The Panamericana is one of the more intriguing concept cars produced by Porsche and has an interesting story behind it.
As told by YouTuber That Nine Eleven Guy in this video, the Panamericana was designed as an 80th birthday present for Ferry Porsche, the son of company founder Ferdinand Porsche. The car got its name from the Carrera Panamericana race.
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To create the concept, Porsche took the chassis and powertrain from a 964 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet, and over the course of six months transformed it into a car with some respectable off-road credentials. The bodywork was made from carbon fiber-reinforced polymer while power came from a 3.6-liter flat-six with 247 hp and 230 lb-ft of torque.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the concept’s design are the cutouts that were made around the wheel wells. Additionally, the Panamericana has a removable fabric roof that incorporates a double-bubble design and zippers.
It is understood that Porsche did initially have plans to produce the Panamericana but eventually decided against it. Nevertheless, its design did go on to influence a handful of future models, including the 993 911 Targa that had a very similar roofline.