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Porsche reveals new Panamera Turbo S ahead of Tokyo debut

For many buyers in the market for a luxury sports sedan, style is as important as performance. But while the Porsche Panamera undoubtedly delivers in the latter category, it falls somewhat short in the former. Porsche went to some lengths (if not quite far enough for some tastes) to improve its four-door model's visual appeal with the facelift revealed earlier this year, but now it's time to up the performance game with the new Panamera Turbo S.
Set to be revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show in just a few weeks from now, the new top-tier Panamera benefits from several key upgrades over the existing Turbo and the pre-facelift Turbo S. For one, its 4.8-liter twin-turbo V8 now produces 570 horsepower (up from 520 in the new Turbo and 550 in the old Turbo S and the latest Cayenne Turbo S) and 553 pound-feet of torque (up from the current Turbo's 516 but the same as the previous model). Despite the power boost, however, Porsche is quoting the same 3.6-second 0-60 time for the new Panamera Turbo S as it did for the previous one - but then that hardly required improvement in the first place. Top speed, however, is up to 192 miles per Autobahn-blurring hour, two mph faster than the previous model.
Other features include carbon-ceramic brakes (hopefully with more durable bolts than sister companies Lamborghini and Bentley have been using) packed inside the wheels from the 911 Turbo and an exclusive shade of greige called Palladium. And for the first time, customers will be able to order this top-spec model in long-wheelbase Executive trim. But don't expect it to come cheap: MSRP (before delivery and options) is quoted at $180,300 for the standard wheelbase and $200,500 for the stretched model. That's two and a half times the price of a base Panamera, and makes the new Panamera Turbo S Executive both the most expensive and most powerful Porsche your can buy this side of a 918 Spyder. Haven't passed out yet? There's more to digest in the press release, so head on down below to take it all in.

Porsche Exclusive showcases custom-order 911 Turbo Cabrio

Porsche is one of the most profitable automakers in the business. In fact, it's said to make about $23,000 on each car it sells, thanks in no small part to an options list that can send the sticker price accelerating quicker than one of its own sports cars. But there are always those for whom even the extensive option list won't be enough, and for just such customers, there is Porsche Exclusive.
The division in Zuffenhausen is tasked with creating even more individualized examples of Porsche vehicles, and it recently did up this 911 Turbo Cabriolet - which, at $160,700, is already one of the most expensive Porsches you can order this side of a 918 Spyder: more than any Boxster, Cayman, Macan or Cayenne, any Panamera other than a Turbo S or Executive - not to mention any other 911 short of a Turbo S.
This particular demo vehicle features a Slate Grey paint job and red interior decked out in more leather than an S&M dungeon - which, come to think of it, would probably be less financially painful than ordering up this car from Porsche Exclusive.

Porsche names Oliver Blume as new CEO

With Matthias Muller stepping up to take over as the new chief executive of the entire Volkswagen Group, the Porsche division is going to need a new CEO of its own. Taking Muller's place will be Dr. Oliver Blume, who assumes his new responsibilities on October 1. Blume is no stranger to the higher ranks at Porsche, having served for over two years now as the executive in charge of the company's production and logistics. In that capacity, he oversaw the establishment of the workshop where the 918 Spyder was built by hand, and the expansion of the Leipzig plant to handle production of the Macan and Panamera. He'll now be stepping into bigger shoes, however, as chairman of the board of management – essentially the company's chief executive. At the same time, Porsche has also named Detlev von Platen as its head of sales and marketing. Von Platen has for the past seven years headed up the North American office, which recently lost its VP as well to Rolls-Royce, so they're going to need to make some new appointments in Atlanta. The previous marketing chief Bernhard Maier is moving to the Czech Republic to take over as CEO of Skoda. The company's CFO Lutz Meschke has also been named as deputy chairman of the executive board. The appointments come amidst a giant game of musical chairs within the Volkswagen Group. Aside from the ousting of former supervisory board chairman Ferdinand Piech five months ago, the diesel emissions scandal has seen the German industrial giant cleaning house within its top ranks and R&D staff. Most notable was the resignation of Martin Winterkorn, whose position at the head of the group's management board Muller will now assume. Supervisory Board of Porsche AG appoints Detlev von Platen Head of Sales and Marketing Oliver Blume is new Chairman of the Executive Board Stuttgart. At its meeting today, the Supervisory Board of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG appointed Dr. Oliver Blume (47) the Chairman of the Executive Board of the sports car manufacturer effective October 1, 2015. Blume succeeds Matthias Muller (62), who was appointed by the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG to be the new Chairman of the Board of Management of the Wolfsburg-based group. It has been exactly five years since Muller left Volkswagen to become the CEO of Porsche AG. Since the beginning of 2013, Blume has been a member of the Porsche Executive Board responsible for Production and Logistics.