New Porsche Panamera unveiled in Shanghai
Third generation model delivers host of evolutionary updates – retains familiar look
By PH Staff / Friday, 24 November 2023 / Loading comments
Kudos, surely, must be afforded Porsche for continuing to build the Panamera when it already produces a remarkably well-received – and now well-established – electric saloon that does nearly all of the same things. But the launch of the model’s third generation, with significant improvements everywhere, if not a significantly different look, is confirmation that the Panamera is here to stay. Presumably till the end of the decade, at least.
This is absolutely a good thing. The saloon may have spent much of its life being dramatically overshadowed by the sales behemoth that is the Cayenne, but its reputation as a top-notch saloon has never taken a backward step. Indeed, the Panamera is generally considered to have improved with age, and the platform it shares with Bentley has underpinned some truly spectacular road cars. With any luck, Porsche’s claim for the new version – ‘more digital, more luxurious, more efficient’ – ought to continue the trend.
Let’s deal with the ‘luxurious’ bit first, as it seems like the manufacturer is most excited about that bit. Specifically it has to do with the option of something called Porsche Active Ride, which is said to surpass the standard, dual-chamber PASM setup fitted as standard. The latter, which separates the rebound and compression stages, thereby increasing the effective bandwidth of the damper control, is familiar. The former also features two-valve dampers, but these are connected to an electrically-operated hydraulic pump and a single-chamber air suspension system.
The combination is said to offer ‘an unprecedented range between driving comfort and driving dynamics’ because it is better able to respond in a targeted manner. In fact, Porsche reckons it can ‘counteract and almost completely compensate for the forces resulting from the road excitation’. And not just in the established way of being better able to keep the Panamera flat and ideally balanced, but also in overcompensating for pitch and roll to reduce the impact on occupants. In this setting, Porsche says ‘the new Panamera leans into the corners like a motorcycle’ which ought to be interesting in a two-tonne saloon.
On that score, probably it is no coincidence that Active Ride will be offered to E-Hybrid buyers. Eventually there will be four derivatives, but the Turbo E-Hybrid is the first to launch. Like the new Cayenne version, this benefits from the introduction of the updated 4.0-litre V8, combined with a newly developed 190hp electric motor integrated into the housing of the eight-speed PDK. Overall you’ll get 680hp from the union (and 3.2 seconds to 62mph) although ‘more efficient’ obviously refers to the larger capacity 25.9kWh battery, which is said to offer an electric range of 56 miles. A new 11kW onboard AC charger is said to shorten charging time to as little as 2 hours and 39 minutes.
If the thought of buying a petrol-electric hybrid over a Taycan has you bemusedly rubbing your temples, then rest assured that some of the Panamera lineup will remain strictly fossil-fuelled. The entry-level rear-drive model and the all-wheel drive 4 are available from today also, and feature the modified 2.9-litre V6 with 353hp – a 23hp improvement over the previous iteration. Together with 369lb ft of torque, the standard Panamera is capable of 5.1-seconds-to-62mph and 169mph, while the 4 counters with 4.8 seconds and 168mph. Which, as ever, ought to seem fairly spirited in car that measures more than 5 metres in length and approaches 2 metres in width.
Those proportions are tucked into a very familiar styling package. Needless to say, Porsche claims the result as ‘even more expressive’ but, detailed light design aside, the significant alternations seem to be limited to an additional air intake above the number plate and a revised window line. The manufacturer has tried a little harder with the Turbo E-Hybrid (guess which variant it’s hoping to sell), adding ‘a distinctive rear apron with painted diffuser panels and a unique front apron in body colour’ – so there’s that, not to mention chrome-plated tailpipes in dark bronze and the exclusive Turbonite colour we talked about just last week.
We’ve also talked about the Panamera’s new interior previously, as Porsche opted to reveal it ahead of the car’s official unveiling at Shanghai. There’s a good reason for that: it far outstrips the exterior for relevance. And that’s because the new Porsche Driver Experience cockpit bears many of the Taycan’s hallmarks, including relocating the gear selector next to the steering wheel and providing an optional 10.9-inch touchscreen for the passenger. Happily, good sense has prevailed elsewhere, and along with the drive modes migrating to the steering wheel mounted control familiar from the 911, the Panamera retains analogue switchgear for the HVAC system.
Inevitably though, ‘more digital’ is a defining characteristic of the new surroundings, not just in the ability to scan a QR code to log in with your personal Porsche ID or the more sophisticated integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but also in an expanded range of assistance systems that includes active speed assist, active lane guidance and a new Remote ParkAssist function that doesn’t actually require you to be in the car. We look forward to that and much else besides when the new generation makes it back from China – but if you’re already convinced, the latest Panamera (£79,500), Panamera 4 (£82,500) and Turbo E-Hybrid (£141,400) are available to order from today. Expect deliveries to kick off in March 2024.
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