Porsche studying targa top for Panamera, diesel engine

According to a source that recently attended a Porsche focus group in California, the crew from Stuttgart is considering offering the new Panamera sedan with an optional "targa" top and making a diesel engine available.

Autoweek's insider saw a rendering of a three-panel "targa" roof that could conceivably make up another trim level of the Panamera when it goes on sale next year. The sources also said that two mules were on hand, a base and a turbocharged variant, sporting front fender vents that "were reminiscent of [the] Ford Focus." Uh oh.

Although details weren't given on the specifics of the diesel engine, Porsche is apparently considering offering an oilburner along with gasoline and hybrid drivetrains, and if approved for production, Autoweek speculates that Porsche could utilize one of Audi's diesels. That could include a 3.0-liter V6, but more likely Porsche would opt for either the 4.2-liter V8 or 6.0-liter V12 that powered the R8 TDI Le Mans concept.