PORSCHE MULLS MERGING TAYCAN AND PANAMERA

The replacements for the two model lines could be unified to cut costs

- GREG KABLE

Porsche is considering merging the Taycan and Panamera into a single, unified model line with petrol, plugin hybrid and fully electric variants.

The proposals are part of broader cost-cutting measures from new Porsche CEO Michael Leiters following a downturn in global sales and huge costs associated with former CEO Oliver Blume’s decision last year to scale back the firm’s electrification plans. The reining in of development spending – which this unification would work towards – is understood to be a key focus for Leiters.

The combustion-engined Panamera and electric Taycan are both performance saloons that sit alongside each other in Porsche's lineup, although they are underpinned by different platforms and have substantially different bodystyles.