Bet you haven’t thought about hitching the old trailer to your brand new Porsche Panamera and taking it on the next family camping trip…have you?

I ran across these pictures on TopSpeed a few days ago. Made me laugh. Especially since the Panamera is pulling a Lotus Exige. I guess I just don’t see the Panamera as a tow vehicle. Seems as wrong as some of the other “Porsche towing stuff” pictures we’ve seen in the past few years.

I’m waiting for some retired Porscheophile to figure out a way to mount a fifth wheel hitch to the roof of a Porsche 928 or something like that to pull his forty footer around.

[Source & Image: TopSpeed.com]

The first is a bastardized Porsche Cayenne. A reader on Jalopnik.com came across an older Asian man that was literally supergluing fake rhinestones onto his Porsche Cayenne in the parking lot of a store. He had already added reflective tape, thermometers, compasses, pins, badges and lights as part of his customization treatment.

Add it to the long list of sad things people have done to Porsches over the years.

[Source & Images: Jalopnik.com]

2011 911 GT3 RS – Smokey and the Bandit Edition

I’m not sure what to think about this customized Porsche 911 GT3 RS. It’s a Smokey and the Bandit version styled after the 1977 Pontiac Trans Am from the movie. Great movie, especially for a car nut, but this rendition just doesn’t sit quite right.

Maybe the person who owns this is an avid fan and is pushing for a remake of the movie with a Porsche as the star car.

[Source & Image: RideLust.com]

Panamera Race Car

N.Technology has decided that given how well received the Porsche Panamera has been, it should also do well on the track. They’ve focused on the Porsche Panamera S and have made what appear to be extensive modifications, at least to the exterior, to make it race ready. It’s already 1212 pounds lighter than a stock Panamera.

Here’s a quote from the driver, Fabrizio Giovanardi: “We are very pleased with the work today, a really good way to start the development of the Porsche Panamera S! My first impressions on the car are positive, even this has been the first real check on the track. Thanks to today´s activities, engineers have now a good amount of data available to better prepare the next testing sessions. We expect to debut in the Championship at Mugello (July 25) and continue to better development in the coming weeks.”

Given all the room in the back of the Panamera, maybe they should sell rear passenger seat time for the race. They could fund their entry with the proceeds.

[Source & Image: N.Technology.it]

Several car sites are asking the obvious question about the sketch of the 2 door Porsche Grand Touring car above. It’s an image used on the Porsche Consulting home page. Of course the speculation is that this is a representation of a 2-door Porsche…a 928 successor perhaps.

We’ve had a number of rumors float around the last 6 months about a front engine grand tourer. Something to bring back the super car, luxurious glory of the Porsche 928 that was last seen in 1995. The success of the Porsche Panamera has fueled the future model lust so much so that many of us 928 fans are starting to believe our own day dreams. I’ll spare you all the possible specification blather adoring fans are throwing around.

Whether or not the speculation is valid, it’s still fun to dream of a successor to the 928. Maybe my wife will like this one enough to let me get one!

What does everyone think? Porsche 928 reborn or useless rumor?

[Source: Porsche Consulting]

This is a great commercial with some sweet footage of a Porsche Panamera in the snow. Wouldn’t it be great to have a new Porsche, snow on an open lot and a camera? Or even better, a runway covered with snow!

Seems like Porsche tuners love customizing the Porsche Panamera. Not sure if that’s a good sign, or a bad one. Most of them have been pretty subtle. I’m waiting for that one Gemballa-like crazy tuned version of the Panamera. This one from TopCar is getting a bit closer.

Spearheaded by Russian Porsche tuner TopCar, the Stingray appears to be a somewhat joint effort between TopCar, Cardi and 9ff with specialties pulled from all three. Kind of like Wonder Twins, only the Wonder Triplets……”Wonder Triplets, activate! Form of……the Perfect Porsche Panamera!” Sorry, dating myself a bit there, but so are any of you who get that reference!

The Stingray comes in 3 versions including a Black Matte Edition, a White Edition and a Carbon Grey Edition. Here’s what I could gather about the upgrades:

• Edition specific exterior paint, bumper inserts, and matching interior
• Front lip spoiler, side skirts and rear diffuser
• Power bumps ranging from 542 hp to 740 hp depending on the upgrades and what version of the Panamera you’re starting with
• Reprogrammed ECU
• Upgraded sports exhaust
• Upgraded wheels

Call me a pimp, but I really like those black rims with the rivets all the way around the edges. I have no idea why, but I think that looks mighty sexy.

On the inside, this has got to be one of the more “out there” interiors. I’m not sure about the metal looking and eye popping (literally making your eyeballs want to pop out of their sockets) surfaces. Reminds me of the interior of the last Spyker I saw that had actual metal surfaces that looked like this.

