Porsche Panamera (2009 – 2017) Review

March 2009

Porsche confirmed UK prices for four seat Panamera

On sale in UK on 12 September 2009. From £72,266 for the Panamera S, £77,269 for the Panamera 4S and £95,298 for the top of the range Panamera Turbo. The Porsche Panamera will be available with powerful and efficient V8 power units, the choice of rear or four-wheel drive, and an interior design with a uniquely luxurious and high technology ambience.

The rear-wheel drive Porsche Panamera S is offered with a six-speed manual gearbox. The seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) double-clutch transmission is available as an option for £2,289. The Panamera 4S and Turbo have four-wheel drive and feature the PDK gearbox as standard. The active all-wheel drive system is controlled by Porsche Traction Management (PTM) via a multi-plate clutch that adjusts the engine power distribution between the front and rear axles for increased grip and agility.

All Porsche Panameras have a full leather interior, Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), Bi-Xenon headlights, rear ParkAssist, tyre pressure monitoring, automatic dimming rear view mirrors, Porsche Communication Management with touch-screen satellite navigation and audio controls, and a Bluetooth telephone module – complete with cordless handset for use by rear seat passengers.

The heated front seats fitted as standard in the Porsche Panamera S and 4S are of a sporting style, and can be adjusted electrically in eight different directions for optimum comfort. Adaptive sports seats with higher side bolsters are available as an option across the range.

Standard on all Porsche Panamera models is the ‘Sport’ button, which increases throttle pedal responsiveness, selects the ‘Sport’ suspension setting on the PASM, and the shift patterns of the PDK transmission, where fitted. Offered in combination with PDK is the new Porsche Auto Start/Stop function. This automatically switches off and restarts the engine when stationary to further reduce fuel consumption and emissions – for example, at traffic lights or in congestion.

The Panamera S and 4S have 18-inch alloy wheels as standard, with a choice of 19-inch and 20-inch alternatives available. The Panamera Turbo rides on 19-inch alloy wheels. As is typical of a Porsche, the braking system of the Panamera is designed to deliver a high level of stopping power. However, similar to all other Porsche models, the race-proven and highly efficient Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) option is also offered for the Panamera.

Additional features on the Porsche Panamera Turbo include PASM with an adaptive air suspension function that actively adjusts the ride height, BOSE® Surround Sound audio system with 14 speakers, metallic paint, multi-function steering wheel, heated rear seats and rear side airbags. Also, the 14-way electric front seat adjustment has a Comfort Memory Package for the various seat positions and the electrically adjustable steering column.

The Porsche Panamera offers Porsche Stability Management (PSM), there are driver and front passenger airbags, curtain airbags as well as – on the front seats – side and knee airbags, each ensuring maximum protection as standard features in the event of an accident. Rear seat side airbags are available as an option on the Panamera S and 4S.

Luggage capacity of 445 litres (15.6 cu ft) in the Panamera S and 4S. Maximum stowage in the Panamera Turbo is 432 litres or (15.1 cu ft). With the rear seat back rests folded, luggage capacity in all models increases to an ample 1,250 litres or 43.8 cu ft.

Porsche Panamera figures:

Panamera S 4.8-litre V8: 400bhp, 500Nm, 0-60 5.2 secs, 176mph, 26.2 mpg comb, 253 g/km CO2. Price £72,266

Panamera 4S 4.8-litre V8: 400bhp, 500Nm, 0-60 4.8 secs, 175mph, 25.4mpg comb, 260 g/km CO2. Price £77,269

Panamera Turbo 4.8-litre V8 twin-turbo: 500bhp, 700Nm, 0-60 4.0 secs, 188mph, 23.2mpg, 286 g/km CO2. Price £95,298

April 2009

Panamera revealed

Four-door super saloon approved for development by Porsche board for production in 2009. Front engine. Rear wheel drive. 20,000 a year to be built. To be assembled in Leipzig, where Porsche already builds the Cayenne and the Carrera GT. But 70% of car to be manufacturered in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen.

4,970mm long x 1931mm wide x and 1418mm high.

Strongly contoured air intakes instead of a conventional radiator grille. Striking wheel arches and long, sleek bonnet. "The V-shaped lines along the bonnet, and the rear window tapering out like an arrow towards the tail, convey the features characteristic of a sports car to the new, highly individual Panamera class. The striking, muscular shoulders over the rear wheels, the dynamic sweep of the coupé-like roof-line, and the visible tailpipes again signpost the DNA so typical of a thoroughbred Porsche."

Luggage compartment easily takes every passenger’s baggage, folding rear seat backrests enable driver and passengers to adjust the luggage space individually to their personal requirements. Coupé tailgate in sporting rear end combines superior versatility for daily use with stylish elegance.

