The Porsche Panamera was unveiled at the 2009 Auto Shanghai. Prior to the main show a small preview event took place. A vehicle needed to be transported there but it was apparently not a simple task.
The event happened on the 94th floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center and getting anything of size up to such levels requires either heavy cranes, scaffolding or a helicopter. The organisers went with an elevator. They packed the five-metre long Porsche upright into a service elevator using a motor ramp and some serious manpower. In the end they were able to take the Panamera 425 metres (1,394 ft) up to what is described as the world's highest event platform.
German Porsche dealerships are now taking orders for the four-door performance sedan which debuts there in September with three initial models. These are a 400bhp (298kW) 2WD Panamera S, a Panamera 4S with AWD and a 500bhp (373kW) Panamera Turbo AWD.
Driving the wheels is the Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) 7-speed double-clutch gearbox. US manufacturer suggested retail prices will be US$89,800 for the Panamera S, US$93,800 for the Panamera 4S and US$132,600 for the Turbo when it launches in October.
Bristol411S3
April 21, 2009 3:50 PM
