How Many Models of Car Do You Need?

Porsche Taycan, photo by Porsche

Which of the 21 models of Porsche Panamera is right for you? Also, why do I want to call it the Pan-AMERICA? If I win the bazillion dollar lottery, I can simplify this and just buy 

  all 21 models can't I?

I think most cars and their multiple models were confusing enough, although some are more confusing than others. Not that I want Ford to only make the Model T again, but it would be easier, wouldn't it? Take the Mustang as an example. Used to be it came in V8 or V6. Then they threw in a 4 cylinder. Then the Mach 1. And the Boss. and the GT350. And a GT500. Now there's the electric Mustang Mach-E. Don't forget the Cobra. 

How about our Camry? It's an XLE, which since it has three letters, I think it's fancier than the LE or XL ones that only have 2 letters. I don' know if long ago Toyota used up the A mode, B model, C model, etc. Maybe there's only 3 different versions of Camry, oh, other than the Hybrid. and the Hybrid Prime. OK, I really don't care much since I've never bothered to look them up. 

However, the Porsche folks have taken this to the next level! Their Panamera is a big 4 door high performance car, and I'm sure it's pretty nice. Like other Porsche models, there is a base version, then an S higher performance. And a Turbo. And a 4 wheel drive. Then each of those they make slightly larger as an Executive version. Then there's the Hybrid versions of all the others, PLUS the Sport Tourismo versions, AND the GTS versions. Confused yet? I know I am. 

Let's just lay it all out, names and MSRP prices are from the Porsche USA web page. To keep it confusing, this is the order you can see them on their webpage, and they aren't in order of price either:

 

1. Panamera $87,200

2. Panamera 4 $91,800

3. Panamera 4 Executive $98,500

4. Panamera 4 Sport Tourismo $98,000

5.  Panamera 4S $105,000

6.  Panamera 4S Executive $116,300

7.  Panamera 4S Sport Tourismo $111,200

8.  Panamera 4 E-Hybrid $103,800

9.  Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Executive $108,300

10. Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Sport Tourismo $107,800

11. Panamera 4S E-Hybrid $113,300

12. Panamera 4S E-Hybrid Executive $124,600

13. Panamera 4S E-Hybrid Sport Tourismo $117,300

14. Panamera GTS $129,300

15. Panamera GTS Sport Tourismo $135,500

16. Panamera Turbo S $177,700

17. Panamera Turbo S Executive $188,100

18. Panamera Turbo S Sport Tourismo $181,700

19. Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid $187,700

20. Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Executive $198,100

21. Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Tourismo $191,700 

On the other hand, the one thing with German cars I like is the long words, like when VW used to use Fahrvergnügen. Porsche has that one beat though, with their German name for the automatic double-clutch, the Doppelkupplungsgetriebe . Let's just call it PDK then.