Shanghai: Porsche 4-Door Unveiled: Behold, the 2010 Panamera GT!

Porsche chose the 13th Auto Shanghai show - a day after the city hosted the Chinese Grand Prix - to unveil a fourth model line in the guise of the Panamera Grand Turismo, a front-engined, 4-passenger luxury sedan. By choosing the Far Asia for this important introduction, Porsche confirmed its seriousness in furthering global penetration particularly in burgeoning markets - not just Europe and North America.

When the Panamera hits German showrooms in September, customers will have a choice of three models - the 2-wheel drive Panamera S and AWD Panamera 4S and the twin-turbo, AWD Panamera Turbo. Each of the three models uses an all-aluminum DOHC V8 with 4 valves per cylinder as its basic engine architecture with 400 horsepower normally aspirated for the S and 4S models and 500 horsepower for the Turbo. The engines employ variable intake valve timing (VarioCam Plus) and hydraulic valve play compensation. A 6-cylinder gasoline-engined version and a hybrid are in the skunk works.

Low, long and sleek, the car looks like what it is-– a serious performance sedan... from Porsche. Much of the Panamera's performance and fuel efficiency are derived the company's motorsports program where lightweight componentry and optimal aerodynamics abound. For instance, there's an active 4-way adjustable rear spoiler. Other engine/drivetrain features include direct fuel injection, automatic engine start/stop and the Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) double-clutch 7-speed automatic gearbox.

Customers will be able to upgrade to an adaptive air suspension system with automatic damper control actuated with a touch of the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) button. In addition, the optional Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) system incorporates two active anti-roll bars. But the pièce de résistance is the optional Sports Chrono Package enabling the driver to choose at the touch of a button high-performance configurations for the engine, drivetrain and suspension systems, including Porsche Traction Management (PTM) for the fully-controlled all-wheel drive - standard on both the 4S and Turbo models.

Although Porsche has not released every detail of the Panamera's comfort and performance options, initial press material suggests no stone unturned.

Klaus Berning, Porsche AG's Executive VP of Sales and Marketing, said that with this car, "We are entering a market segment completely new for our customers, and we are once again consistently expanding our model portfolio."

The Panamera will go on sale in the U.S. on October 17. The MSRP for the Panamera S is $89,800 with the Panamera 4S and Panamera Turbo coming in at $93,800 and $132,600, respectively.