Presentation of the Porsche Panamera: extending the lead once again
The idea of a Porsche saloon had been around for a long time, but it was former Porsche boss Wendelin Wiedeking who tipped the scales: with the Panamera, a four-door luxury saloon launched in Shanghai in April 2009, he wanted to build on the resounding success of the Cayenne SUV. And the third edition presented today proves that he was not entirely wrong. It will be launched on the market next year. And we were not only able to view the car without camouflage, but also gather our first driving impressions.
Porsche has taken an evolutionary approach to many aspects of the development. This already applies to the shape: It remains an elegant hatchback sedan, with slightly more sharply contoured side glazing, frameless rear doors and a particularly flat front section despite the large V6 and V8 engines. The fenders tower over the hood. There are also gimmicks, such as the rims with central locking. This saves valuable seconds when changing tires...
All Panamera models have turbo engines, but only the most expensive ones are allowed to bear the magical "Turbo" badge. They are characterized by unique design elements that you can't get even for good money on the six-cylinder models, such as a monochrome emblem or the two-piece extending rear spoiler familiar from the predecessor model.
The interior has been completely redesigned and now resembles the facelifted Cayenne. The center console has a futuristic look, but the ensemble with the driver's screen recessed into the dashboard looks less upmarket than before. The front passenger can have their own screen for an extra charge. New decors and accents complete the passenger compartment, which incidentally also offers plenty of space in the rear - even with the normal wheelbase.
Porsche has extracted maximum efficiency and performance from the engines. The 4.0-liter V8 works with significantly higher injection pressures, the cylinder head is equipped with large air ducts for future regulations and prepared for secondary injection. The measuring sensors are even more precise.
The ZF dual-clutch automatic transmission, which is basically identical to that of the 911 but equipped with an electric motor, has also been further developed and the oil reservoir increased. The plug-in hybrids should be able to drive up to 90 kilometers electrically - with a restrained driving style.
In addition to the drivetrain, the developers have also taken a thorough look at the chassis. The dual-chamber air suspension with twin-valve dampers now offers a significantly wider spread of characteristics; Porsche calls it a "new dimension". The aim was not complete decoupling, but precise feedback to the driver combined with a high level of comfort. The suspension can be lowered by up to three centimetres and, on the other hand, is raised by 5.5 centimetres when getting into the car.
We were able to experience for ourselves how well the new suspension works: The standard air suspension (Adaptive Air Suspension) has improved its effective range in all directions, but the Porsche Active Ride suspension with single-chamber dampers again covers all damping situations much more comprehensively. It is astonishing how Porsche has once again noticeably extended the lead of the Panamera, already the most active sedan in the luxury class.
On a bumpy country road in the hinterland of Leipzig, where the Panamera will continue to roll off the production line in the future, you could clearly see how much the vertical movements have been reduced when driving directly behind a predecessor model. The dampers regulate so quickly that roll stabilizers are required.
There are three variants available at market launch: The entry-level Panamera model with rear-wheel drive, 2.9-liter V6 turbo and 260 kW/353 hp (0-100 km/h in 5.3 s, Vmax 272 km/h, EUR 107,800), the equally powerful Panamera 4 with all-wheel drive (0-100 km/h in 5.0 s, Vmax 272 km/h, EUR 111.900.00) and the Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid with 4.0-liter V8 and a system output of 500 kW/680 hp (0-100 km/h in 3.2 s, top speed 315 km/h, EUR 192,500.00). Further variants are to be added.
The new Panamera is available as a four- or five-seater, a long-wheelbase version will be added later, while the Sport Turismo is no longer available. Deliveries will begin in the spring. (aum)
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