I’m sure there will be plenty of takers for this tricked out ride. Seems like they at least took a step away from playing it safe like a lot of the Porsche tuners have done with the Panamera.

TECHART, a couple of days ago, announced an upgrade for the Porsche Panamera called the TECHART Black Edition. I, for one, am a pretty big fan of these matt black edition cars. At least from what I’ve seen in the pictures. It definitely feeds that superhero fascination that lurks inside me somewhere. This would be a heck of an addition to that house in Japan with the space for a car in the living room (check the post out here if you missed it: A Car Enthusiast’s Dream House).

The TECHART Black Edition is not just a paint job. Included are a number of upgrades to both the interior as well as exterior of the car. On the outside, we have the TECHART Aerodynamic Kit I (including front spoiler, rear wing and apron, side skirts and roof spoiler), TECHART daytime running light system, and TECHART exhaust system, all seamlessly incorporated into the matt black design. Also part of the package are TEACHART 22-inch Formula II light alloy wheels…in black of course!

The interior is an interesting one. I usually am not a huge fan of colored piping, but in this case I think it looks pretty sweet. TECHART has done most of the interior in black leather with alcantara, hand-sewed stitching and the leather piping in flamenco red. The matt black finish can be found on a number of interior surfaces including trims, door entry guards, cup holder and air vents. Not as sexy looking as the exterior, in my opinion, but still a great compliment to the overall color scheme.

Price? Beats me. And frankly, I’m scared to look. It’s probably not going to be cheap. Course when did Batman ever sport a cheap ride?!

[Source & Images: press.techart.de]

Maybe Porsche will give Disney on Ice a run for it’s money (sorry, bad joke). There’s just something about a Porsche on ice that is mesmerizing to me. I love this stuff. They test several different Porsche Panameras.

I thought this video was pretty interesting. It’s a little dry presentation wise, but the cutaway car, plus the graphic examples show off the technology really well. Didn’t realize that the driver position in the Panamera was exactly the same as the 911.

This has got to be one of the stranger paint jobs I’ve ever seen on a Porsche (aside from Janis Joplin’s 356). It’s got a desert camo paint scheme. I’m not sure which is attracting more attention. The camo paint or the fact that it’s a Panamera.

I’m liking TECHART’s approach more and more. I love their styling, the subtle additions that enhance the racing prowess of the cars and the interior styling. These have got to be a sight to see at the Geneva Auto Show where they’re making their debut.

TECHART Concept One for Porsche Panamera

The first is what TECHART is calling the Concept One individualization study. What I can gather from the press release shows some possible performance increases with a 150 hp boost, but I think the focus is more on the exterior and interior treatments. Outside, they’ve added some nice trim pieces with redesigned front and rear aprons. Custom tail pipes, spoiler and integrated air openings both front and back actually serve useful purposes as well as complimenting the overall look.

What really gets me is the interior in this car. It reminds me of some of the Gemballa interiors from the 80′s without the extreme in your face nature of them. The white interior with black accents looks pretty striking. They’ve also added some “comfort” for the rear seated passengers such as a 10.2″ ceiling monitor with integrate DVD player, a rear console and folding tables built into the front seats.

TECHART Program for Porsche Panamera

Essentially this is the same program TECHART was offering for the Porsche Panamera, only now it’s been extended to include the Panamera S and 4S models. Options such as the Aerodynamic Kit I include a triple-part front spoiler, side sills, rear wing and rear diffuser and TECHART dual tail pipes. There are some suggested wheel options matched to recommended tires and boost options.

This is more of subtle kit to set your Porsche Panamera apart a bit from the rest. Nice looking, for sure, but nothing that is going to cause heads to snap around. This applies to the interior as well. The base treatments are more nice touches than radical improvements you’ll notice right away, in my opinion.

TECHART Individualization for Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S

The last on the list for today is the TECHART options for the new Porsche 911 Turbo and 911 Turbo S. I’ve got mixed feelings about the photos I’m looking at for this package. On one hand, they do make the car even meaner looking, but on the other, there’s something about Porsche’s stock styling of the 911 Turbo and Turbo S. Personally, I think it’d be foolish to apply this package to the 911 Turbo S given it’s potential collector status. Course I feel the same way about the Carrera GT. Guess that’s how those of us without unlimited funds think.

Most of the upgrades are external attempting to improve the 911 Turbo design through reduced aerodynamic lift, better cooling through airflow optimization and better lighting options. There are two Aerodynamic Kits available along with the usual TECHART wheels and suggested tire options. Some minor interior enhancements compliment the treatment.

An interesting application of their individualization program was made to the Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet for the Geneva Auto Show. Don’t see too many tuners showcasing their products on a cabriolet, so that’s a welcome addition.

Still on the fence on this one.

[Source & Images: Press.Techart.de]