Porsche Hosts Exclusive Event in Sistine Chapel

During his election last year, Pope Francis reminded all of his followers that the mission of the church is to serve the poor. This year, the Pope has made good on his promise by allowing luxury auto retailer Porsche, to host a private charity event within the sacred walls of the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel. Of course, all of the proceeds from the event were donated to charities working with the poor and homeless. It’s the first time that the Sistine Chapel has ever been used as a venue for a corporate function – it’s not surprising that attendees paid a hefty fee for the unique invitation.

The event was part of a four-day tour of Rome arranged by the Porsche Travel Club. For approximately 5,000 euros per person, each of the 40 participants attended a classical concert in the Sistine Chapel and a gala dinner in the centre of the Vatican Museums. The tour also included a trip to Pope Francis’ summer retreat, Castel Gandolfo, as well as a drive to Lago di Garda—Italy’s largest lake—in some of the latest Porsche models. If you’re a student pursuing an auto career, you’re probably wondering which new Porsche models were driven at this exclusive Italian event, and what some of their specs include. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered—here are some details on a few of Porsche’s new releases for 2015.

2015 Macan

It seems as though Porsche has followed in the footsteps of Mercedes and BMW by creating a smaller version of one of its more popular models. Introducing the 2015 Porsche Macan—a smaller and daintier version of the Cayenne. She may be small but what she lacks in size she makes up for in ferocity with a 3.0-litre, turbo-charged V6 engine. This car handles well in both on-road and off-road conditions and is also available in the Turbo version, which has more horsepower. Prices for the Porsche Macan start at about $50,000 and can run as high as $73,000 or more, depending on the added comfort features.

2015 911

An oldie but goodie, this iconic beauty has been around for the past 50 years; however, anyone with auto technician training can tell you that this model has undergone some changes in body and function since its initial release. The 2015 Porsche 911 is offered today only with rear-wheel-drive—as opposed to the all-wheel drive models of the past—and a 3.4-litre engine. It’s available in three body styles including coupe, convertible and of course, Porsche’s trademark Targa top—a semi-convertible style with a removable roof section and fixed rear windows. The 911 starts at approximately $85,000 and can go all the way up to almost $200,000!

2015 Panamera Hybrid

Anyone who has taken auto mechanic courses can tell you that the Panamera is not only powerful and fuel efficient with its dual-powered engine, but it also combines luxury and comfort into one sleek 4-door package. The Panamera boasts a 3.0-litre, supercharged V6 engine and a 70-kilowatt electric motor. It comes equipped with four driving modes that alternate between the use of an electric motor and a combustion engine: e-power, hybrid, e-charge and sport. Porsche’s 2015 Panamera Hybrid comes with a price tag of about $100,000, which can of course escalate with any additional features.