New and upcoming hybrids

Porsche Panamera Hybrid The Panamera, Porsche's first-ever sedan, is slated to arrive next year. While Ferrari says it won't ever do a sedan, Porsche is a different animal, clawing away at the precious luxury SUV market with its wildly popular Cayenne, and battling to overthrow a part of the German state from its majority stake in the Volkswagen Group. A high-performance four-door? Not a problem. The hybrid version - which will share components with the Cayenne Hybrid - likely won't be around until after 2010, a little late considering the impending arrival of the exotic Fisker Karma, a solar-paneled plug-in hybrid. But Porsche wants to first kick the pants off the Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz CLS, the upcoming Aston Martin Rapide and anything BMW end ups making in this expanding segment of curvaceous saloons. Satisfied, only then will Porsche strap on batteries to make it even faster. The fact that perhaps some fuel will be saved is a nice gesture as well. - Clifford Atiyeh, Boston.com Staff (Porsche)

Porsche Panamera Hybrid

The Panamera, Porsche's first-ever sedan, is slated to arrive next year. While Ferrari says it won't ever do a sedan, Porsche is a different animal, clawing away at the precious luxury SUV market with its wildly popular Cayenne, and battling to overthrow a part of the German state from its majority stake in the Volkswagen Group. A high-performance four-door? Not a problem.

The hybrid version - which will share components with the Cayenne Hybrid - likely won't be around until after 2010, a little late considering the impending arrival of the exotic Fisker Karma, a solar-paneled plug-in hybrid. But Porsche wants to first kick the pants off the Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz CLS, the upcoming Aston Martin Rapide and anything BMW end ups making in this expanding segment of curvaceous saloons. Satisfied, only then will Porsche strap on batteries to make it even faster. The fact that perhaps some fuel will be saved is a nice gesture as well.

- Clifford Atiyeh, Boston.com Staff

(Porsche)