Topless Panamera in the works

Porsche is planning to build a convertible version of the Panamera, according to a report by UK's respected Autocar magazine.

The British publication has outed a series of German patent office renderings that reveal a topless Panamera -- and it retains the donor car's four-door layout (contrary to speculative reports from a few months ago that forecasted the alfresco Panamera would be a two-door affair).

The renderings also indicate the topless Panamera will be pillar-less, which suggests substantial strengthening to the chassis/floorpan (perhaps via the use of high-strength/ultra-high-strength steel or additional cross-bracing) would be required.

That said, the patent renderings do reveal a small quarter window (a la Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead) that ostensibly adds strength to the windscreen pillars. The windscreen itself appears more steeply raked than that of the existing Panamera.

Autocar argues the car's four-door layout entails much higher development costs than a conventional two-door convertible, but adds that it represents a worthwhile gamble as it would give Porsche a valuable edge over the likes of the Aston Martin Rapide and Maserati Quattroporte (which obviously aren't available in topless form).

The other advantage of retaining a four-door layout is that passenger space and rear-seat access would remain uncompromised -- something that can't be said of most other convertibles.

The renderings reveal a virtually unaltered rump, which means the roof is likely to be a canvas item, rather than the increasingly de rigueur folding hardtop.

Watch this space...

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