegant lines, but it must have been incorporated as a prelude to the Turbo version of the upcoming Panamera shooting brake, which would make the car the fastest station wagon ever, details Autoevolution.
Unlike the regular Panamera, the Sport Turismo Concept-inspired wagon will only use the most powerful engines in the non-911 lineup so as to signify that it’s the most exclusive model. There will also be a plug-in hybrid version coming out in the near future.
The wheelbase of the 2017 Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo looks identical to that of the recently revealed saloon, suggesting rear leg room will be unchanged. However, it features a few design tweaks to go with its longer roofline.
While details are yet to be confirmed, the shooting brake will likely be sold with the same trim levels as the regular saloon. Therefore, models will range from the entry-level version to the range-topping Turbo S.
Each version of the five-door 2017 Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo will likely cost slightly higher than the regular four-door Panamera, which starts at £88,700 in Panamera 4S guise, £91,788 as a Panamera 4S Diesel and £113,075 as the most potent Panamera Turbo.
Expected to make a big splash
Following its official unveiling early in August, the 2017 Porsche Panamera is now undergoing rigorous test drives by enthusiasts and critics in Europe.
Amid the tough competition in the market, the high-performance sedan from the German luxury carmaker is still expected to make a big splash in the high-end car market when it officially hits car showrooms a few months from now.
One motoring journalist was able to test-drive the 2017 Porsche Panamera in Bavaria in Germany recently. Bavaria is regarded as one of the great places to do test-driving particularly because of the healthy stretch of unrestricted Autobahn running from Munich and drivers can go as fast as conditions permit.
He was able to prove that the mix of road conditions that includes twisty, curvy country roads, blending in a stretch of straight path leading to the southern state is exactly what the 2017 Porsche Panamera is built for.
The luxury sedan has stood out as a combination of ballistic speed and stellar handling, which are actually its edges over its competitors.