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New Porsche boasts ultra-high-end audio system

The upcoming Panamera four-door sedan can be had with an uber high-end audio system from Berlin manufacturer Burmester Audiosysteme.

Steve Guttenberg
Ex-movie theater projectionist Steve Guttenberg has also worked as a high-end audio salesman, and as a record producer. Steve currently reviews audio products for CNET and works as a freelance writer for Stereophile.
Steve Guttenberg
The Panamera Porsche

The Panamera is a different kind of Porsche.

It's a four-door sedan, a really fast sedan. The Panamera S at $89,800 comes with a 400hp 4.8-liter V8, capable of punching out 0-to-60 mph in 5.2 seconds and a top speed of 175 mph. Not quick enough for you? Move up to the Panamera Turbo, with a twin-turbo 4.8-liter V8, 0-to-60 mph in 4 seconds, and a top speed of 188. That bad boy will retail for $132,600.

So why is the Audiophiliac filling space with upcoming German super sedans? 'Cause they're going to have totally awesome ultra-high-end audio systems from Berlin manufacturer Burmester Audiosysteme. I love of the idea of matching super-performance luxury cars with bona-fide high-end audio systems. Hey, if Porsche buyers happily pay an extra $42,000 (!) to go a little faster, why not also spring for a sweet sound system?

For Panamera, Burmester crafted a 16 channel amplifier system that drives, you guessed it, 16 loudspeakers. The speaker system was designed specifically for the Panamera. In keeping with the Panamera's spirit as a true sports car, the sound system's weight was a key concern.

Specially developed software-supported menu functions allow for precise sound contouring for each individual seating position. They can also compensate for cabin and engine noise, and use proprietary sound algorithms developed exclusively for Porsche. Funny, the press release didn't mention an iPod dock, but I'm sure it's in there.

The Panamera is set to go on sale in the U.S. on October 17.