The other night I was watching the Nick Hornby-penned film An Education. And while Carey Mulligan enthralls and Peter Sarsgaard reaffirms his place as Hollywood’s creepiest actor, what really made the film for me was the great period cars that littered the screen.
One in particular stood out, that being the Bristol 405 that Sarsgaard’s character drives. There was something about it that struck a chord with me, and it wasn’t until the movie was three-quarters over that I suddenly went “oh snap, it looks like a Panamera!”
Image sources: [Motor Trend, Sony Pictures Classics]
Last Call- Where Have I Seen You Before? Edition
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Everything wrong with the Panamera can be righted, if they shorten it to a coupe for a new-fashioned 928. I dare any of you to find fault with my logic.
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Cool, I get to post this again:
<img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/k55403.jpg">
And, what the hell, why not:
<img src="http://i45.tinypic.com/1zxwltk.jpg">
I knew I'd find another use for these one day!-
Those are cool, but I'd like to see some more practical options, like a shooting brake:
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/smokyburnout/panamera_shooting_brake.gif">
Or a breadvan, the Panamera Panera:
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/smokyburnout/panvan.gif">-
Wiping the coffee off my screen now. That Panamera Panera – CLASSIC! Delivery vans of the rich and famous everywhere.
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I think that shooting-brake has infinite promise with Even Longer doors. The more we Photochop this thing, the better it gets.
The breadvan? Well, that's just an awesome pun. Hat-tip to you.-
I really really like the paneramino
and the shooting brake… we should send these to porsche since they're obviously not using their designers much
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Forgive the 6 minute chop job, but that's not really such a ridiculous concept…
<img src="http://www.tanshanomi.com/temp/Panamera-Panel.jpg">-
Yes! Who better than Porsche to bring back the sedan delivery?
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You dilettantes can line up to tar and feather me, but I have no problem with the way the Panamera looks. Sure, the Aston from the other post looks slinkier and is just slick as hell, but this car has the look of effortless speed and elegant muscle, as well. I've never seen one in person, mind you, only on the interwebs, but I just can't comprehend all the hate it gets. I'm not really sticking up for it, I'm no huge Porsche fan (I pronounce the word PORSH), I just think it's kinda strange that everybody loathes this car. I'll never get the chance to drive one, but I'm guessing that it would be the best performing car I'd ever have the privilege to drive, if the opportunity ever came up.
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I KNEW I liked you! I sat in a few of them at the Panamera event here in the DC area and aside from being posh as hell, they are lovely! aw my first one being tossed through DC traffic and it looked good movin. I'd love to actually drive one, if i play my cards right, maybe soon,
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If you do get to drive one, share it with us immediately. I'm betting it will be one hell of a lot of fun, even if someone is monitoring you from the passenger seat, a la Driver's Ed.
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I happened upon a row of five of them in Edmonton last weekend, and didn't even realize what they were at first. I saw them from behind at first, and commented, "Eugh, what are THOSE? Are those some new Hyundai? They look awful!"
Then I realized what they were, and had to pretend that maybe they weren't so bad because I didn't want to tarnish my reputation as a German car fan. But no. They're just not pretty. Even if Amber likes them, although that does give them a lot more credibility in my books.-
OK, yeah, I'll give you that. I've never seen one in the flesh. I'll have to reserve judgement until I actually do get to see one, and living in the sticks, it will be a long time before that happens. I just think that it's ironic that all the intertube car guys hate the damn thing, while they all crave the apparent speed, handling, bells-and-whistles and astronomically high price tag that this beast offers. No, it's not an arrogant Volkswagen with an air cooled boxer engine, a sin that Porsche is still atoning for by producing the 924 and it's bastard spawn, which my douche little brother was proud of having (because he was driving a Porsche) until his 924 fried. Still, this looks like a great big fast sedan that's got to be a hoot to drive, and let's face it, Porsches are pretty fucking ugly from the start, the 356 looks like an upside down bathtub. They're not Italian or English, after all. Remember, they're just arrogant Volkwagens.
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I've seen them in traffic — locals apparently favor this hideous metallic root beer color — and found them considerably uglier than in photos, which took some doing. The Panamera is one of those cars that you look at and muse, "I can see what you guys did, but I'm not sure I understand why…"
On the other hand, I don't care much for the Maserati Quattroporte or Aston Martin sedans, either. The Quattroporte has fabulous detailing, but its scale and proportions are still awkward. As I've said before, it's like Horatio Sanz in a thousand-dollar suit.
Bill Mitchell once said that styling a small car is like tailoring a dwarf, but the Sidney Greenstreets of the automotive world present sartorial challenges of their own…
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I have no problem with the performance of the Panamera. In fact, for a 4-place saloon car it's probably the best performing car in its class. This is why the Panamera has grown on me. First impression is that it's ugly. It's not proportioned right. The classic Porsche styling does not scale up well. However, when I read about how well they handle, accelerate, drive, and cruise I can't help but wonder what it would be like to drive one.
And, fortunately for Porsche, when you're driving the car you can't see what it looks like on the outside.
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No, it looks like an E-type limo. And that's bad. Just as bad as the Panamera.
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It reminds me of the car Peter Griffin drove in and out of that tunnel, innuendo-style.
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I liked Peter Sarsgaard in 'Garden State'…
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looks like the Bristol has about 4 more cylinders.
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I think the 405 had a pre-war BMW straight six. Later Bristols had Chrysler V8s, either the LA (318/360) or the B (383/400).
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The Bristol is just as unattractive as the Porsche. It's probably more maintenance-intensive. It's probably more unreliable. It probably doesn't perform nearly as well, or drive as well, as the Porsche.
So why do I like the Bristol more?-
cause you hate yourself…
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because you belong here.
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Because it's got that sort of winsome British charm that says it was engineered by a couple of barking-mad lunatics in a barn somewhere, mixing brilliance and lunatic incompetence in equal measure. The Panamera, by contrast, is like Wallace Beery's malevolent German tycoon in Grand Hotel — its obvious power, wealth, and, er, stature are impressive, but not particularly likable.
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Meh, front-engined Porsche grumble grumble skrig pffft ack
Speaking of An Education, didn't I read somewhere that Hornby specifically bumped the setting up a couple of years just to include that Bristol? -
I still think the Panamera came from Bugatti's EB112
<img src="http://www.conceptcar.ee/bugatti/eb112/image06.jpg"/> -
I like Big Butts. I cannot lie..
The Bristol looks out of proportion from front-to-back.
Panamera, Cayenne.. A pattern appears? -
I've no problem with the Panamera. Their success simply means more Boxters, 911s and Carreras can issue forth.
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