Reports from France suggest the Porsche Panamera could have a diesel version as early as summer 2011 in what would be another departure from the traditional sports image of the Porsche brand, but a probably a necessary one given the type of vehicle that the Panamera is. Automobile Magazine reports that the Porsche Panamera diesel would be equipped with a 3.0-litre TDI V6 twin turbo unit with 300 hp and 600 Nm, that would go to fit-out the Audi A6, A7 Sportback and Audi A8.

The magazine goes on to say that we could even see the Panamera Hybrid revealed in 2011 with the 3.0 TSI V6 combined to an electric motor of 47 hp for a total of 380 hp. We’re convinced that a diesel Panamera makes a lot of sense but we’re less sure we’ll be seeing a hybrid model that soon.

In the meantime, Autocar reveals that Porsche could look to Bentley for more collaboration on future Panamera cars, to produce further variants of the model. While there might be a little too much internal competition for comfort on this front, especially as the Bentley Continental GT could get in the way of a Panamera GT model, Porsche CEO Matthias Muller has said it makes sense for Porsche and Bentley to collaborate to consolidate platform development and cut costs. He says:

What we want to do, in conjunction with Bentley, is to have a common architecture, a common performance in purchasing, and so on. That is just an offer to Bentley; you have to understand. Everybody will be keen to get synergies and reduce costs, and at the end of the day, have a better revenue

Specifically referring to the Panamera model, he says:

To have only a four-door limousine is a boring option for the future…. You can imagine a coupé with two doors, a longer version, maybe a van, a combi, or something else. There are a lot of ideas about the Panamera line-up but we cannot do all of these derivatives at the same time, and we need to look at the customers, whether they are keen to have a derivative of the Panamera.

We have to look at our competitors, and our internal competitors. Maybe there is a Bentley; we have to look at whether the Porsche can fit in with the strategy there. It would be stupid to have a car, a derivative, which substitutes, or is substituted, to 100 per cent by another brand.

So far the Panamera has proved there is a market for it and that it’s a popular model so there’s no reason why Porsche shouldn’t look to develop it, as long as that doesn’t mean stepping on Bentley toes or making investments in models where others are already playing.

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