Porsche has announced that the
Panamera
will lose its V8 option and gain a plug-in hybrid powertrain in a mid-life revamp.
Biggest cosmetic changes are at the rear
The V8 engine, which has been available since the Panamera was launched, will now be axed in favour of an “entirely new” V6 twin-turbo powerplant. That might not sound like such great news, but fear not as the new engine will boast 20hp and 15lb ft more than the V8 while also delivering an 18 per cent improvement in fuel economy.
The new V6 will be joined in the Panamera range by a new plug-in E-hybrid engine option, replacing the previous hybrid. With 416hp – up from the previous hybrid’s 374 – it can hit 62mph in 5.5 seconds and go on to a top speed of 167mph, the power boost coming courtesy of a beefed-up electric motor – 95hp, as opposed to the 47hp of the previous hybrid.
In addition to the new engines, the Panamera range will receive a smattering of cosmetic tweaks, to include a re-designed back end, mild changes to the front, and the new option of LED headlamps. The facelifted model will hit the market in July.