All-new Porsche Panamera revealed
Sleeker, sportier, more high tech - emboldened new Panamera looks like a force to be reckoned with
These are relatively minor tweaks to the overall proportions but they make a big difference. If not conventionally beautiful it's definitely impressive and much more comfortable in its own skin than the outgoing car, which evolved from relatively tentative beginnings into something more assertive. This carries that theme to new extremes, though most people will probably notice the bigger side vents and 718 Boxster/Cayman style rear lighting strip before they take in the overall changes.
Engines take a decided step to the more powerful too, the V6 and V8 petrols derived from units also seen in recent Audis and adopting the 'hot-V' format of turbos between the cylinder banks now seen in many modern motors. The 440hp 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 in the Panamera 4S is up 20hp on its current equivalent and has 407lb ft of torque between 1,750rpm and 5,500rpm.
Big daddy remains the petrol turbo though, now with contra-rotating inboard twinscroll turbos to help deliver 550hp and monstrous torque of 568lb ft from just 1,950rpm. That's 10hp down on the outgoing Turbo S but the torque comes in sooner and with Sport Chrono the new Turbo is two tenths faster to 62mph than the outgoing S at 3.6 seconds, both cars topping out at 192mph. As the range expands there will no doubt be a new Turbo S to follow too, just in case these figures leave you feeling a little short-changed. Further additions are yet to be confirmed but you'd have to expect an entry level V6 petrol, a hybrid and perhaps a six-cylinder diesel too. Don't hold your hopes out for a naturally-aspirated 4.8-litre V8 GTS like the one we've been enjoying the last few days though.
So much for the performance, which you'd expect to be suitably impressive. Perhaps even more significant is the interior, which marks a huge step forward for Porsche and puts the Panamera in an entirely different league compared to anything else in the current range. Yes folks, it looks like Audi may have been usurped as the lazy motoring hack's interior quality benchmark of choice!
If, at first glance, the new Panamera looks to be more of the same when you delve deeper the significance of the changes to design, tech and stature are much more significant. If the first Panamera was something of a finger in the wind this new one brims with new-found confidence and sees Porsche properly asserting itself in the luxury saloon sector. We look forward to seeing it in the metal.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Also looks like the turbo has the spoiler that rises and slides out horizontally which the regular models don't have (apart from GTS)
This one was also seen testing alongside them. Be interesting to see what the slower* models look like
- all things relative of course.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff