Porsche Performance in Frankfurt

The Panamera might be on display to the public for the first time at a major motor show, but it's far from the star on the Porsche stand here in Frankfurt.

That honor goes to the 911 GT3 RS, not least due to its outstanding livery. The flat gray body color is transformed by the brilliant red of the wheels, mirrors, air intakes and roll cage. Great slashes of GT3 RS in bright red adorn the front and rear wings. It's the 911 of every schoolboy enthusiast's dream, the giant bedroom wall poster.

But it's not just flashy for show. The technical aluminum rear wing mounts prove that, deep down, this is a serious performance machine. Now with 450 horsepower from the 3.8-liter flat six, the new GT3 deploys 911 Turbo power of just a few years back.

The 911 Sport Classic makes its debut here, too. This is a limited-edition model that harks back to the much vaunted 911 2.7 RS of the 1970s. So it gets that gawky kicked-up rear spoiler and wheels that emulate the Fuchs alloys of the original, though the 1973 car never had plate-sized rims like these. Beneath the surface, this is a 911 Carrera S with an extra 23 horses, taking its total power output to 408 ponies. But the Sport Classic certainly has its attractions.

Paintwork is a soft gray with subtle stripes running over the roof. The interior trimming is also special, a new mix of leather and woven yarn for the seats, and unique detailing all over the place. Sounds awful but actually looks rather good.

But it's a bit pricey at $230,000. That's $66,000 more than the 500-horsepower 911 Turbo. Couldn't you just replicate it with an aftermarket spoiler on a standard Carrera? Porsche has been clever here and built in a unique double-bubble roof section that really sets the Sport Classic apart and makes it impossible to clone.

Perhaps the more mainstream versions of the 911 are the answer. The brand-new versions of the 911 Turbo and 911 GT3 RS that sit alongside certainly make their case as the cars that Porsche buyers who are more interested in performance than show will buy.

Which leaves the Panamera. The styling is no less challenging in the flesh than it is in the pictures, that curvaceous rump certainly endowing it with a standout characteristic that sets it apart from the new Rapide on the Aston Martin stand. But crawling over this show car reveals to everyone what a clever piece of design the Panamera is.

By sticking to just two rear seats, the cushion height is dropped down and the space is genuinely generous. Slide into the front seats and the driving position is straight from the 911, though there's no getting away from that lengthy hood and increased shoulder room.

So despite some reservations about this saloon, we have to remember what an ugly beast we thought the Cayenne was when it was launched. And that did pretty well, didn't it?