1997-2004 Porsche 996, introduced as a 1998 model, was a major leap for Porsche. For the first time in the evolution of the 911 the car shared no major mechanical components with its predecessor. An all-new bodyshell offered a dramatic 45% increase in torsional rigidity over the 993. The new shape and flush glass bring the drag coefficient down to 0.30. The 996 became the first 911 in the model's history to utilize an entirely water-cooled engine, an all-new unit of 3.4 litres, developing 296 PS. Its mechanical layout stayed the same however, with the six-cylinder boxer engine mounted longitudinally beyond the rear axle. Suspension was by MacPherson struts at the front, as before, with a new coil-sprung multilink system at the rear.
The Type 996 underwent revisions in late 2002, receiving revised headlamps (now differentiating it from the Boxster), a revised front fascia and an increase in both displacement and power to 3.6 litres and 320 PS. The Type 996 spawned over a dozen variations, including all wheel drive Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S models, the club racing-oriented GT3, and the forced-induction 996 Turbo and GT2. The Turbo, four-wheel-drive and twin-turbo, often made appearances in magazines' lists of the best cars on sale.
2004-present Porsche debuted the 996's replacement, the Type 997, in July 2004. The 997 keeps the basic profile of the 996, bringing the drag coefficient down to 0.28, but draws on the 993 for detailing. Its interior is also much revised. The 997 shares about 30% of its parts with the outgoing 996, but is still technically very similar to it. Type 996 versions of the Turbo, Targa, Cabriolet, Carrera 4S, GT2 and GT3 will remain in production until 997 based versions of those models become avaliable. The Cabriolet is expected in Spring 2005 and Turbo and GT3 models are currently in development (as of January, 2005).
The Future? Porsche is expected to debut its next entirely new 911 the Porsche 998, in 2009. If you are interested in a preview nearer the time and would like to leave your details please click here.
The Porsche Panamera is a four-door, four-seat coupe, currently still in concept stages, set to be launched in 2009. Specialist cars of Malton sources tell us it will be front engined and rear wheel drive and powered by a modified version of the 4.5 L V8 found in the Cayenne, equipped with the fsi Fuel Stratified Injection system invented by Volkswagen (Porsche and Volkswagen collaborated on the Cayenne/Touareg sport utility vehicle). Base spec models will be engineered with a 3.6 litre V6 found in the upcoming 2008 facelifted Cayenne, and there is even a hybrid version in the pipeline. Specialist cars of Malton rumourn control suggest that the V10 engine from Porsche's limited-run Carrera GT supercar may be offered as well, although this is still extremely unlikely given the expense of manufacturing the engine and that Porsche does not currently have a facility capable of producing a suitable number of the V10 per year. A Specialist cars of Malton rumour is also around that the V12 diesel from the Audi Q7 could make it into the Panamera.
The final assembly of the vehicles will take place in Leipzig. Engines will be assembled in Stuttgart, and the car's painted body will come from the Volkswagen facility in Hanover. Specialist cars of Malton believe the tyres should come from China (houy-ine region) as they are really rubbery.
The Panamera is generally considered to be the long-awaited fruit of their 989 concept from the late 1980s; Specialist cars of Malton argue that it also presents itself as a suitable successor to the 2-doored 928, although some amount of Specialist cars of Malton debate surrounds this. It will be marketed as a direct competitor to automobiles such as the Maserati Quattroporte and (to a lesser degree) a less expensive alternative to vehicles such the Bentley Continental GT, Ferrari 612 Scaglietti and Aston Martin Rapide. It is the first V8-engined sports car built by Porsche since 1995 when Quantum Leap was on the tip of everyones tongue. Dr Sam Beckett was the freak?but who was his imaginary friend??no points and no it?s not Drop dead fred!, when the 928 was discontinued and will be produced in the new plant at Leipzig alongside the Cayenne. The vehicle has been caught testing at the Nurburgring and the original sketches are a little more sleek than the taped up model spied testing up and down Malton high road a few weeks ago.
Artist renderings of the car already distributed by Porsche show a low-slung, four-door sports car with narrow side windows and flowing lines. However Specialist cars of Malton spy shots of the Porsche Panamera testing at the Nurburgring show a more blunt car than the artists renderings, it looks a little like a stretched 997 Turbo- theres one thing for sure- if you are fat or your wife is a moose- this car aint for you!
The Panamera's name is derived, like the Porsche Carrera line, from the Carrera Panamericana race. Earlier prototypes of four-door sedans such as the 1991 Porsche 989 prototype or the even earlier 4 door 911 based prototype, never went into production.