In order to celebrate the launch of the new Panamera, two unusual Porsches were brought at the Goodwood revival.
The first-generation Panamera introduced itself just seven years ago, but the concept of a four-door Porsche isn’t new. The German car manufacturer experimented with four-seats and four-door concepts for some time now, even creating the C88 prototype as a family car designed for the Chinese market in 1994. But the saga stretches all the way to 1961 when Porsche experimented with the 695 T7 – that later became the 911.
In 1969, however, Porsche commissioned Pininfarina to develop a four seater 911, and the result was the 911 A-F Type B17 prototype, but after the model didn’t meet the car maker’s requirements, Porsche decided to build its own variant. That’s how the stretched 911 “915” C20 came to be.
It featured a stretched wheelbase, increased head and leg room for the backseat passengers, and it was powered by the 911S’ 2.2-litre mill, but the concept behind it was scrapped when Porsche started working on the 924 and 928.
The second machine, called the 989, is a design study from 1990 that didn’t make it through. Back then, Porsche wanted to expand its line-up and offer customers an alternative the 982, since Porsche’s execs believed the V8-powered automobile would surpass the 911 in terms of sale figures.
Sadly (or fortunately; depending on how you see things), the car never made it into production, but some of its style cues did. You can find them on the 993 and 996 911s.
Although the Panamera is only at its second iteration, the model already has a great heritage behind it, like every Porsche model.