Tuesday 3rd May 2011

Porsche Panamera Pushes The (Range) Envelope

Chip fryers of the world rejoice, there's room for a Porsche in the family

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Porsche reckons you'll be able to eke 745 miles out of every 80 litre tankful you pour into its new Panamera diesel - which goes on sale in the UK in August priced from £62,143.

This amazing fact means, they say, that you'll be able to 'take four passengers in sporting comfort from Lands End to Loch Ness without refuelling'. Although what you're supposed to do with said passengers when you get there is anyone's guess, especially as they're likely to be quite bored already...

That's because the diesel Panamera features a 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 engine that makes a not terribly exciting 250hp, although with 405lb ft of torque available from 1,750 rpm to 2,750 rpm the car isn't a total sluggard. Porsche claims 0-62mph in 6.8secs and a top speed of 150mph, which should be enough to impress everyone except, er, Porsche drivers?

With rear-wheel drive, an eight-speed Tiptronic S gearbox, and start-stop as standard, your tax accountant should be impressed as the car emits 172 g/km with that 43.5mpg combined economy figure. With optional lower rolling resistance tyres, efficiency improves further still, to 167 g/km and 44.8mpg combined.

Diesel tech geeks will be pleased to hear the new model's 3.0-litre V6 engine is state of the art, featuring common rail direct injection through piezo valves at a pressure of 2000 bar, turbocharging employing electrically controlled variable geometry turbochargers (VGTs) and emission control achieved by controlled exhaust gas recirculation, oxidation catalyst and particle filter.

Oh, and in case anyone is any doubt about your new Porsche's credentials, it says 'diesel' on the front doors. (Stop sniggering at the back...)

[lgomgf]

I dont get it... we have an XJ diesel here in our company (big boss car)... it has, I think, 275 ponies. Why cant VAG/Porsche make a 3 liter diesel with a little more power for their sport cars? Tuners car get 300 ponies out of my A4 3.0 TDI... what is the problem for Porsche to do this, let say, in a more reliable way than any tuner?

[chazwozza]

That badge looks very Mondeo....which is fine. on a Mondeo... Nothing against a diesel porker mind, they have to move with the times but the power is a little low isn't it??

[MogulBoy]

I'd like to see a direct comparison versus the diesel Cayenne.

[Triple7]

I like it & want to have one, but for that amount of money it just doesn't do enough aside have a Porsche badge. 3.0 Range Rover Sport HSE please.

[FamilyDub]

'I'm getting 44.8mpg from my diesel Porsche Panamera!'

So many things wrong with that sentence...

[nouze]

lgomgf said:

what is the problem for Porsche to do this, let say, in a more reliable way than any tuner?

Engine longevity and reliability would be my guess. Your tuner won't give a monkeys if your engine dies.

[sjmoore]

I suppose with 750 miles between fill-ups at least you don't have to suffer the embarassment too often of being at the petrol pump with everyone thinking...ahhh...so that is the type of person that buys a diesel Panamera...

[Shewie]

Oh dear, they've managed to make the Panamera even worse!!! It looks like the accountancy department demanded payback after allowing the engineers to put a 4 litre engine in the GT3 RS...

[SSBB]

Double post

Edited by SSBB on Tuesday 3rd May 09:47

[E21_Ross]

nouze said:

lgomgf said:

what is the problem for Porsche to do this, let say, in a more reliable way than any tuner?

Engine longevity and reliability would be my guess. Your tuner won't give a monkeys if your engine dies.

yes, but i can see his point. x35d engines have another 50+ bhp. surprised porsche haven't at least matched that figure!!

[SSBB]

As above, the Jaguar 3.0 puts out 275hp, and the BMW lump must put out over 300. Who is buying a new Porsche for the mpg? Seriously, is this a company car/BIK thing?

[Truckosaurus]

It would have been more interesting with the 5.0 V10 diesel as per the Phaeton/Tourag[-]/[-]Toerag/VW SUV.

As it is the 3-litre diesel will make it a dull but worthy intercontinental tourer.

[CocoUK]

That's chuffin horrible!

[Fire99]

Truckosaurus said:

It would have been more interesting with the 5.0 V10 diesel as per the Phaeton/Tourag[-]/[-]Toerag/VW SUV.

As it is the 3-litre diesel will make it a dull but worthy intercontinental tourer.

Is the V10 not a bit of a heavy ol lump? Maybe not too great for the alleged sporting intentions of the Panamera.

[Fuelbrother DC]

FamilyDub said:

'I'm getting 44.8mpg from my diesel Porsche Panamera!'

So many things wrong with that sentence...

Brilliant!

[LayZ]

lgomgf said:

I dont get it... we have an XJ diesel here in our company (big boss car)... it has, I think, 275 ponies. Why cant VAG/Porsche make a 3 liter diesel with a little more power for their sport cars? Tuners car get 300 ponies out of my A4 3.0 TDI... what is the problem for Porsche to do this, let say, in a more reliable way than any tuner?

HP number doesn't seem that high but the figures seem good - does the Jag crack sub 7 sec to 60?

Fwiw, the Diesel Cayenne looks like a bargain next to these. 15k extra - for what?

[KenBlocksPants]

Will sell in their droves to people wanting the badge and prestige.

I wouldnt worry about the badges... no doubt 99% will be ordered with the 'badge deleted' option to preserve what little dignity they have left.



But if the selling of these sorts of things allows them to still build cracking 911's then i dont really care.

[TonyHetherington]

Why the negativity?

The Panamera has a very specific role; cross country people moving in comfort. A diesel version is a logical extension of that.

Ok the badge is horrid, I'll certainly give you that, and I've never been a fan of the Panamera's shape. But doing what it's meant to do; cross continent blasting, I'm sure it's superb.

[PhantomPH]

TonyHetherington said:

Why the negativity?

The Panamera has a very specific role; cross country people moving in comfort. A diesel version is a logical extension of that.

Ok the badge is horrid, I'll certainly give you that, and I've never been a fan of the Panamera's shape. But doing what it's meant to do; cross continent blasting, I'm sure it's superb.

Almost exactly what I was going to post. Well done!

We live in a world where (rightly or wrongly) being able to say you have a car capable of doing good MPG appeals to the retards (said in a 'The Hangover' style) who don't understand the complexities of consumption and pollution. By Porsche producing and selling this model, they can carry on producing and selling the GT3 RS 4.0. Which in my book is a good thing.

If Porsche suddenly stopped making anything but the Cayenne and the Panamera, THEN people can moan.

[Zod]

TonyHetherington said:

Why the negativity?

The Panamera has a very specific role; cross country people moving in comfort. A diesel version is a logical extension of that.

Ok the badge is horrid, I'll certainly give you that, and I've never been a fan of the Panamera's shape. But doing what it's meant to do; cross continent chugging, I'm sure it's superb.

EFA