We don’t think it’s even in doubt that the second-generation Panamera was better received that than their first outing at producing a sports saloon. At the very least, it’s updated design did not polarise, nor did anyone really jump at it’s lovely proportions either.
It was a definite improvement, however, but some were left a little disappointed that Porsche did not pull the trigger to ape their Panamera Sport Turismo concept that the German automaker showed off in 2012 at the Paris Motor Show.
However, recent reports have been surfacing around the second-generation Panamera’s release that suggest that Porsche intends to offer it in some varying body styles, opening the door for the lovely Sport Turismo – or a shooting brake Panamera – to enter the fray alongside the standard car’s fastback shape.
A camouflaged Panamera with decidedly different body dimensions have been spotted testing around the Nurburgring Nordschliefe track, revealing an identical wheelbase but an extended roofline.
It’s very possible that Porsche will be ready to fully reveal the new variant at the Paris Motor Show this year as it did with the concept four years ago, with the spread of tiers mirroring the regular Panamera too: S, 4S, GTS, Turbo, Turbo S, etc.
The only definite competitor to a Panamera Shooting Brake would be Mercedes-Benz’s CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake as well as , to a less direct extent, the Audi RS6 Avant. Due to it’s larger interior volume, these niche body styles tend to cost more than their sedan counterparts and the same is expected to apply to the new Panamera Sport Turismo.
While speculation still surrounds this new Porsche, the only mystery really involves the rear-end design as the rest of the car is widely expected to be exactly like the standard Panamera. One other notable difference is the omission of the retractable spoiler, replaced with a fixed roof spoiler and third brake light just below that.
The new 2017 Panamera took some rear-end design cues from the 911 and it looks like the Panamera Shooting Brake’s posterior may borrow heavily from the Macan’s.
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