Whether or not it’s ever going to be built, the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo Concept sounds like it will be playing a pivotal role in upcoming Porsche products. Following the car’s debut at the Paris Motor Show, Motor Trend sat down with Porsche AG President and CEO, Matthias Müller, to discuss where we might see elements from this stylish concept car in the future.

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For those who liked the styling of the Panamera Sport Turismo Concept (and who wouldn’t?) Müller said that the car’s headlights and taillights will become part of the new design language on all future models. The taillights already pull from the 991 Porsche 911 and the headlights are very Boxster-like, but starting with the new Porsche Macan compact SUV, these two styling cues will be blended together to help create a new signature look for the brand. Up until now, Porsche has been trying to mimic the 911’s styling on bigger cars, and while this idea seemed to work on the Cayenne, the Panamera’s design has made it a controversial car to say the least.

One of the concept’s key features was its plug-in hybrid drivetrain, and Müller confirmed that this system will make it into production next year on the Panamera (including in the U.S.) and then the following year for the Cayenne. He also stated that premium and “huge” cars are not quite ready for full battery-electric drive systems, so Porsche will continue to focus on plug-in hybrids over the next five to 10 years to balance fuel economy and performance.

Be sure to check out the full M/T interview with Müller and Detlev von Platen, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, for more juicy info on future Porsche models, including some talk on the 918 hybrid supercar.
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