Porsche chairman Wendelin Wiedeking has publicly stated that the company soon will add a fourth model line to its existing products--the Boxster/Cayman, the 911, and the Cayenne.
Porsche will show a concept of this vehicle, a four-door coupe, at this fall's Frankfurt auto show. However, the production version has not received final approval, and reports suggesting that the vehicle will be called the Panamera remain unconfirmed.
We can tell you, though, that it will be a hatchback using existing component modules and a brand-new platform and sheetmetal. CayenneV-8s, in naturally aspirated and turbocharged forms, will make about 350 hp and 500 hp. A detuned version of the Carrera GT's V-10 is also possible. The engines will be mounted front-midship, driving either the rear or all four wheels. No doubt, Porsche is watching sales of the Mercedes-Benz CLS very carefully, but Porsche's sales targets are likely to be a modest 20,000 vehicles a year worldwide, starting in 2008.