V-engines within the engine compartment come with six and eight cylinders and range in power from 300 to 500 bhp. Some use turbocharger technology, Direct Fuel Injection make them both fuel-efficient and powerful all in one. Power to the wheels goes either through a manual six-speed gearbox or the Porsche seven speed Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK), or double-clutch gearbox.

The Panamera will offer customers countless opportunities for individual interior personalisation, with numerous options and possibilities to customise the car to his or her choice. Smooth and natural leathers are available in a total of 13 colour and material combinations, including four two-tone options that can be combined wherever required with seven optional interior trim finishes including exclusive materials such as carbon fibre and Natural Olive wood.

Comprehensive safety courtesy of driver and front passenger airbags, curtain airbags as well as – on the front seats – side and knee airbags, all ensuring maximum protection as standard features in the event of an accident. Side airbags are available for the rear seats as an optional feature.

Comfort seats featured as standard in the Panamera S and 4S are of a sporting style, and can be adjusted electrically in eight different directions for optimum comfort. In the rear, two individual seats - with a folding centre armrest - provide generous legroom and headroom, particularly for tall passengers. The Panamera Turbo combines electric seat adjustment with a Comfort Memory Package not only for the seat functions but also the electrically adjustable steering column. Further alternatives such as adaptive sports seats or rear comfort seats with powered adjustment to a wide range of different positions are likewise available as options.

February 2010

V6-engined Porsche Panamera introduced

With new 300 hp 90 degree V6 Porsche DFI EU5 power units. low kerbweight of 1,730kg, World Beijing Motor Show April 2010 with two and four-wheel drive. UK sales from June 2010. Peak torque of 400 Nm. Equipped with Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) double-clutch gearbox - which includes Auto Start/Stop - the Panamera V6 delivers 30.4mpg on the Combined cycle and CO2 emissions are 218g/km. The Panamera 4 averages 29.4 mpg and 225g/km. With optional 19" all-year tyres with low roll resistance, fuel consumption reduces further and the CO2 ratings lower to 213 g/km and 220 g/km.

Offering steel suspension as standard with optional variable dampers, adaptive air suspension with additional air volume is also available as an option and provides an even wider range of suspension settings to extend the driving qualities further still. Standard equipment on all models includes Bi-Xenon headlights, front and rear ParkAssist, heated front seats, tyre pressure monitoring, automatic dimming rear view mirrors, Porsche Communication Management with touch-screen satellite navigation and audio controls and cruise control. The Porsche Panamera range is now priced from £61,461 for the Panamera, and the Panamera 4 (PDK standard) is priced at £66,929 inc VAT

August 2010

From September, 2010 Panamera Turbo buyers can specify the new Powerkit, which raises engine output by 40 hp to 540 hp. Key elements of the Panamera Turbo Powerkit are two new turbochargers with titanium-alloy turbine wheels. The engine management computer has been adapted accordingly and the result is an appreciable further improvement in the engine's responsiveness.

Maximum torque rises to 750 Nm from 700 Nm. When the Sport Chrono package is combined with the Powerkit, torque increases in the over-boost mode to 800 Nm. In Sport Plus mode, the Panamera Turbo with Powerkit accelerates 0.1 sec faster than the standard car, reaching 62mph from rest in 3.9 sec. Top speed is 190mph (305 km/h) compared with 188mph (303 km/h). However, by returning 24.6 mpg (11.5 ltr/100 km) during the NEDC test cycle, fuel consumption of a Panamera Turbo with Powerkit is the same as that of the 500 hp version, a perfect demonstration of Porsche Intelligent Performance.

As a Porsche Exclusive option, the Powerkit will be available from September 2010 at a price of £11,118 including VAT. Porsche Tequipment will launch the Powerkit as a retrofit kit from November. A Sport Design Package, new 20-inch Panamera Sport alloy wheels and Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV) have also been introduced as options for the Panamera.

The Sport Design Package includes a unique, body-coloured nose with wider black air intake grilles, separate side skirts and the standard, body-coloured rear underbody apron with diffuser and fins. Starting from October 2010, the Sport Design Package will be available from Porsche Exclusive for £2,516 including VAT, or for retro-fitting from Porsche Tequipment.

The new 20-inch Panamera Sport wheels bring further choice to the range of alternative alloy wheels available. The light alloy multi-spoke wheel is 9.5" wide on the front, and 11.5" wide on the rear. Consequently, it does not only have a larger tyre contact area but is also flush with the wheel arch for a distinctive look. The wheels are available from Porsche Exclusive in GT silver metallic, black, or co-ordinated in body colour from £2,247 including VAT (£1,058 on Turbo models). The wheels are available in GT silver metallic and black for retro-fitting from Porsche Tequipment.

