Porsche Offers Details on New Model

ATLANTA -- Porsche SE released details on Monday on its Panamera four-door sports car, which will be the fourth vehicle in the German luxury carmaker's lineup.

Porsche said it will build the Panamera at its plant in Leipzig, Germany. The car will make a world debut in the spring of 2009 and will hit U.S. dealers that fall, the company said.

The teardrop shaped Panamera will sit wider and lower than comparable four-door models, Porsche said, and sports front air intakes instead of a traditional radiator grille.

The car's engine will come in either a V-6 or V-8 configuration, and will have an output range of between 300 and 500 horsepower. The company said it will also release a more fuel-efficient version with a hybrid powertrain.

The Panamera will also feature all-wheel or rear-wheel drive models. It will release more details, including pricing and other vehicle specifications, in the spring.

Sales of Stuttgart-based Porsche have fallen alongside the broader industry, tumbling 23% so far this year. However, the company reported earlier this month its fiscal-year profit rose 52% on gains from its stake in Volkswagen AG.