LEONBERG, Germany — It pays to have a rock-solid relationship in Stuttgart, as German tuner Uwe Gemballa has enjoyed for many years with Porsche. Their latest collaboration is the Gemballa Mistrale, a modified version of the new Porsche Panamera.
Images of the Mistrale were leaked this week on autoblog.nl and other European Web sites, with the car expected to break cover officially next month at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show.
Although details are scant, we can tell you this isn't the first time Mistrale (the name for the French Provencal wind) has been used in the automotive world. Maserati appropriated it, in a slightly different spelling, for the two-place Mistral that was built from 1963-'70 in both coupe and spider variants.
In its latest incarnation, the Mistrale appears to sport a new front fascia with air intakes and carbon-fiber lip spoiler, cooling slots in the hood and front quarter-panels, a carbon-fiber rear spoiler and a rear diffuser that shrouds quad stainless-steel exhaust pipes.
Forged alloy wheels painted black and measuring 22 inches in diameter complete the exterior makeover.
Full details on what's under the skin should arrive ahead of the show.
Inside Line says: A slicked-up Panamera that — surprise! — doesn't look half bad. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
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