The Porsche Panamera was launched in 2009 and was designed to remedy what would previously have been considered a contradiction in motoring: a luxury four-seater saloon, with the design characteristics of a coupe, which can be driven like a sports car. Four years on and Porsche have introduced the second iteration of the Panamera, to which they’ve attached the catchphrase, ‘thrilling contradictions’.
To gift their Panamera the ‘thrilling’ adjective Porsche have updated their Gran Turismo (GT) with changes in a number of areas, the first of which is the styling. A ‘love it or hate it’ design for many, the Panamera retains its long wheelbase, short overhangs and round rear end. To convince onlookers of its thrilling attributes, however, Porsche have reshaped the front air intakes for a wider looking stance, whilst also sharpening the bonnet lines ever so slightly, for a greater impression of precision.
The side profile has been updated in the same vein, with sharper designs for the side skirts and side mirrors. Changes to the rear end are the most obvious. A widened rear windscreen alludes to a lower stance, while the previous generation’s curvaceous rump has been sharpened somewhat with the addition of a wider spoiler, repositioned number plate bracket and slimmer lights.
The interior remains nothing less than a luxurious and premium affair, with improved leather and trim materials. A very useable 445-litres of boot space is found behind the rear seats, which can be folded flat to accommodate 1 250-litres in total.
The Porsche Panamera is available in eight derivatives, which includes a new 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine, as well as a plug-in electric hybrid that arrives in November this year. An updated and more powerful 3.0-litre turbocharged diesel is on the way for 2014 too.
In brief, the Panamera and Panamera 4 retain their naturally aspirated 3.6-litre V6 engine, which is good for 228 kW, with average fuel consumption of 8.4 l/100km and 8.7 l/100km respectively.
The more powerful Panamera S and Panamera 4S have had their 4.8-litre V8 replaced with a more compact, powerful and fuel efficient bi-turbo 3.0-litre V6. The engine develops 309 kW (up by 15 kW) and 520 Nm of torque (up by 20 Nm), with average consumption figures of 8.7 l/100km and 8.9 l/100km respectively.
Still with the petrol powerplants, the Panamera GTS enjoys 324 kW and 520 Nm from its 4.8-litre V8, with fuel consumption of 10.7 l/100km on average, but it’s the mighty Panamera Turbo that is the headline act, with 382 kW and 700 Nm of torque from the same twin-turbocharged V8.
Until the more powerful 221 kW and 650 Nm turbo-diesel engine arrives in 2014, the Porsche Panamera Diesel offers 184 kW and 550 Nm of torque from its 3.0-litre capacity. Fuel consumption averages out at 6.3 l/100km, but for ultimate frugality the new Panamera S E-Hybrid is the winner.
Porsche lay claim to it being the “world’s first plug-in hybrid drive in the luxury class”, thanks to their new 245 kW 3.0-litre V6 in combination with a 70 kW electric motor. The E-Hybrid boasts 306 kW and 590 Nm of torque, which is enough to launch from 0 – 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 270 km/h.
Drive it carefully, however, and Porsche claim it’ll achieve fuel consumption of 3.1 l/100km on average, which equates to 71 g/km of CO2 emissions. A ‘Porsche Universal Charger (AC)’ by Porsche Design comes standard with every E-Hybrid and offers connections for both single- and three-phase power supplies, with charging times ranging from 2.5 to 4 hours.
Beneath the metal, the chassis of the Porsche Panamera has also been revised to provide improved ride comfort as well as handling ability. Small changes, such as the oil through flow of the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system’s adaptive dampers, as well as recalibrated suspension management software for the dampers and air springs, have led to softer damping and improved comfort. In addition, the front suspension mounts are now larger, the mounts for the steering box have been revised for improved response and new tyres have been calibrated with the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) system for better handling and braking.
All models, bar the diesel and hybrid, are equipped with Porsche’s 7-speed PDK transmission, which is second to none in terms of its operation. The only drawback is that when choosing to operate the transmission in manual mode via the steering wheel mounted controls, Porsche continue to require the driver to press either of the two paddles to change up and pull either of them to change down. A configuration which does not come as second nature when hustling the GT between corners. It’s worth noting that the SportDesign steering wheel, which includes the traditional right-hand gearshift paddle to shift up and left-hand gearshift paddle to shift down, is a no-cost option.
The car’s steering response is direct and allows one to place the car with pin-point accuracy. At higher speeds it could offer less assistance for a slightly weightier feel, but considering the treacherous crosswinds experienced on the launch, the Panamera remained admirably composed by virtue of its steering response.
Without exception, all Panamera models simply devour the kilometres, unperturbed by the majority of road conditions and with little interior noise to hint at any elevated speed. Sweeping corners with dips and bumps are of little concern to the Panamera, which remains self-assured where similarly sized sedans might become flustered.
The new Panamera S and 4S models may only have 20 Nm more torque than before, but all of it is available from 1 750 r/min, whereas the previous generation’s V8 required the driver to wait until reaching 3 500 r/min to deliver its peak figure. As a result, in-gear acceleration from 80 to 120 km/h is over in a rapid 2.9 seconds. Together with the 7-speed PDK’s spread of ratios and new ‘Virtual Intermediate Gears’ function, the S and 4S seem never to be caught off guard when it comes time to leap into action.
Many options and personalisations are available for the Panamera, as can be expected of a luxury sports saloon, but all models are equipped with: dual-stage driver and front passenger airbags; side and knee airbags for driver and front passenger; curtain airbags for all four occupants; active front bonnet for pedestrian protection; Porsche Stability Management (PSM); vacuum brake booster; brake assist and electric parking brake. Bi-xenon headlights, a multifunction steering wheel and an automatic power-lift boot lid are also part of the list of standard features.
The Porsche Panamera may continue to divide opinion in the beauty stakes, however, it should be the discerning choice for those looking for an executive grand tourer with serious talent.
| Pricing (Incl. VAT) | |
| Porsche Panamera | R908 000 |
| Porsche Panamera S | R1 174 000 |
| Porsche Panamera 4 | R954 000 |
| Porsche Panamera 4S | R1 221 000 |
| Porsche Panamera GTS | R1 369 000 |
| Porsche Panamera Turbo | R1 946 000 |
| Porsche Panamera Diesel | R900 000 |
| Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid | R1 229 000 |
Pricing includes a 3-year/90 000km warranty and maintenance plan.
