Panamera’s updated 552-horsepower plug-in hybrid system made last year’s Turbo model obsolete.
Porsche Taycan pushed Panamera aside? Panamera now has excess, ancient and may not even be necessary? We are here to say that Panamera is not ready for its final rituals.
Proof of that is the Panamera 4S E-Hybrid Executive in 2021. Like all Panamera, it is being refreshed mid-cycle for 2021. The long name reflects all the best features of the car. Number 4 for all-wheel drive, S stands for high performance, E-Hybrid shows you that it’s a plug-in hybrid, and the Executive deeds the length of the base length. Think of it as a limousine that ate the 911 Turbo, got a Toyota Prius Prime for dessert, and then itself covered with Hershey’s chocolate syrup. It’s strangely good.
The incinerator side of the familiar hybrid system. Under the hood is a 2.9-liter dual-voltage V-6 engine. It was the same engine that Porsche used in versions of the Macan and Cayenne and Audi that added, among other things, the S6 and S7 sports sedans. The 2.9-litre, 325-horsepower version is currently the standard engine on the Base Panamera 2021. In the new Panamera 4S E-Hybrid, it has 443 horsepower and a more serious 405-pound-feet torque.
Between the new engine and the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, Porsche nested into the heart of the E-Hybrid system: a 134-horsepower electric motor. While the 134 is a modest number of horses, the engine is also powerful along with 295 pound-feet of instant torque. This combination provided a direct power to the V-6 and an electric transmitter to the actuation. And all are good for 552 horsepower and maximum torque of 553 pound-feet. If you are testing our operation, the engine and engine’s outing does not add up to 577 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque because the engine and engine do not reach the maximum at the same rpm.
Last year, the dual-turbocharged Panamera Turbo V-8 had a power of only 550 horsepower. The 4S E-Hybrid replacement Turbo has stopped production in the Panamera 2021 series, although the new Turbo S is terrible with 620 horsepower and the Turbo S E-Hybrid is even crazier than standing at the top of the performance mountain.
The Executive has a base length of 5.9 inches longer than regular Panameras and spans an entire length of 204.7 inches. But the size that informed Panamera Executive’s presence was 78.2 inches in width and a sleek overall height of 56.2 inches. This is not a car trying to hide its large numbers.
While Taycan uses a floating gauge panel that displays the measuring device, Panamera’s central speedometer and other gauges remain in the dashboard. The series of control buttons that were the highlight of the first Panamera cockpit was replaced by sleek touch controls and touchscreens of this generation, but even that seems to be the old technology compared to Taycan.
Although the Panamera is a large sedan, it appears to be much smaller than Volkswagen Group’s chassis-level companion, the Bentley Flying Spur, or any of Mercedes’ large sedans. It would be better if the front door is a little longer to get in and out more easily, some control buttons can also be marked with lips, and in a luxury car like this, we can do without the E- Lime Green Symbol and the Hybrid’s painted brake clamp.
The battery of the E-hybrid system has grown from 14.1-kilowatt-hours to 17.9, and that 27 percent capacity increase should be good within 18 miles of the power range. THE EPA rating will be released close to the sale date. That, however, misses the best of this colossal brawl. Include the 4S E-Hybrid Executive in Sport or Sport Plus, and all resources will be used for high-performance entertainment. Porsche claims that it will, using boot control, plunge to 60 miles per hour in 3.6 seconds and thunder to 185 miles per hour. The company said the short base shaft version would reach speeds of 60 miles per hour faster than a tenth.
With the instant low-level torque of the electric motor combined with the V-6’s rewinding characteristics, this is not what you might expect in a hybrid. With all the power transmitted to the transmission, it felt like a powerful, seamless battleship. Using a gear shifter to create great efficiency, the 4S E-Hybrid accelerates and reacts like a car that weighs about a ton heavier than it is.
Previous Panameras always impressed with their handling, although their volume was far from responding to the driver. On the other side, this car is almost a sports car. The shock absorber system has been modified and the 21-inch wheel is wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires, which are 275/35 in front and 325/30 in the rear, transmit enough movement of the car into the driver’s buttocks to feel the tail rolling in or the nose biting into an angle. It’s best in Sport and Sport Plus modes, but it’s even good for traveling in electric timed. Porsche has also modified the electronic power steering support map to increase efforts when the vehicle is at high speed.
This particular example is equipped with the adaptive sports suspension, 48-volt active flip strut, and carbon-ceramic brake rotor. The fact that the driver did not notice all the computer negotiations taking place between Panamera and the pavement does not mean that it does not take place. Porsche is effectively controlling what sensations are transmitted into the cockpit and what sensations are filtered out.
The computers are doing the job so well that sometimes this giant machine can work like a 911. There always seems to be traction, thrust to order, and chassis reflexes that will bring the NFL back to the All-Pro. Giant braking systems can stop aging.
Porsche has done a great job of adjusting the driving experience that you may not want to sit back. Well, there is plenty of legroom because the length of the base length, and the controls in the rear center panel will satisfy all your Jean-Luc Picard “Make it so” fan imagines. But do you love your driver so much that you want to deliver one of the best sports sedans in the world? Why would anyone want to deny the pleasure of flying this ship on their own?
And that is why the Panamera 4S E-Hybrid is still relevant despite the existence of Taycan. Although Taycan offers its own great driving experience, it is different and quieter than Panamera. Taycan is simply not comparable to Panamera because of the auditory and visual pleasure that comes with its in-house combustion engine.
Panameras in 2021 will not arrive in North America until next year; This Truffle Brown example is an early example of Europe. Look for the official price announced just before the car is sold. Judging by the current price of the 4S E-Hybrid Executive, we speculate that the 2021 model will have a selling price of about $150,000. It’s a large sum, but it lies between the price of the Taycan 4S 522 horsepower and the Taycan Turbo S 670 horsepower.
