Porsche Panamera V6 and Panamera 4 get 300-hp, prices start at $74,400

If you thought that the current starting price-tag of the $89,800 2010 Panamera S sedan was too high, Porsche is now offering a slightly more affordable option – of course, you’ll have to sacrifice 100 horses.

Come next month at the 2010 Beijing Motor Show (where the Panamera originally made its debut), Porsche will hold the world debut of the new Panamera and the Panamera 4. Without the ‘S’ at the end of each badge, the base Panamera and Panamera 4 are powered by a 3.6L V6 engine making 300-hp and a maximum torque of 295 lb-ft. All U.S. models will be fitted with Porsche’s Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) 7-speed double-clutch gearbox as standard.

Prices for the 2011 Porsche Panamera with the V6 will start at $74,400, while the V6 Panamera 4 will start at $78,900. Sales being in June.

Make the jump for the press release.

2011 Porsche Panamera V6:

Press Release:

Porsche Adds New Panamera Models to its Gran Turismo Lineup

Sporting a new 300-horsepower V6 engine, the Panamera and Panamera 4 deliver Porsche driving excitement, high comfort, and excellent fuel efficiency

ATLANTA — February 16, 2010 Porsche Cars North America today announced the addition of two new Panamera models, just three months after successfully launching the first four-door Gran Turismo in three V8 flavors: the Panamera S, the Panamera 4S and the Panamera Turbo.

The Panamera and Panamera 4, the model line’s new entry level versions, will be in Porsche dealerships in June 2010. Both feature a brand-new 3.6-liter V6 with Direct Fuel Injection (DFI) developing 300 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. The Panamera transmits its power to the road via the rear wheels, while the Panamera 4 comes standard with active all-wheel drive. U.S. models will include Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK), Porsche’s new and revolutionary seven-speed double-clutch gearbox, as standard equipment.

The Panamera and Panamera 4 are examples of the Porsche Intelligent Performance development strategy. Equipped with the PDK gearbox and the Auto Start Stop function, Porsche expects these new models to be considerably more fuel efficient than their normally aspirated V8 siblings. Official U.S. EPA fuel economy figures will be announced closer to the new models on-sale date, and both meet the strict EU5 emission standard in Europe and the LEV standard in the United States. And like all Panamera models, they are not subject to a gas-guzzler tax.

Porsche has always focused on superior efficiency and performance, and in the case of these new Panamera models these long-held tenets are not mutually exclusive. One example of this ideal combination of qualities is consistent lightweight construction with the axles, doors, hood, front fenders and tailgate all made of aluminum. Likewise, the brand new 90-degree angle V6 powerplant built at Porsche’s engine plant in Zuffenhausen is approximately 66 lbs. lighter than the Porsche V8 in the Panamera S and 4S. This contributes to the low overall curb weight, which in the case of the Panamera with the PDK transmission is just 3,880 lbs. (1,730 kg).

Like the proven V8 models, both the Panamera and the Panamera 4, as genuine Gran Turismos, combine a sporting character with a high standard of comfort and everyday driving qualities. Steel suspension with variable dampers is standard, and adaptive air suspension with additional air volume on demand is available as an option. This provides a wide range of suspension qualities and features, with a high level of motoring comfort on the one hand and extremely sporting driving dynamics on the other.

Both models will be making their world debut at the Beijing Motor Show on April 23, 2010. The Panamera and Panamera 4 MSRPs are $74,400 and $78,900, respectively.

– By: Omar Rana