Last month had been a remarkable month for the Porsche Panamera as it topped US sales compared to other Porsche models, the first time for the Panamera.

Porsche sold 1747 vehicles last month, six percent lower than its sales on the same month last year. Of these 1747 units, Panamera had the highest share.

• Porsche Panamera – 678 units
• Porsche Boxster – 219 units
• Porsche Cayman – 135 units
• Porsche 911 – 389 units
• Porsche Cayenne – 326 units

Press release below:

New Gran Turismo defies the difficult market environment

Panamera is Porsche’s best-selling model in the USA for the first time

Stuttgart. In April the Panamera became Porsche’s best-selling model in the US for the first time. A record number of 678 customers chose the four-passenger Gran Turismo. The premium sports car manufacturer had to operate in a difficult overall market environment and sold 1,747 units from its current model lines to US customers. This is a fall of around six percent on the same month last year.

In addition to the Panamera, which has been available on the US market since October 2009, the Boxster and Cayman mid-engine models both had good news to report: 219 units of the Boxster were sold, a rise of around 28 percent compared to April 2009, and 135 units of the Cayman were sold, three percent up on last April. Deliveries of the 911 model fell 42 percent to 389 units compared to the same period last year. The Cayenne posted a life-cycle related decline of about 63 percent to 326 vehicles. The new generation of the sporty SUV will be launched on the US market starting in July 2010, and it will also be available for the first time as a technically demanding parallel full hybrid model. The Cayenne S Hybrid consumes only 8.2 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers in the New European Driving Cycle, which is the equivalent of 193 grams per kilometer in CO2 emissions.

If you’ve always desired to improve the sportiness of your Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe, you may want to take a look at the new Tequipment Aerokit Cup package from Porsche. This new package has been inspired by the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and includes a wide array of new add-ons, like the following:

• New front apron
• Revised rear fascia
• Front spoiler lip
• Massive rear wing

Other than the said package, there are other accessories made available for several Porsche models. Click for the press release at World Car Fans to see them.

Specifications

Power Output: 620+ hp
0-60 mph time: 3.2 seconds
Price: $317,000
Weight: 90 kg
* Only 300 units will be available

[Source: Teamspeed]

The Porsche Panamera has got a new body kit, courtesy of Techart. It’s all black this time, from front to rear, interior to exterior.

The said kit contains new enhancements that give the Panamera a more serious look. Here are some of what you’ll see in the Panamera Black Edition:

• Black daytime running lights
• Sports exhaust system
• Black 22-inch Techart Formula II light alloy wheels
• Techart calipers
• Black leather, hand-sewed flamenco red stitching, and seams in the interior

Even the smallest add-ons in the Panamera are matte-black-painted. Examples of these are its cup holder, entry guards, and other interior accessories.

Amid the various reports about the possibility of a smaller version of the Cayenne SUV, Porsche has already denied the rumors. Instead, the automaker will be focusing more on the Cayenne, its strongest-selling model.

Despite the promises that a smaller model may offer, some Porsche insiders have told AutoCar that the company doesn’t want to take risks and encounter an experience similar with Audi—with the compact Q5 crossover snatching sales from the Q7. Though a smaller Cayenne would appeal to more people, it could possibly take away sales from the bigger model.

At present, 50% of the overall profit of Porsche is from the Cayenne SUV. A 2011 Cayenne model is due out sometime late in May.

According to AutomobileMag, Porsche is now working toward the goal of bringing its hybrid 918 Spyder concept (which was presented at the latest Geneva Show) into production. The said automaker is now taking the initial steps by working with its dealers worldwide in order to determine prospective buyers. The information gleaned from this will determine whether the automaker will give the said model a go.

If the feedback from customers will be good, the 918 Spyder might be in the market in a few years’ time. No mention about the price has been made yet, although it is said to range higher than the $440,000 Carrera GT.

For more about the Hybrid Porsche 918 Spyder Concept, check out the press release at Porsche.

The coming Beijing Motor Show will witness the unveiling of two new Panamera models: the base Porsche Panamera and the Panamera 4. The said models will feature a direct-injection 3.6-liter engine that’s capable of producing 300 horsepower and 295 lbs-ft of torque—no wonder they will be cheaper than the Panamera S.

The base Panamera will be driven by rear wheels while the Panamera 4 will be equipped with an all-wheel drive. Both will also have available adaptive air suspension as an option. The base Panamera is priced at $74,400 while the Panamera 4 has a starting price of $78,900. The said models will be reaching the United States in June.

