Porsche telah melancarkan versi baru Panamera tahun lalu, memberikan facelift dan beberapa peningkatan di dalamnya. Mereka bermula dengan model V-6 biasa dan Turbo E-Hybrid yang merupakan yang teratas dalam barisan. Kini, mereka menambah lebih banyak pilihan hibrid kepada barisan, seperti Panamera 4 E-Hybrid dan 4S E-Hybrid.
Model E-Hybrid baru ini mempunyai enjin V-6 turbo 2.9 liter yang telah diubahsuai. Manakala V-6 biasa dalam Panamera asas menghasilkan 348hp, V-6 dalam 4 E-Hybrid hanya menghasilkan 300hp. Tetapi apabila anda tambah motor elektrik dari sistem hibrid, kuasa total meningkat menjadi 463hp dan tork 649Nm. Itu adalah 8hp lebih daripada sebelumnya, dan Porsche mengatakan model 2024 ini dapat bergerak dari 0 hingga 100km/j dalam hanya 3.9 saat.
4S E-Hybrid menggunakan keseluruhan 348hp dari enjin turbo V-6. Apabila digabungkan dengan motor elektrik, yang menambah sehingga 187hp, 4S E-Hybrid mempunyai output total 536hp dan tork 750Nm. Walaupun ia kurang 16hp berbanding model lama, 4S E-Hybrid masih boleh bergerak dari 0 hingga 100km/j dalam 3.5 saat, dengan kelajuan tertinggi 290km/j, yang mana 10km/j lebih cepat daripada model bukan-S.
Kedua-dua model E-Hybrid mempunyai bateri baru yang sama seperti model Turbo, dengan kapasiti 21.8 kWh. Porsche mengatakan bateri ini boleh diisi penuh dalam dua setengah jam dengan pengecas AC 11-kW yang dipasang di dalamnya. Motor elektrik dipasang ke dalam transmisi PDK, yang membantu menjimatkan berat.
Model E-Hybrid dapat berjalan hanya dengan kuasa elektrik sehingga bateri habis, memberikan jangkaan jarak elektrik kira-kira 50km. Terdapat juga pelbagai mod pemanduan seperti Hibrid Auto, yang menggabungkan kuasa petrol dan elektrik berdasarkan cara anda memandu, dan E-Hold, yang menyimpan tahap bateri. Mod E-Charge menggunakan enjin untuk mengecas semula bateri.
Semua Panamera baru dilengkapi dengan suspensi udara dua chamber dengan penyerap kejutan boleh ubahsuai. Model E-Hybrid juga boleh mendapatkan Active Ride, yang menggunakan pam hidraulik untuk mengekalkan kenderaan pada tahap yang sama semasa memandu laju.
Panamera 4 E-Hybrid bermula dari $117,495 (RM563,682) dan 4S E-Hybrid bermula dari $128,795 (RM617,894). Pesanan dibuka pada penghujung Mac, dengan penghantaran bermula pada bulan September.
Porsche introduced the latest iteration of the Panamera last year, featuring refreshed styling, an updated interior, and a power boost. Initially, Porsche showcased the base V-6 model and the top-tier Turbo E-Hybrid variant. Now, hybrid powertrains are expanding throughout the lineup, with the introduction of the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid and 4S E-Hybrid models.
The new E-Hybrid models are powered by a revised turbocharged 2.9-litre V-6 engine. While the V-6 generates 348hp in the non-hybrid base Panamera, the 4 E-Hybrid’s V-6 engine produces 300hp. However, when combined with the electric motor from the hybrid system, total output increases to 463hp and 649Nm of torque. This represents an 8hp increase over the outgoing model, and Porsche claims the 2024 model will accelerate to 100km/h in just 3.9 seconds.
The 4S E-Hybrid, on the other hand, utilises the full 348hp from the turbo V-6 engine. Paired with the electric motor, which delivers up to 187hp, the 4S E-Hybrid generates a robust total output of 536hp, with torque remaining at 750Nm of torque. Despite being down by 16hp compared to the old model, the 4S E-Hybrid still achieves a claimed 0-100km/h time of 3.5 seconds, with a top speed of 290km/h, 10km/h higher than the non-S model.
Both E-Hybrid models feature the same new battery as the Turbo models, with a 21.8-kWh capacity. Porsche states that the 11-kW onboard AC charger can recharge the battery in two and a half hours. The electric motor is integrated into the housing of the PDK transmission, sharing the same oil circulation, which contributes to weight savings.
The E-Hybrid models can operate in full electric mode until the battery reaches a certain level of charge, estimated to provide an EPA-rated electric range of around 50km. The Hybrid Auto mode blends the petrol engine and electric motor based on driving behaviour and navigation, while E-Hold mode preserves the battery level and E-Charge mode uses the engine to recharge the battery.
Standard features across all new Panameras include two-chamber air suspension with adaptive dampers. The E-Hybrid models can also be equipped with Active Ride, utilising hydraulic pumps to minimise body movements and maintain a level ride during spirited driving.
Visual distinctions between the models are subtle, with the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid featuring standard 19-inch wheels, black brake callipers, and the 4S E-Hybrid equipped with 20-inch wheels, red callipers, and silver tailpipes.
