The Panamera is quintessentially Porsche — it packs a punch and, unlike the 911, it can also pack a lot of your luggage and two of your best mates without having to leave their legs behind. Much like the 911 though, each new Panamera has been an evolution of the previous one and this new one sticks to that recipe. It gets slightly a slightly retouched exterior, updated technology on the inside and improved chassis dynamics. The big news however, is the addition of the Turbo S in the Panamera lineup, replacing the Turbo and the new 4S E-Hybrid, in addition to the already existing 4 E-Hybrid.
In terms of looks, the ‘new’ Panamera is much the same. Most casual on-lookers won’t be able to tell the difference really. That’s not to say there aren’t differences. The front-end gets sharp lines flowing from under the headlights, which converge to form a sharper front section. The Sport Design front-end, previously optional, is now standard on some models. At the rear, the lightbar gets a clear housing, with a darkened housing available as an option (GTS models get the darkened one as standard). And the Porsche lettering at the rear is now integrated into the taillight housing. The Turbo S also gets larger air intakes, more body-coloured elements and slightly different headlights. Porsche has also added new rim and colour options to the Panamera lineup. There are also other small creases and changes but nothing groundbreaking, although the Panamera is still a good looking sports saloon. Like before, the Panamera will still be available in standard, Sport Turismo and Executive body styles.
In terms of technology, the Panamera now gets wireless Apple CarPlay, improved voice commands, and more standard kit including lane keep assist. There is also adaptive cruise control, a night vision camera, lane change assist, matrix LED headlights and park assist on offer.
The new Turbo S variant gets 79bhp and 50Nm of torque more than the Turbo variant it replaces, bringing up the total to 621bhp and 820Nm of torque. The Turbo S is powered by the same four-litre twin-turbo V8 as before. This has resulted in a 0 to 100kmph time of just 3.1 seconds and a top speed of 315kmph. That makes it a full six-tenths quicker than the 911 Carrera S to the tonne. And its laurels aren’t restricted to straight line speeds either, with Lars Ken having lapped the ‘Ring in just 7:29.81 behind the wheel of the new Panamera Turbo S, making it the fastest time yet in the ‘executive cars’ class. This is also thanks to the reworked electronics including the Porsche Active Suspension Management, Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control Sport and the Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus system.
The new Panamera 4S E-Hybrid gets a 100kW (134bhp) electric motor, linked up to a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 engine, producing 434 bhp, mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch PDK gearbox. This results in a maximum system output of 552bhp and a massive 750Nm of torque. The Sport Chrono pack is standard, and allows for a 0 to 100kmph time of 3.7 seconds, and it will go on to a top speed of 298kmph. The battery has been upgraded to 17.9 kWh, as opposed to the 14.1kWh pack in other hybrid models earlier. This gives the 4S E-Hybrid an all-electric range of 54km, according to the WLTP EAER City cycle.
The Panamera new GTS models also get 20bhp more than their predecessors, totalling 473bhp and 620Nm of torque, and it also gets the sports exhaust system as standard now. Porsche has also replaced the 3-litre twin-turbo V6 which was available in the standard Panamera and Panamera 4, and replaced it with the 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6. The output is identical at 325bhp and 450Nm of torque. Porsche has reworked the chassis systems of the new Panamera, optimising the adaptive shock absorbers, electronic roll stabilisation, steering system and revamped engine and axle mounts. All of this, the company claims, has resulted in better comfort and cornering stability.
The new Panamera will certainly be coming to India in the coming months, possibly early next year, with a slight hike in prices. Currently, the Panamera range kicks off with the Panamera 4, priced at Rs 1.49 crore (ex-showroom) and goes up to the top-of-the-range Turbo S E-Hybrid Executive, priced at Rs 2.57 crore (ex-showroom). Expect the new car to be a little more pricey when it launches here.