The new Porsche Panamera is an overly engineered German Luxury Chariot that redefines our idea of speed and opulence.
The 2017 Porsche Panamera is ready to firmly cement itself as the supreme sports luxury saloon car in the current market. The German manufacturers are so enthusiastic that they’ve already put the new Panamera to test at the Nurburgring, setting a verified lap time of 7 minutes and 38 seconds. What this means is that the new Panamera is now the fastest 4-door luxury saloon to lap the Nurburgring. It is one second quicker than the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio (previous record holder) and also quicker than the likes of the McLaren Mercedes SLR and the Lamborghini Murcielago LP-640. Now that is what we call an absolutely mind boggling surprise!
Now, the brand new Panamera is a lot prettier and better proportioned than the old car. So how did Porsche manage to work on the aesthetics of the saloon? Let’s have a look.
To start with, the new car is 35mm longer and 5mm wider. The front bumper has been redone to add sharper edges and takes inspiration from the new 718 design scheme. No complaints here. The new headlamps are also sharper and better defined and feature the Porsche signature LED setup. Looks very sophisticated indeed. The rear of the car is much more petite and smoother. 911 inspired tail lamps extend across the rear, giving the car a very poised demeanour. The rear roof has been lowered by around 20mm to give the Panamera a proper GT fast back look. The new car is built on the all new MSB platform that is shared with the likes of the Bentley Continental series and future luxury Audi’s and VW’s. Overall, the physique is a huge improvement over the old car and the new Panamera has a renewed sense of grace and finesse about it.
Powering the four door saloon are a host of Porsche’s finest motors. Leading the charge is an all-new 4.0 litre turbocharged V8 that replaces the older car’s larger 4.8 litre engine. This new motor produces 548 HP and a savage 742 Nm of torque. This helps catapult the saloon from 0-100 kmph in 3.8 seconds and 3.6 seconds with the added sport chrono package.
Customers with a smaller appetite can opt for a smaller Petrol bi-turbo V6, that is capable of producing a healthy 440 HP and 550 Nm of torque. Another option is a Diesel bi-turbo V8, which produces 422 HP and a diabolical 850 Nm of torque. All these numbers transform to a conclusion – that the new Porsche Panamera Diesel is the world’s fastest diesel road car with a top speed of 290 kmph and a 0-100 figure of 4.3 seconds. Yes, it’s a diesel saloon car. Times are changing indeed.
Porsche has worked very hard to build a futuristic and innovative interior that doesn’t lose the touch of their heritage. The only analog dial in the instrument cluster is the classic Porsche style tachometer. The surrounding dials are all digital and are multifunctional. Keeping the analog dial is a touch we adore. The centre console has a large 12.3 inch touch based display. The rear passengers also get access to multimedia and indoor climate management. The interior is a bespoke blend of luxury and sportiness, which we all expect from a modern Porsche saloon. The new Panamera Turbo features a very theatrical folding rear spoiler. The spoiler folds in bits and assembles in a matter of seconds. Pure Porsche magic.
The new Porsche Panamera is truly a marvelous car. It is fast, luxurious and very elegant. The folks at Porsche have finally figured out the perfect “4-seater Sports+Luxury Saloon” recipe. Along with Ferrari’s exquisite GTC4Lusso, the Porsche Panamera is definitely one of the fastest 4 seaters in the market. With a refreshing new look, Porsche hopes to annihilate the likes of the Audi A7, BMW 6 series Gran Coupe, Mercedes CLS, the aging yet ever so beautiful Aston Martin Rapide and the Maserati Ghibli.
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