Furthermore, a three-spoke sports steering wheel with gearshift paddles is also available as an option in combination with the Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe PDK gearbox, priced at £277.

Buyers seeking to further increase the chassis agility of the V8-engined Panamera models can specify Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) as an option together with Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) and a fully controlled rear axle differential lock. Costing £3,130, PTV Plus optimises steering behaviour by intervening in the brakes on the inner rear wheel in a bend to generate additional rotational force acting in the same direction as the steering wheel. The result is even more direct and dynamic steering response when cornering – and at the same time PTV Plus, in conjunction with the rear axle differential, improves traction on the rear wheels when accelerating out of a bend.

February 2011

Panamera Hybrid announced

With 380PS, 0-60 in 5.8 seconds, 168mph top speed, emissions of just 159 g/km and a price tag of £86,146. On sale in UK from June 2011. EC certificated fuel economy of 41.5mpg Combined achieved through a combination of clever engineering solutions under the skin and the use of lower rolling resistance tyres specially-developed by Michelin.

The range in purely electric mode is approximately 1.25 miles, with driving in this mode possible up to 53 mph, depending on the road and traffic conditions. The Porsche hybrid drive is also the only system in the world able to exploit additional consumption reserves thanks to its so-called ‘sailing’ function. During phases when no power is required from the combustion engine, ‘sailing’ entails switching off the engine and disengaging the drivetrain at speeds of up to 103 mph.

The Panamera S Hybrid is driven by the same engine combination that has already proved itself in the Cayenne S Hybrid, a model which already accounts for a fifth of Cayenne sales in the UK. The main propulsion is provided by a supercharged three-litre V6 engine delivering 333 hp (245 kW) supported by a 47 hp (34 kW) electric motor. Both power units are capable of powering the Panamera S Hybrid either alone or in combination. The electric motor also operates as a generator and a starter. Together with the separating clutch, it forms the compact hybrid module located between the combustion engine and the transmission.

The electric motor is connected to a nickel metal hydride (NiMh) battery where the electrical energy recovered while braking and driving is stored. Power transmission is handled by the familiar eight-speed Tiptronic S, with a wide spread of ratios, as already fitted to the Cayenne.

Every Panamera has a high level of standard specification that includes leather interior, Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), Bi-Xenon headlights, front and rear ParkAssist, tyre pressure monitoring, automatic dimming rear view mirrors, Porsche Communication Management with touch-screen satellite navigation and audio controls, cruise control and a three year warranty. The Panamera S Hybrid also features adaptive air suspension as standard, plus the innovative display panel - already seen in the Cayenne Hybrid - that provides the driver with all the relevant information about the vehicle’s specific hybrid driving status.

With the introduction of the new hybrid, the Panamera range now comprises six different models with a choice of two- and four-wheel drive and four engines. This diversity echoes the evolving preferences of Porsche customers, and which the sales success of the Panamera is already confirming. Approximately 15 months after sales started, nearly 30,000 vehicles have been delivered worldwide, of which over 1,000 have been in the UK.

The Panamera S Hybrid went on sale in the UK in June 2011, priced from £86,146. The low emissions of 159 g/kmis of particular relevance to fleet and company car buyers as it sits under the Company Write Down Allowance threshold of 160g/km. This means for a company purchase, the price can be offset against tax at the rate of 20% per annum.

March 2011

Porsche unveiled new Panamera Turbo S

With the new Panamera Turbo S, Porsche is raising the bar for sporting four-door luxury cars. The new addition to the Gran Turismo range offers a unique combination of performance and efficiency, driving dynamics and comfort. The 4.8-litre, V8 twin-turbocharged engine delivers 550 hp (410 kW), an increase of ten per cent or 50 hp (37 kW) more than the Panamera Turbo. Torque also increases from 700 to 750 Nm and in the “Sport” and “Sport Plus” mode of the standard Sport Chrono Package Turbo - and during kick-down in normal mode - the eight cylinder engine delivers 800 Nm courtesy of the over-boost function.

This uprated engine delivers record sprint times for the new top of the range Panamera. When using the Launch Control function, 0-62 mph is reached in 3.8 seconds, with a top speed of 191 mph possible. However, despite the increased performance, fuel consumption of the Panamera Turbo S remains at the moderate level of the Panamera Turbo at 24.6mpg Combined on the NEDC– an example of Porsche Intelligent Performance.

The increased performance compared with the Panamera Turbo can be attributed to two main enhancements. Improved turbochargers with titanium-aluminium turbine wheels and modified engine control management. The use of the innovative titanium-aluminium alloy reduces the weight of the turbine and compressor wheel. This results in a lower moment of inertia, and thus improved and more responsive acceleration.

