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Seen for the first time at the Auto Zurich Car Show last December, Techart's GrandGT styling program for the Porsche Panamera is now available for sale. The tuner's box of goodies include a full carbon fiber body kit complemented by beefier alloy wheels, and a variety of cockpit modifications.
The exterior styling kit starts off with a new front bumper cover with the front grill insert and splitter in carbon fiber and continues with wider front and rear fenders, side skirts, a rear bumper with a diffuser, and a deck lid spoiler. A choice of alloy wheels in sizes 20- to 23-inches complete the new look.
The interior package offers buyers a variety of customizations ranging from carbon-fiber trim and Alcantara seats to illuminated door entry guards in a carbon fiber finish.
The tuner can also satisfy power-hungry drivers with several performance upgrades including a 571HP kit for the range-topping Panamera Turbo.
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[Updated gallery] The Tokyo Auto Salon is always a blast featuring all sorts of unique tuning proposals, like this here Porsche wannabe. When our Tokyo show man Phil e-mailed the above photo, we assumed it pictured a Porsche -possibly a Boxster- modified to resemble a Panamera Convertible. We were quickly proven wrong, however, when he sent over an image of the interior and some video footage revealing that the Porsche Panamera tune was actually a...masqueraded Nissan 350Z Roadster. More photos after the jump.
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Porsche officials are exploring the possibility of adding diesel variants to the company's North American lineup to help meet the growing demand for fuel-efficient cars. On sale in Europe since early 2009, the Cayenne diesel could be one contender for the job and may be followed by the Panamera with a diesel engine and a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain.
“We are discussing internally if we should introduce the Cayenne diesel in the U.S. this year. Also a Panamera diesel is an option”, said the brand's sales and marketing chief, Bernhard Maier.
Beside the diesel version, Porsche is also currently selling the Cayenne S Hybrid with the two variants accounting for 30 percent of the model’s total sales worldwide.
Bringing the diesel-powered Cayenne to the States, which is the brand’s biggest single market, could give sales a further boost, after global Porsche deliveries rose by 27% to more than 97,000 units in 2010.
“We expect the diesel and hybrid share to grow further in 2011”, Mr. Maier said.
Citing inside company sources, Autonews Europe reported that the new Panamera variants are expected to be introduced before summer in Europe and could make their world debut at this year’s Geneva Motor Show in early March.
By Csaba Daradics
Source: ANE
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We can think of quite a few reasons why Edo Competition chose to name its latest creation after the imaginary white whale in Herman Melville's classic 1851 novel, Moby Dick, but we'll let you, our readers, humor us with your answers in the comments section after the break. Back to the German Tuner's Moby Dick on wheels, the white Panamera benefits from a hefty power boost as well as modifications to the exterior and interior.
On the outside, the tuner turned to Mansory for a full bodykit, which includes restyled bumpers, widened wheel arches, lowered side skirts and a new bonnet. However, the aerodynamics package is just the prelude for what lies underneath.
First of all, there’s a lowering module for improved handling, as well as 22-inch wheels that can be painted either to match or to contrast the car's exterior color.
But the real McCoy is found under the bonnet, in the form of an upgraded, twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which now produces 750HP, up from stock model's 550HP. Edo Competition says the Moby Dick can accelerate from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in under 4 seconds and achieve an electronically limited top speed of 340 km/h (211 mph).
As part of the engine conversion, turbocharged Panamera also comes with an upgraded exhaust system.
For the interior, the tuning firm used a combination of materials including leather, wood, metal and carbon fiber. Don’t like this combo? No problem, as Edo Competition says virtually anything can be tailored to the customer’s taste.
By Csaba Daradics
