Wednesday 18th August 2010

New Performance And Style Options For Panamera

Powerkit and Torque Vectoring for Porsche's super saloon

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Go-faster with Sport Design...

Panamera Turbo buyers will be able to specify an optional Power Kit for their cars from next month. It boosts output from 500hp to 540hp, but it's not cheap at £11,118.

The Powerkit includes a pair of revised turbochargers and ECU changes, as well as set of new titanium-alloy turbine wheels. Existing Panamera owners will be able to get the package retro-fitted by dealers from November.

In Sport Plus mode, the Panamera Turbo with Powerkit accelerates 0.1 sec faster than the standard car, reaching 62mph from rest in 3.9 sec, the company tells us, while top speed is 190mph compared with 188mph. However, by returning 24.6 mpg, fuel consumption of a Panamera Turbo with Powerkit is the same as that of the 500 hp version, which is both a perfect demonstration of Porsche Intelligent Performance (they say) and a vital point of justification when selling the upgrade to your other half. (We say.)

...a Powerkit...

Meanwhile a Sport Design Package, new 20-inch Panamera Sport alloy wheels and Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV) have also been introduced as options for the Panamera.

The Sport Design Package includes a unique, body-coloured nose with wider black air intake grilles, separate side skirts and the standard, body-coloured rear underbody apron with diffuser and fins. It will be available new for £2,516, or for retro-fitting from October.

New 20-inch Panamera Sport wheels complete the package and cost £2,247 including VAT. (This is starting to add up!)

...and new 20ins wheels

If you want to improve the agility of a V8-engined Panamera model, you can also now specify Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) as an option together with Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) and a fully controlled rear axle differential lock. It's a relative snip at £3,130.

[Martin 480 Turbo]

So, shortly after the very favourable TopGear review Porsche decides to
strengthen that Rhino (or Hippo?) up with a new "chin" and some muscle.

[thirsty]

I am sure this car is wonderful. For some reason I just don't like it.

[alfabadass]

£12000 for 0.1sec and an extra 2 miles per hour?

[Remagel2507]

Im quite liking these new upgrades actually though I havnt had the chance to go in a normal one so not sure about the difference it would make.

[Lawrence5]

This could be useful for the driver

[gumsie]

Lawrence5 said:

This could be useful for the driver

Is that to sick into or to cover the head, or the latter after the former?

[dberkmen]

I'd love to know how this is going to help shift all the 'demo' models currently sitting in dealers showrooms.. ?

[spydersingh]

Is that a camera in the front bumper? Or is that for speed sensing cruise control?

[dvs_dave]

Something tells me that these will be into bargain barge territory relatively quickly due to it looking cack and being woefully out of touch with what the world needs from a new performance car in this day and age.

[Porsche997C4S]

So maybe it's not the best looking car in the world, it's still an amazing machine.

[Garlick]

I like the Panamera. I like the way it drives, I like the way it feels inside and (in the right spec) I like the way it looks too.

Honestly, I do.

[hornetrider]

I simply don't understand how such a big company like Porsche all stood around the design table and thought 'yes'. Not really relevant to this particular thread, but there we are

[300bhp/ton]

Have to say I rather like this. Not really sure what chips others have on their shoulders to be honest.

[ultegra]

[Fittster]

Garlick said:

I like the Panamera. I like the way it drives, I like the way it feels inside and (in the right spec) I like the way it looks too.

Honestly, I do.

You like everything.

[anonymous-user]

dvs_dave said:

Something tells me that these will be into bargain barge territory relatively quickly due to it looking cack and being woefully out of touch with what the world needs from a new performance car in this day and age.

They'll have to sell some first

[nogsk]

You have to admit it's a tour de force, all that tech wizardry, power and speed in a 4 door chassis, OK so it's looks are a Marmite thing, but if I had the quids and needed 4 seats I'd have one.

[Furyblade_Lee]

Good ol' Porsche, charging £11k for £4k of bits! At least you get something, historically with the lightweight cars you pay more for them to leave bits off!!! Our Porsche has about £9K of extras judging by the original invoice. Oh, the glovebox is one, they don't come with a glovebox as standard. Probobly a couple of hundred quid there alone. I am still looking for about £5k of the others.

An that Panamera for all it's technical brilliance is still one ugly mo fo. Probobly bought by the Internet-dating X6 owner who's trading up.

[Furyblade_Lee]

I take some of that back, it looks quite good from the front. Well that particular one does anyway. No worse on nice front / minging rear than a late 911 Cabrio.

[Fire99]

Garlick said:

I like the Panamera. I like the way it drives, I like the way it feels inside and (in the right spec) I like the way it looks too.

Honestly, I do.

You're gonna have to do better than that to get a free one from Porsche.

It's a 100k car with a 100quid styling job..