Press Release:

Porsche Adds New Panamera Models to its Gran Turismo Lineup

Sporting a new 300-horsepower V6 engine, the Panamera and Panamera 4 deliver Porsche driving excitement, high comfort, and excellent fuel efficiency

ATLANTA – February 16, 2010 Porsche Cars North America today announced the addition of two new Panamera models, just three months after successfully launching the first four-door Gran Turismo in three V8 flavors: the Panamera S, the Panamera 4S and the Panamera Turbo.

The Panamera and Panamera 4, the model line’s new entry level versions, will be in Porsche dealerships in June 2010. Both feature a brand-new 3.6-liter V6 with Direct Fuel Injection (DFI) developing 300 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. The Panamera transmits its power to the road via the rear wheels, while the Panamera 4 comes standard with active all-wheel drive. U.S. models will include Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK), Porsche’s new and revolutionary seven-speed double-clutch gearbox, as standard equipment.

The Panamera and Panamera 4 are examples of the Porsche Intelligent Performance development strategy. Equipped with the PDK gearbox and the Auto Start Stop function, Porsche expects these new models to be considerably more fuel efficient than their normally aspirated V8 siblings. Official U.S. EPA fuel economy figures will be announced closer to the new models on-sale date, and both meet the strict EU5 emission standard in Europe and the LEV standard in the United States. And like all Panamera models, they are not subject to a gas-guzzler tax.

Porsche has always focused on superior efficiency and performance, and in the case of these new Panamera models these long-held tenets are not mutually exclusive. One example of this ideal combination of qualities is consistent lightweight construction with the axles, doors, hood, front fenders and tailgate all made of aluminum. Likewise, the brand new 90-degree angle V6 powerplant built at Porsche’s engine plant in Zuffenhausen is approximately 66 lbs. lighter than the Porsche V8 in the Panamera S and 4S. This contributes to the low overall curb weight, which in the case of the Panamera with the PDK transmission is just 3,880 lbs. (1,730 kg).

Like the proven V8 models, both the Panamera and the Panamera 4, as genuine Gran Turismos, combine a sporting character with a high standard of comfort and everyday driving qualities. Steel suspension with variable dampers is standard, and adaptive air suspension with additional air volume on demand is available as an option. This provides a wide range of suspension qualities and features, with a high level of motoring comfort on the one hand and extremely sporting driving dynamics on the other.

Both models will be making their world debut at the Beijing Motor Show on April 23, 2010. The Panamera and Panamera 4 MSRPs are $74,400 and $78,900, respectively.

Last year, I posted the first commercial of the Porsche Panamera, the family tree commercial that I found on You Tube. While doing my regular web browsing a while ago, I stumbled upon a video at AutoBlog that shows behind-the-scene footages during the making of the said commercial.

AutoBlog has given the figures involved in the making of the said video: 50 Porsche models, 22 professional drivers, 160 crew members, and 2 helicopter pilots. With this great number of professionals involved, it’s no wonder the video was amazing. You just have to watch it at AutoBlog.

Huge customer interest for the fourth Porsche model series

Stuttgart/Leipzig. Today, just three months after the new Panamera went on sale the 10,000th car rolled off the production line at the Leipzig plant of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart. The 500 HP platinum silver metallic Panamera Turbo will be delivered to a customer in Singapore.

Michael Macht, Chairman of the Board of Porsche AG: “Sales of the Panamera have really taken off: we have already secured over 9,000 orders. Shortly after it was launched our Gran Turismo won the coveted “Goldenes Lenkrad” ["Golden steering wheel"] and “Auto Trophy” awards in Germany. It has also won many international prizes.” The Panamera 4S is proving particularly popular and has a share of 44 per cent - putting it ahead of the Turbo (36 per cent) and the Panamera S (20 per cent).

The company plans to build 20,000 Panamera per year across the whole product cycle. The fourth Porsche model series is being manufactured at the Leipzig plant in the so-called model mix, sharing a production line with the Cayenne SUV. The innovative, highly streamlined production is seen as a model of technological and economic excellence for the automobile industry worldwide.

Due to the weight problems posed by conventional lead batteries, Porsche has come up with a new innovation in the form of a lighter lithium ion starter battery. The automaker is the first to offer this type of battery in vehicles, and it plans to make the said innovation an option in some of its models starting January 2010. The models to benefit from the said battery are the 911 GT3, 911 GT 3 RS, and the Boxster Spyder.

The said battery has shed about 10 kilos of the weight of a typical lead battery, weighing only below six kilograms. The battery will come with the conventional battery when ordered with the car, and the two can be interchanged depending on the driver’s need. An appealing innovation? Sure it is, but it’s still pricey as of now, being offered for 1,904 Euros, including VAT.