With the new Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, Porsche is showing once again that hybrid technology has great performance potential. The sportscar manufacturer combines an electric motor with a V8 engine, generating a system power of 500 kW/680 hp (combined fuel consumption: 2.9 l/100 km; combined energy consumption: 16.2 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions: 66 g/km). The Gran Turismo achieves a range of 50 kilometres in the purely electric E-mode. Porsche has taken the boost strategy of the all-wheel drive Panamera from the 918 Spyder super sportscar. That means the car accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds and reaches a top speed of 310 km/h.
The numbers sound promising – and a select group of journalists had the opportunity to experience what they mean in practice. Before the vehicle’s trade fair première, Porsche invited them to take part in expert discussions and some initial taxi rides at the Nardò Technical Center in the Italian region of Apulia. Dr Gernot Döllner, Vice President Product Line Panamera, held a kick-off talk explaining the special features of the new Panamera, while Porsche test driver Lars Kern and LMP1 driver Timo Bernhard gave the journalists the chance to experience the Gran Turismo on the race track.
Read all about it in the press commentaries below.
Hybrid power in Nardò
Press comments on the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid
„Launch control propels us from the pitlane like a champagne cork, the smacking of skulls on headrests preceded by an engine blip-blipping on a momentary 3000rpm limit before short strips of rubber are laid.“ autocar.co.uk
„After an Adam’s Apple swallower of a launch-controlled launch from the end of the pit lane, the thing about the Turbo S E-Hybrid is that it simply never lets up. Thrust is brutal, instant and always available (…).“ evo.co.uk
„The Panamera jinked with a prizefighter’s cunning agility to post remarkable acceleration, cornering, and braking performance stats. Launch-controlled thrust topping an indicated 1.30 g slammed every head in the cabin into the backrests, on the way to 60 mph in barely more than three seconds. (Our testing has seen lesser Panameras sprint to 60 mph as quickly as 3.3 seconds.)“ caranddriver.com
„We sure hope that at least some buyers have racetrack club memberships because this rig digs track time. During a hot 2:52.2 lap of Porsche’s 3.9-mile Nardò handling circuit in Italy’s boot-heel with Porsche test driver Lars Kern at the helm (he set a 7:38.40 Nürburgring lap time in a Panamera Turbo last June) three passengers enjoyed decidedly unsedanly g forces in all directions (…).“ motortrend.com
Consumption data
Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid: Fuel consumption combined 2.9 l/100 km; CO2-emissions 66 g/km; electric energy consumption (combined) 16.2 kWh/100 km