The Porsche Panamera is set to receive some considerable changes for its next generation, and spy photographers were there to snap shots of it testing for the first time. This decently camouflaged Panamera prototype should be the first of many we’ll see in the future.
Although the heavy camo is meant to throw us off, the overall shape of the prototype helps paint a pretty good picture of what we can expect on the new Panamera. Given that the 2015 Cayenne recently took on a Macan-like appearance with minor exterior changes, we expect the same for the Panamera. Like the Cayenne, we expect an overall cleaner design language on the next Panamera, defined by a revised front fascia with air blades that direct air to the intercoolers, and a new headlight design. The tailgate looks smoother and more fluid, and although the taillights are covered up, we can expect them to feature Porsche’s four-point light design.
The most important change to the Panamera is that it rides on an all-new rear/all-wheel drive platform, dubbed MSB. This new architecture will reportedly underpin the next Boxster/Cayman and 911, and it will spawn new engines. The German automaker has already revealed that it will develop its own new V-8 that will be common to the MSB platform. Current Panamera powertrains include a 310-hp 3.6-liter V-6, a 420-hp twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6, 416-hp supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 hybrid, 440-hp 4.8-liter V-8, and a 520-570-hp twin-turbo 4.8-liter V-8.
While a Panamera S E-Hyrid is already expected, it’s also possible the new architecture could birth a wagon-like Panamera similar to the Panamera Sport Turismo Concept. Either way, there will be more variants with the second-gen Panamera, which should debut sometime in 2016 as a 2017 model.