The Porsche Panamera Turbo S boasts a comprehensive equipment level. In keeping with the sporting concept of this particularly high-performance Panamera, the Turbo S features several key driving dynamics control systems as standard. For example, Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC), an active roll stabilisation system, boosts cornering stability and thus enhances both driving dynamics and comfort in equal measure. Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) applies a variable torque split to the rear wheels which, in combination with an electronically controlled rear limited slip differential, ensures superior traction and therefore greater agility in every driving situation. The Sport Chrono Package Turbo, which tunes the suspension settings and engine controls, makes the car even more sporting when the additional “Sport Plus” button is pressed. Completing the dynamic enhancements is a sports exhaust system that delivers a particularly emotive engine sound.

The distinct character of the new Panamera Turbo S is apparent not just in its performance, but is also reflected on the exterior. The 20-inch Turbo II alloy wheels with increased rear axle track width, side skirts from the Porsche Exclusive range and the adaptive extending four-way rear spoiler co-ordinated in the exterior colour fitted as standard contribute to an appropriately performance-oriented appearance. The fusion of exclusivity and sportiness is conveyed inside by the standard two-colour leather upholstery. Two new optional combinations of black/cream and agate grey/cream are offered exclusively for the new Panamera Turbo S and will be available from the autumn.

The Panamera Turbo S goes on sale in June and is priced from £122,623.

May 2011

Panamera Diesel on sale

From August 2011 with a 3.0-litre V6 engine with a rated output of 250 hp (184 kW) between 3,800 rpm and 4,400 rpm. Maximum torque of 550 Nm from 1,750 rpm to 2,750 rpm. Rear-wheel drive with eight-speed Tiptronic S as standard. 0 to 62 mph in 6.8 seconds, with a top speed of 150 mph.

The Panamera Diesel offers a theoretical driving range of more than 745 miles on one 80-litre tank, emits 172 g/km and delivers a Combined fuel economy of 43.5mpg. With optional lower rolling resistance tyres, efficiency improves further still, to 167 g/km and 44.8mpg on a Combined cycle.

The model’s 3.0-litre V6 engine is state of the art in diesel technology: common rail direct injection through piezo valves at a pressure of 2000 bar, turbocharging employing electrically controlled variable geometry turbochargers (VGTs) and emission control achieved by controlled exhaust gas recirculation, oxidation catalyst and particle filter.

Auto start/stop function fitted as standard. Adaptive air suspension is available as an alternative to the standard steel spring suspension, to provide an even wider range of suspension settings to extend the driving qualities further still. The Panamera Diesel costs £62,134 and is on sale in the UK from August 2011.

April 2013

Revised Panamera revealed

On sale in the UK from July 2013. Subtle styling changes include more angular front end and a new bonnet, bringing it in line with the new Cayman. The facelift also sees the launch of a plug-in hybrid version that can return up to 91mpg in EC lab tests.

New tailgate and number plate dropped down to the lower part of the bumper. The bumper is sharper while the tailgate itself is flatter, making the Panamera appear less bulky overall.

Panamera S E-Hybrid announced, developed from Panamera Hybrid launched in mid 2011. It uses the same parallel full hybrid system but fitted with a more powerful electric motor and a higher performance battery. The biggest change is that it's now a plug-in hybrid and can be fully charged from a standard domestic plus in less than four hours.

As a result fuel economy dramatically improves compared to the previous standard hybrid model with official fuel economy increasing by more than 50 per cent to 91mpg while emissions are just 71g/km meaning zero annual car tax and exemption from the London congestion charge zone. Total power is 416PS and performance has also improved. The S E-Hybrid can get to 84mph in all-electric mode while 0-62mph takes just 5.5 seconds. Top speed is 168mph and it comes with the same eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox as the Panamera Diesel.

The electric motor produces 95PS, more than double that of the previous Panamera Hybrid, while the range is 22 miles, although this depends on how the car is being driven. Porsche reckons a realistic all-electric driving range in everyday conditions is between 11 and 22 miles. An app is available to owners which lets them see the charge status and allows them to pre-heat or cool the car.

Changes to the rest of the Panamera range include 4.8-litre V8 engine from the Panamera S being dropped, replaced by a new 3.0-litre V6 bi-turbo engine which is more economical. It has 20PS more power than the V8 and 20Nm extra torque while the maximum 520Nm is available over a wider range.

Standard equipment on all models includes xenon headlights, automatic tailgate opening, leather interior, dual-zone automatic climate control, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, Porsche Communication Management satellite navigation with seven-inch touch-screen, Digital radio, eight-way powered front seat adjustment, front and rear electric windows while four-wheel drive models add Porsche Traction Management (PTM) all-wheel drive.