We've been hearing about this for some time now. Word on the street is that Porsche is working on a Panamera Junior, which will aim to do battle against the likes of the Maserati Ghibli and higher-end versions of the BMW 5-Series and Jaguar XF. Most of the news around this potential machine occurred back in 2011. The rumored vehicle was nicknamed the Pajun (an amalgamation of Panamera and Junior), and it would play host to a variety of powerplants in both diesel and gasoline form. This is what you'd expect form any Porsche really, and it wouldn't be a shock if such a car were to finally surface.

According to Autocar, the model evaluation is back in full swing. The list of targets today is plentiful, as we mentioned above, and we imagine it would be the Ghibli that might make for the best comparison test as the Porsche has a touch more sporting appeal over the previously mentioned German and British machines.

In fact, we're already salivating at the idea of a head-to-head shoot-out between mid-size luxury performance sedans with a true Italian competitor in the mix. One thing holding back development of the Pajun is the fact that Porsche only just launched its new Macan. Still, the automaker has stated that it wants a sedan to slot in below the Panamera, so it seems it's just a matter of time until we see one on a future auto show stage.

Should the project receive the green light, expect the car to ride on Porsche's own MSB platform which is designed for Volkswagen Group performance cars. The MSB is flexible enough to spawn rear-engine (next 911), mid-engine (third-generation Audi R8) and front-engine (next Panamera/Bentley Continental) cars and was developed by Porsche, and it's also compatible with a variety of engine types.