Porsche has launched the most driver-focused Panamera to date with the LA Motor Show debut of the Panamera GTS. 

And, pleasingly, the firm has looked to the past for its name, bringing back the moniker used for the most special 928 built from 1989 to 1994. The 928 GTS was the meatiest of the original front-engined Porsche and, thanks to wider rear arches hiding 9-inch wheels, the best looking too (even though I still admire the purity of the gorgeous 1978 launch model too – and am not the only one…).

The Panamera is arguably the spiritual successor to the 928: while the original didn’t have rear doors, it was still intended to be a luxurious four-seat Porsche. Misguided engineering and the resultant dreadful space inefficiency was the only reason it emerged instead as a 2+2.

Reviving a name from the past isn’t the only blast from history, though. The newest Panamera’s colour has also been taken from the Porsche back catalogue. For the Panamera GTS only is the availability of an all-new hue for the luxury four-door range: Carmine Red.

Now, when I first saw it, for some reason my memory piped up ’944′, and it seems this is partly right. OK, the Carmine Red isn’t actually from the 944 (the one I was thinking of is an amalgam of Maraschino Red and Velvet Red, for the record…), but it HAS been used on Porsches past.

Carmine Red Porsche 928 AND 911

Indeed, it was actually used on the 928 itself, for the 1988 model year. It was also, more significantly, available on the 911, again for a limited period between 1987-1988 (some reckon the number of 911s in this colour doesn’t even reach the hundreds…). Yes, original Carmine Red – L80F – is a very rare colour indeed.

So why has Porsche brought it back? Maybe a mooted reason for its introduction back in the 80s reveals why: on the 911 it was a less vivid, less garish alternative to the commonplace ‘guards red’ 3.2 Carrera of the era, which Porsche believed many people desired.

Colours reflect the times and the financiers that lusted after Porsches had suffered a tumultuous time on Black Monday. Cheeriness was thin on the ground: a jazzy Guards Red car parked outside Lloyds wasn’t really what the red brace crew wanted.

Evidently not all that popular, as it turned out, given its short time on the options list: the Yuppies ensured fortunes revived, briefly, so the brighter hue soon returned. This is why 911 fans actively search it out today: it’s extremely rare.

And why the apostrophes above for Guards Red? Because, according to Tony Corlett, Guards Red wasn’t actually used on the 3.2 Carrera, with ‘India Red’  (027) being Porsche’s preferred name, later changing to Indian Red (80K). Same colour, different names.

(The joy of being a Porsche fan, if you didn’t already know, is delving into details like this…)

Question is, does the Panamera GTS possess the same name but a different colour? It *seems* similar, but is it exactly the same as the 1980s original?

If you’re as insatiably geeky as me and thus interested, you’re in luck. I’m such a devourer of details, I’m going to try and find out…

+ My hit car colour of 2011

+ Xirallic: what is it?

+ August 2011: what is Porsche up to at the moment?

Porsche is not phasing out the 997 just yet. Nor is it admitting the 991 is actually on the way. 

That’s despite prototype tests of the 911, in which many state it will be one of the stars of Frankfurt. Porsche hasn’t yet revealed what its Frankfurt plans will be, and made scant reference to the car so many have already driven.

It won’t be until the end of August that we’ll officially know Porsche’s Frankfurt star will be the 991 911.

Surely, though, customers have long known it is imminent? And surely they’re stopping buying 911s as a result? Apparently not: in June, Porsche delivered 1% more 911 than it did the year before. Sales in the first half of 2011 have topped the 10k mark. It easily outsells other sports-line Porsches: the Boxster sold 3800, the Cayman, just 2300.

That’s why, in the UK, all current 997 variants remain available to buy. “They’re built to order so if one comes in, we can accommodate”, revealed a spokesman. ”There is still a waiting list for a Porsche 911.”

Tellingly, though, the cars most people are waiting for over here are the special editions. If anything will make you buy a runout 911, it’s the combination of limited-edition appeal, bespoke styling and a whole host of value-added kit. Both Black editions and GTS 911 variants are keeping dealer handover areas busy.

Indeed, the four-wheel drive GTS has only just gone on sale. Yes, despite there ‘possibly’ being a new model on the horizon, Porsche is still rolling out the new model introductions.

As for which models go first, four-wheel drive and turbo versions are likely to last longer than the rear-drive variants. The 991 test mule is rear-drive and, in a reverse of Porsche 964 sequencing, it will come ahead of later four-wheel drive versions.

Multi-model Porsche dealers

Nowadays, dealers have plenty more besides to keep them busy. Although the 911 remains the best-selling Porsche in the UK – as it is for several other markets – ‘new age’ Porsche Cayenne and Panamera models are winning increasing sales too.

But in what split? For the Panamera, one third of sales are six-cylinder cars – the 300hp 3.6-litre V6 in either rear-drive or four-wheel drive guise.

That’s set to change massively, with the introduction of the Panamera Diesel. In a flash, a full 50% of the UK Panamera split will consist of Diesel models, despite it being offered in just one rear-drive form.

Some of those sales will be displaced petrol V6 sales, but not all of them. Could the Panamera Diesel thus soon lead to V6 sales taking two thirds of UK volume?

It won’t be the same everywhere. Europe is a key market for the Diesel, and other countries will take 40% of sales – but, overall, it will comprise just 10% of Panamera volume. That’s the influence of the US, Japan and China for you, none of which get diesel. They like V8s and hybrids, and will take those Panameras in droves.

Porsche is changing, fast. The 911 will long continue, and will also remain Porsche’s pinnacle. But it’s no longer the most important car for the business heads. The 911 made Porsche’s reputation but it’s the Cayenne and Panamera that today make its money.

Oh, and here’s a fact you may not know about the Panamera either. The biggest, mightiest, visually-massive four-door Porsche is actually lighter than the all-aluminium Jaguar XJ. Despite only the axles, doors, bonnet, wings and rear lid actually being made from aluminium…

+ Porsche misses obvious weight-saving tweak

+ Porsche makes cranky Cayenne cool

+ BMW April Fool brilliance (again)

BMW’s M3 is the core of the M brand, Rolf Sheibner from the division told me.

So who is its closest relative? Step forward the Porsche 997 911. Yes, really. ‘In terms of dynamic skills and character, the M3 and 997 are like relatives,’ Sheibner revealed.

Well, I’ll be.

He was straight up, though. The M division hadn’t benchmarked the M3 against other M cars, but the mighty and ever-better Porsche, the definitive everyday supercar.

‘For 30 years, M3 customers have also been drawn to Porsche. When someone considers one, they’re usually looking at the other, too.’

Which presents quite a high bar for the M division to clear. That’s why they start early. Albeit, from a solid base.

‘We let the road car division develop the standard 3 Series for two years. And, once they reach a certain level, we then start to develop the M version.’

Makes sense. So how much independence do they have here? A wry smile from Sheibner. ‘Look in our papers: we’re a maker! We’re called M GmBH…’ All that was missing here was the cheeky wink.

He knows his customers pretty well, though. I asked about the eight million different settings for the V8 M3’s suspension, engine mapping and whatever else. How on earth will customers get their heads around it?

‘They will play at the beginning,’ he said. ‘But then, after 3 weeks, they’ll probably leave it, happy that they’ve explored enough.’

Hence the importance of getting the standard setup right – and why there will always be a degree of computer reprofiling as per driving conditions here.

Even if customers can’t be bothered prodding buttons, there still needs to be some reward for the money spent…

BMW tells me why its instruments are lit in orange

BMW Z4 development background

Porsche makes cranky Cayenne cool