Porsche has pulled the covers off its third-generation Panamera saloon, which aims to raise its game with an expanded range of hybrids as well as a highly digitised cabin inspired by the Taycan.
While boasting similar dimensions to the current model, the Panamera is big in anyone’s book with the regular version measuring 5,052mm in length and the Executive stretching things to 5,202mm.
But Porsche has completely reworked the new model inside and out, as well as beneath the skin.
Porsche plans to eventually offer four E-Hybrid powertrain options in the new Panamera, and first out the starting blocks is the new Turbo E-Hybrid, which pairs a “fundamentally revised” 4.0-litre V8 turbopetrol engine to a 140kW electric motor for system outputs of 500kW and 930Nm.
Paired with a redesigned eight-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox, this hybrid heavy-hitter will surge from 0-100km/h in just 3.2 seconds, Porsche claims.
Thanks to a larger 25.9 kWh battery, the Turbo E-Hybrid will now cover up to 91km on electric power alone, in accordance with the WLTP cycle.
Regular Panamera and Panamera 4 variants will be offered too, with power coming from an improved 2.9-litre V6 turbopetrol that now generates 260kW and 500Nm, which is 17kW and 50Nm more than before, cutting the 0-100km/h sprint time to 5.1 seconds.
The overall driving experience is enhanced too, thanks to a brand new Porsche Active Ride active suspension system that’s said to offer an unprecedented range between driving comfort and dynamics. This system is optional on the E-Hybrid models, while the familiar dual-chamber air suspension system with PASM is standard across the line-up.
Inside the cabin inherits the Porsche Driver Experience control concept first introduced in the Taycan electric sedan. Although it’s highly digitised it doesn’t completely eliminate physical controls but rather aims to find the best balance between digital and analogue.
Porsche is also offering an optional passenger display screen, measuring 10.9 inches and enabling digital streaming (unseen by the driver) even when the car is in motion.
Porsche says the new model will become an integral part of its owner’s digital ecosystem. To log in with their personal Porsche ID, all the owner needs to do is scan a QR code displayed in the PCM with their smartphone. Furthermore, functions such as climate control, seat massage and ambient lighting can all be controlled directly via Apple CarPlay or with the Siri voice assistant.
The new Porsche is set to hit international markets, including South Africa, from early 2024 production, with pricing and all the other specifics to be confirmed nearer to the time.