James Kon
The world witnessed the launch of the new hybrid model and best-in-class performance of Porsche Panamera virtually on Wednesday night.
The new Porsche Panamera brings together the performance of a sports car with the comfort of an exclusive saloon.
With 463kW (630PS) Panamera Turbo S, the sports car manufacturer supported its claim to best-in-class performance. The new top-of-the-range model betters the performance figures of the previous Panamera Turbo by a wide margin. Porsche also continues to pursue its E-Performance strategy. The Panamera 4S E-Hybrid is a new addition to the range of plug-in hybrids, offering a completely new drive system with 412kW (560PS) system output.
Compared to the previous hybrid models, the all-electric range has been boosted by up to 30 per cent. Comfort and sportiness benefit from enhanced chassis components and control systems in combination with the new-generation steering control and tyres.
From zero to 100km/h in 3.1 seconds, the new Panamera Turbo S sets a benchmark of performance, offering 59kW (80PS) more power and 50Nm more torque than the previous flagship Turbo with combustion engine. The new Panamera Turbo S offered power output of 463kW (630PS) and a torque of 820 newton metres.
Developed in Weissach and built in Zuffenhausen, the familiar four-litre V8 biturbo engine has been comprehensively overhauled to enable the car to achieve a top speed of 315km/h. To transfer the enormous power to the road in a controlled manner and maximise cornering performance, the three-chamber air suspension, the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and the roll stabilisation system Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control Sport (PDCC Sport) including Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) have been customised to each specific model and optimised accordingly.
The new Panamera Turbo S has already proven its uncompromising performance capability on the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife: test driver Lars Kern completed the 20.832 kilometre-long lap on the most demanding race track in the world in exactly 7:29.81 minutes – the new official record in the “executive cars” class.
Meanwhile, the V8 biturbo engine in the Panamera GTS was optimised with a specific focus on its power delivery. With 353kW (480PS) and 620Nm, the new Panamera GTS delivers 15kW (20PS) more power than its predecessor. The power output continuously increases up to close to the engine speed limit. The power delivery is therefore like that of a classic sports car with naturally aspirated engine. The traditional V8 sound characteristics are even more prominent than before thanks to the new standard sports exhaust system featuring asymmetrically positioned rear silencers.
The new Panamera and Panamera 4 are now equipped with the familiar 2.9-litre V6 biturbo engine in markets worldwide. Delivering 243kW (330PS) and 450Nm, the performance remains unchanged.
The new Panamera 4S E-Hybrid comes with 17.9kWh battery and an electric range of up to 54km. The intelligent combination of the 100kW (136PS) electric motor integrated into the eight-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission and the 2.9-litre V6 biturbo engine with 324kW (440PS) generates a system output of 412kW (560PS) and a maximum system torque
of 750Nm.
The performance figures are impressive: combined with the standard Sport Chrono Package, the sprint from zero to – 100km/h is covered in 3.7 seconds. The top speed is 298km/h.
The gross battery capacity has been increased from 14.1 to 17.9kWh compared with the previous hybrid models using optimised cells and the driving modes have been optimised for efficient energy utilisation. The 4S E-Hybrid has an all-electric range of up to 54km in accordance with WLTP EAER City (NEDC: up to 64km).
The Panamera offers an extensive range of innovative light and assistance systems, such as the now standard Lane Keeping Assist with road sign recognition, as well as Night Vision Assist, Lane Change Assist, LED matrix headlights including PDLS Plus, Park Assist including Surround View and head-up display.
The fuel consumption and CO2 emission values were calculated according to the new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP). The NEDC values derived from this must continue to be specified for the time being. These values cannot be compared with the values calculated on the basis of the previously used NEDC test.