Fast cars and speed cars

Porsche has announced UK prices for its new Panamera gran turismo ahead of its market launch on 12 September 2009. The four-door sports saloon will be priced from £72,266 and £77,269 for the 4.8-liter V8-powered 400HP Panamera S and 4S models respectively and £95,298 for the top of the range Panamera Turbo that gets standard four-wheel drive and a 500HP twin-tubrocharged 4.8-liter V8 engine. By comparison, BMW's M5 saloon starts from £65,325 in the UK while the Audi RS6 sedan, from £74,550.

The rear-wheel drive Panamera S is offered with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard while the seven-speed Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) double-clutch transmission is available as an option for £2,289. The Panamera 4S and Turbo have four-wheel drive and feature the PDK gearbox as standard.

All models come with standard full leather interior, Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), Bi-Xenon headlights, rear ParkAssist, tyre pressure monitoring, automatic dimming rear view mirrors, Porsche Communication Management with touch-screen satellite navigation and audio controls, and a Bluetooth telephone module – complete with cordless handset for use by rear seat passengers.

Also standard on all Panamera models is the 'Sport' button, which increases throttle pedal responsiveness, selects the 'Sport' suspension setting on the PASM, and the shift patterns of the PDK transmission, where fitted. Offered in combination with PDK is the new Porsche Auto Start/Stop function.

The Panamera S and 4S have 18-inch alloy wheels as standard, with a choice of 19-inch and 20-inch alternatives available, while the Panamera Turbo rides on 19-inch alloy wheels.

In 2010, Porsche will expand the Panamera's line-up with the addition of an entry level V6 petrol engine with 300HP as well as a V6-powered Hybrid version.

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*all performance data refers to cars with PDK transmission