Bertone Karisma: A Forgotten Rear-Engine Porsche Sedan Concept

Rediscovering the Karisma

Designed by Luciano D’Ambrosio, the Karisma made its debut at the Turin Auto Show in 1994 as a full-fledged four-seater Porsche sedan. It wasn’t just another luxury car concept; it was a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive sedan based on the Porsche 964 chassis. Even today, this car feels like a bold outlier.

To understand its significance, we have to rewind to the late 1970s and ‘80s. Back then, Porsche was already testing the waters of the four-door sports sedan market. Now you had cars like the 911 S Four-Door commissioned by William Dick, but that was a one-off and the most significant development in terms of a four-door Porsche sports car was with the 989 project. That prototype featured a rear-mounted 3.6-liter flat-six with 250 horsepower on tap, rear-wheel-drive layout. But despite its promise, the 989 was scrapped due to skyrocketing costs and doubts about profitability.

Bertone’s approach with the Karisma was completely different. Instead of straying from Porsche’s rear-engine roots, it leaned into them. Using the 964 as a base, Bertone stretched the wheelbase by 21 inches, creating a spacious cabin for four adults while keeping the overall length manageable by trimming the overhangs.

A Radical Departure

Now seeing pictures of the Karisma for the first time should feel like stepping into an alternate universe. Obviously, this is far from being a typical Porsche. Dare I say, the front end actually reminds me of the Tesla Mode 3. The sloping roofline and horizontal taillights we associate with the 911 have been replaced by a tall rear pillar, a flat rear deck, and vertical taillights integrated into the rear window.

Without a doubt, the most striking feature was undoubtedly the gullwing doors, which is something that you typically associate with the Mercedes 300 SL. Where the classic car only has room for two, in the Karisma, the doors open up to both front and rear rows, and that typical Italian way, what a cabin it was.

The sumptuous leather seats feature an egg-like design, wrapping around you in a way that look more like a futuristic lounge than a sports sedan. And yet, somehow Porsche’s DNA was still there. The dashboard, with its iconic five circular gauges, felt unmistakably 911. It was as if Bertone had created a completely new type of Porsche while still respecting its heritage.

What Could Have Been

Sadly, the Karisma never made it into production. Remember, this was the ‘90s was a particularly troublesome time for Porsche and the German automaker had to seize production of much of its transaxle models like the 968 to streamline production and focus on the 911 instead.

Porsche’s saving grace came in the form of the more attainable mid-engine Boxster that followed in 1996 and subsequently the Cayenne SUV, in 2003, both pivotal models for Porsche’s survival. As for the sedan format, Porsche chose to stick with more traditional front-engine layouts for its later sedans, eventually launching the Panamera in 2009.

Now I’ll admit, the Karisma concept certainly proved that a Porsche sedan could be bold, innovative, and uncompromising. While it didn’t make it to the showroom floor, it may have paved the way for the company to embrace the idea of luxurious, high-performance four-door cars. I couldn’t help but wonder, what might have been if Porsche had gone all-in on the Karisma.