It doesn’t matter if Porsche admits to it.
It would appear that the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo wagon is a real wagon at first glance. It is, and why not. It comes with four doors, a rear hatch and fold-down rear seats. There is also a longer roof. The Sport Turismo was not mentioned in the press release. You won’t see hatchback either, as hatchbacks are small, inexpensive runabouts that are driven by suburban teens or people who live in the suburbs and frequent antique auctions.
This is the Sport Turismo category of vehicle. Although there is some marketing speak, it raises a bigger and more interesting question. What is Panamera Sport Turismo in this age of crossovers?
We start by looking at the United States government, which is the best friend of the automobile. The Environmental Protection Agency determines vehicle classes to compare fuel economy. A quick look at fueleconomy.gov shows that size classes are determined only by cargo and passenger volume. We don’t have any information about Uncle Sam’s opinion on this.
Although not strictly government-spec, Highway Loss Data Institute has been widely supported by the U.S. auto insurance industry. Their approach to data collection is being copied by other similar organizations around the globe. The organization defines modern station wagons as having four doors and a rear hatch. And, most importantly, it has a Dpillar. We are getting there.
The C-pillar is the location where the roof connects with the body’s rear quarter panel. Station wagons will have a second side window behind C-pillar. This follows the roof over the cargo area to connect it with the D-pillar at the rear.
The Panamera Sport Turismo is a perfect example of this. We have a window, although it is small, that runs from the C-pillar to the cargo area and connects with the D-pillar. This is also why the Panamera sedan qualifies for five-door hatchback status. The roof ends at C-pillar, and the cargo area gets covered by extremely raked rear windows.
Now, let’s get to the point. Practically every crossover vehicle can fit into the wagon definition. The platform is what makes the difference, especially if it’s on-road or off-road. Crossovers are an area where wagons can be seen as on-road designs. However, crossovers are gray because they cross many genres. Many are car-based, but offer some off-road DNA, even though it’s only a little bit more ground clearance. Some say they are wagons. Others point out the SUV-like characteristics and say no. They are sometimes called hatchbacks. They are considered a distinct category by many, which will be discussed for some time if we’re being honest.
Porsche is not happy with the conclusion drawn on Panamera Sport Turismo. It is car-based with side windows that extend beyond C-pillar. The cargo area is covered by a roof and has a D-pillar connecting to the body’s rear. Although Stuttgart’s marketing team can make all the noise, the rest of the world will be able to recognize the Sport Turismo as Porsche’s new station wagon. There’s nothing wrong with this.