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2015 Porsche Panamera Exclusive Series is a seriously quick way to spend $260k

Porsche is usually associated with being a sports car brand, but with vehicles like the Cayenne and Panamera it takes a step into the world of luxury against firmly established players like Mercedes-Benz. One way for the company to poke its head above the high-class fray is by taking things further, and in the case of the Panamera Exclusive Series at the Los Angeles Auto Show, it means pushing grandeur to extreme levels.
Coming in at an absolutely eye-watering $263,900, plus $995 destination, the Panamera Exclusive starts its life as the already sumptuous Panamera Turbo S Executive with a 4.8-liter, twin-turbo V8 making 570 horsepower on an extended wheelbase. To help justify the extra $63,000 for the Exclusive, though, the model gets 20-inch black Sport Classic wheels and an interior in swaddled in Nappa leather with dark walnut and piano black trim. Rear passengers also get 10.1-inch touchscreens mounted on the back of the front seats. A set of fitted Poltrana Frau leather luggage is included with each one, as well.
The luxurious sedan earns it Exclusive moniker because just 100 of them are being made worldwide. Scroll down to read about Porsche's ultimate limousine.

'We're not a hedge fund': Porsche plans to curtail speculators and flippers

A sizable number of speculators view cars as an investment. Rare or unusual models are quickly snapped up and either parked for years or flipped for a profit. Cars from automakers like Porsche and Ferrari are more prone than others, and at least some people behind these models are getting a bit tired of it. While it's difficult to police what goes on after you sell a car, Porsche has some plans that might curtail the problem before it starts. Andreas Preuninger, the head of GT road-car development and the man behind the new 911 GT3, spoke to Car and Driver at a recent event. "I personally like to see my cars being used," he said. "That's what we build them for. They are just too good to be left to stand and collect dust." One recent example of this rampant speculation is the 911 R. While the special manual-only model sold for $185,950 when new, used versions were selling for nearly $1.3 million just months after it went on sale. While the car is a masterpiece and an instant classic, a good number will be parked and simply used as art and not the rolling testaments to the man/machine interface they were intended to be. The concern over valuations has become so fierce that some owners are upset that Porsche is offering the new 911 GT3 with a manual transmission, fearing that it may hurt the value of the 911 R. "When I said we're not a hedge fund, I'm talking to those people who are yelling at us for offering the manual transmission similar to the R," Preuninger said. "But if there are people wanting to buy cars like that, then as a company we should try to fulfill that, to meet that demand." It seems Porsche is keeping a close eye on who is flipping cars. Since there is often far more demand than supply with certain models, the German automaker has a name for every car before it's built. Buyers with bad reputations might not even make the wait list. Related Video:

President Obama will be on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

The seventh season of Jerry Seinfeld's excellent Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee will debut on Wednesday, December 30, and if this first trailer is any indication, the guest lineup is damn impressive. But rather than building up to one big guest over the course of the season, the show is starting with one of the biggest guests possible – the president of the United States. President Barack Obama will join Seinfeld behind the wheel of what looks like a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray for a trip around the South Lawn of the White House. According to CBS, the pair will enjoy their coffee in the staff dining room, which is probably a better idea than crippling Washington, D.C., with a Stingray-led motorcade. Aside from the president, Seinfeld has recruited a couple comedy icons, including first-timers Will Ferrell and Steve Martin. Also appearing are Garry Shandling, Sebastian Maniscalco, and Kathleen Madigan. The four-wheeled stars will include the Corvette, a Plymouth Superbird, a Chevy Camaro, a classic Porsche 911, a BMW 2002, and what we think is a (rather troublesome) 1952 Siata 208 8V Coupe Balbo. You can check out the entire trailer up at the top of the page. News Source: Crackle via YouTube Celebrities TV/Movies BMW Chevrolet Porsche Coupe Performance Classics Videos jerry seinfeld comedians in cars getting coffee cicgc will ferrell