Drama in Deutschland: A new car from a hostile Porsche
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It’s tangled, it’s complicated and it’s happening in Germany at a time when, frankly, Americans have more pressing matters to worry about. But the saga between Porsche and Volkswagen sounds like something from a soap opera. Pull up a bratwurst and get comfortable.
The two companies have been intertwined since before the Second World War. Ferdinand Porsche designed the original VW Beetle (or Type 1 as it was known) before setting up his own operation. Then there were the joint projects of the Porsche 914 and the VW Touareg/Porsche Cayenne SUVs. Fast-forward to this month and Porsche is doing well while other car makers are faltering (the success of the Cayenne in North America being a major factor).
The company has now amassed a controlling stake in VW. Another Ferdinand, grandson of the original, Herr Piëch, is chairman of VW but is resisting the efforts of his cousin, Wolfgang Porsche, to oust him from this position. Porsche (the man) was angered by his cousin’s apparent support of VW workers eager to keep their new masters at arm’s length. And just to add another layer, Piëch owns around 13% of Porsche (the company).
Against this backdrop of internecine strife comes the first official teaser shot of the Panamera Gran Turismo. Although its nose looks pretty much like that of any other Porsche sports car, this model is a sedan. The usual kind of driving thrills expected from the wizards of Weissach are promised, only with seating for four adults. It’s expected to go on sale stateside around this time next year. But the Porsches and the Piëchs still have Christmas to get through.