According to the rumor mill, Porsche is considering a Panamera-based 928 successor, but nothing has been confirmed. Or disproved, for that matter.

A few months ago, Porsche was adding fuel to the persisting rumors after a shortened Panamera test mule was spied testing, but various reports suggested that it wasn’t a Panamera-based, front-engine coupe, nor a small sedan, but rather a test bed for Bentley’s all-new twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, since Porsche was appointed to develop Volkswagen Group’s MSB architecture.

However, in an interview with Car Advice, Michael Steiner, member of Porsche’s executive board for research and development, said that the idea of such a Porsche coupe isn’t bad and that they have all the capabilities to make it.

“For sure there would be a market for a car like that, and this business is much about proportions, about the look. And the Panamera platform has the cheats where you could do a coupe. There is no clear answer in terms of timing, in terms of the conceptual design of the new Panamera. We have technically all the capabilities to be competitive concept-wise and performance-wise with a car like that.”

Nonetheless, it all boils down whether there are better ideas that could precede it, like the Panamera Sport Turismo.

“Our architecture at least has flexibility – on the one hand we could do a hybrid of every engine with this concept; on the second hand we could do different body styles and wheelbases with this so-called MSB platform. It is decided right now we will have the long wheelbase, and we do [with the sedan]. And that we will have a Sport Turismo [station wagon] and there will be some additional drivetrain derivatives or engine derivatives in the future”, said Michael Steiner.

But how about body style derivatives? What’s keeping them from materializing since Porsche is already expanding its Panamera line-up, and the MSB platform will serve a similar purpose at Audi, where it will underpin the A9 luxury coupe?

“We have to have in mind that there is a huge change in business in terms of electrification and battery driven cars. So with given funding or investment in research and development we have to decide which will be the next step.”

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