After all the waiting, the countless spy shots, and the consistent teasing by Porsche, the company has finally revealed the first official photos of its new four-door, the Panamera. Though we new what the basic profile looked like, the Panamera is still one of the most controversial looking Porsche’s to come out in a long, long time.

Camouflaged cars car always give you a taste of what the basic silhouette of a upcoming car looks like, but it’s not until you see the official photos that you really get a feel for what type of car you’re looking at. In the case of the Panamera, Porsche really didn’t do much except stretch the wheelbase, and then add a second pair of doors to what is essentially a classic 911 shape. The outcome is a bit odd in that the whole car seems a bit disproportionate. Now we all know that cars always look different in the flesh, but this is gonna be a hard one to pull off.  I for one, feel the car’s design is a bit unimaginative.

Though it looks like a 911, its basic architecture is far from it. The Panamera’s chassis is a basic derevetive of the one that underpins the Cayenne SUV. This is a front engine, rear-wheel drive platform that will accommodate an all-wheel drive version for its range topper.

The Panamera will share most of its engines with the Cayenne as well. The engines choices will range from 300-500hp or more. The standard base car will be powered by a V6 while the higher-end models will come with both naturally aspirated and turbocharged, V8 engines. A hybrid powertrain is also planned for the lineup in the near future. Porsche’s new PDK 7-speed, semi-auto dual-clutch gearbox and a traditional 6-speed manual will be the offered transmission choices.

The new Porsche Panamera is set for an official debut in Spring of next year, with the summer being targeted as the car’s release date. No pricing has been set yet, but we expect it to fall in the $70-150,000 range.

-Source: Inside Line

-Photos: Porsche AG