The new Porsche Panamera continues to show itself with very little camouflage. There are at least 13 Porsche Panameras testing around the San Francisco area this week and Roadfly staff photographer Alex Stack managed to take another group of pictures yesterday. Pictured below are the test mules at rest in a basement garage.

Porsche Panameras Under Car Covers

One of my first questions for Alex was, “Were you able to learn anything about the engines or transmissions?” Alex responded, “This (green) car was clearly a V8 with the PDK transmission. When the car pulled away the sound was nice and deep. Deeper than the 2009 911s I recently drove. None of the cars I’ve seen so far have been turbo-charged.”

When asked about the interior of the car Alex commented, “The Porsche engineers were fast to cover up the dash when I had the camera out. There was very nice black woodgrain from the radio rightward over the glove box area. The steering wheel had trademark Porsche PDK shifters.” Alex continued, “The front seating area is very cockpit like with a center console that sits rather high. The center console sort of reminded me of the Porsche Carrera GT. The driver and front passenger each have a very defined seating area.”

You can see that the rear lines of the Panamera are very Caymanish. The way the fenders bulge up and over the rear wheels… the seems for the rear hatch as it cuts through the rear bumper cover… Cayman styling ques for sure. Also notice the vents behind the rear wheels and the hood bulge which starts down in the front bumper cover area. All of which are very strong characteristics of a high performance grand touring sedan.

The test mule pictured here is equipped with Porsche’s Adaptive headlight technology. This active safety system basically turns the headlights into a turn as you’re turning the wheel. The system helps light the way around corners providing for a safer driving experience.

If you visually block out the large camouflage “whale tale” you can see that the rear spoiler is very similar to that found on a 911. The 911s spoiler raises and lowers at speed to provide better high speed stability and provide more downforce. It certainly makes sense that Porsche would utilize the same technology in the Panamera.

Through the wheels, the optional PCCB (Porsche Ceramic Composite Braking) system is clearly visible. The calipers are not painted bright yellow but these are definitely ceramic disks. The key advantage to Porsche’s PCCB brake system is the 50% unsprung weight savings which provides for greater performance both on the track and the street.

The pictured test mule has Continental Snow Tires mounted. The sizes are:

• Front 255/40 R20 Continental
• Rear 285/40 R20 Continental

[View with PicLens]

For more commentary about the new Porsche Panamera please visit the Porsche Panamera Forum

Update 10/31/08 @ 3:40 PM EST: Just added more than 100 hi-res photos of the Porsche Panamera GT

[View with PicLens]

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If you’re in the market for a car that is both sporty and luxurious at a good price, look no more because the 2nd generation 2008 Infiniti G35 S sedan is most likely the car for you. For a reasonable starting price of $33,050 (as-tested price of $37,000), the G35 S makes sure the buyer gets the best bang for their buck. Available amenities include RearView Monitor, a touch screen, hard drive-based navigation system, and an impressive audio setup by Bose. And, luckily, with today’s high gas prices, practical meets performance underneath the hood. Surprisingly, the G35 S does not gouge at the gas pump, still getting 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway even with the 6-speed manual transmission paired to the 3.5L V6 engine that produces 306 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and 268 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm.

But, enough talk. If you want to know more about the handling, interior, styling, and available features, you’ll have to watch the 2008 Infiniti G35 S Video:

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