The new E-Hybrid models come at a premium, with the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid starting at $117,495 (RM563,682) and the 4S E-Hybrid priced from $128,795 (RM617,894). Orders are set to open at the end of March, with deliveries slated for this September.
In anticipation of its world premiere on November 24, the third-generation Porsche Panamera provides a glimpse of its thoroughly modernised interior, influenced by the design of the Taycan. Much like its all-electric counterpart, the sporty liftback boasts a minimalist approach, with few conventional controls. Most functions are accessible through the screens and touch-sensitive keys integrated into the centre console.
The interior features a 12.6-inch digital instrument cluster, complemented by a centre touchscreen and an additional display on the passenger side of the dashboard. The centre console houses electrically adjustable air vents and an expanded storage area. In the rear, Porsche has added a touchscreen for rear occupants to access various settings, including media, navigation, and ambient lighting.
Continuing the tradition, the new Panamera will also offer a long-wheelbase Executive variant, delivering greater rear legroom and newly contoured seats for enhanced comfort on extended journeys.
Despite its size and weight, the revamped Panamera maintains a driver-centric cabin, emphasising accessibility. The driving mode selector is conveniently located on the steering wheel, which also includes a toggle switch for navigating menus on the digital instrument cluster. An optional head-up display can be controlled from the steering wheel as well.
To the right of the steering wheel is the gear selector, a strategic shift that streamlines the area between the front seats. Other updates include a continuous light strip and improved seat foam materials. Porsche plans to offer a leather-free interior option featuring materials like Race-Tex and Pepita fabric, marking a first for the Panamera.
In the pursuit of a cleaner, less fingerprint-prone interior aesthetic, Porsche has revisited the glossy black surfaces that, while appearing sleek in official images, can be prone to smudging.
With these advancements, the third-generation Porsche Panamera aims to offer not only a technologically advanced but also a more comfortable and eco-conscious driving experience.
The upcoming new generation of the Panamera is in the final stages of testing just before its official launch. Engineers are conducting thorough evaluations in and around Barcelona, Spain, to fine-tune the sports saloon. These tests are the culmination of a comprehensive testing process that took place across four continents.
The Panamera has undergone various tests, including high-altitude evaluations in the US to assess drivetrain performance under low-oxygen conditions, as well as testing the engine-cooling system and air conditioning in extreme heat. Scandinavian tests focused on performance in extremely low temperatures, while South Africa’s challenging road conditions were used to evaluate the car’s capabilities.
Lastly, in Asian megacities with high humidity and heavy traffic, the Panamera faced demanding stop-and-go conditions. These tests ensure that the new Panamera is ready to deliver top-notch performance and reliability when it hits the market.
The updated Porsche Panamera is now available from Sime Darby Auto Performance, with pricing for starting from RM 1,026,735, excluding insurance but with 50% sales tax exemption (until June 30, 2021).
For 2021, the new Panamera feature the previously optional Sport Design front end with striking air intake grilles, larger side air intakes with adapted single-bar front light layout. The appearance of the rear end has a revamped light strip that extends the full width of the luggage compartment lid with an adapted contour. It thus provides a continuous and flowing connection between the two newly designed LED light clusters.
Technical updates
The chassis and control systems have been geared towards a sporty and also comfortable character for 2021. Some systems have even been applied completely from scratch. In order to transfer the enormous power to the road in a controlled manner and maximise cornering performance, the revamped Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system with optimisation, while the control of the electric roll stabilisation system Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control Sport (PDCC Sport) improves body stability. This is achieved while also providing a noticeable improvement in damping comfort.
Six-piston aluminium monobloc fixed brake calipers are fitted at the front, with four-piston aluminium monobloc fixed brake calipers at the rear, and single-piece brake calipers enclosed. The brake system in the latest Panamera has reduced weight but is highly resistant to deformation. The engineers have set the pedal travel to be tight with the pressure point precise so the driver can modulate deceleration efficiently.
An improved tyre generation is fitted, increasing the bandwidth between comfort and sportiness while simultaneously offering a lower rolling resistance. Sport tyres with a softer rubber compound and optimised tread have been developed especially for the Panamera and are offered for the first time, further improving lateral performance and are particularly suitable for sporty cornering.
Three new 20-inch and 21-inch wheels have been added to the wheel range, so that a total of 10 different designs are now available, including the Exclusive Design 21-inch alloy wheels.
The Panamera is powered by the familiar 2.9 litre V6 biturbo engine which generates 330 ps/450 Nm to provide a claimed 0 to 100 km/h capability of 5.4 seconds and a top speed of 270 km/h. The coasting function of the 8-speed PDK (activated in normal driving mode and already part of predecessor models) is also improved to enhance fuel efficiency.
Sporty ambience within
As in every Porsche, there is a sporty ambience inside the car in keeping with the Porsche design DNA. A new multifunction steering wheel is among the updates, with operating elements cleverly integrated into the design. The visual cut-outs bringing to mind the lightweight steering wheels found in racing cars.
The Panamera offers an extensive range of innovative light and driver assistance systems which include Lane Keeping Assist with road sign recognition as well as Night Vision Assist, Lane Change Assist, LED matrix headlights including PDLS Plus, Park Assist including Surround View and a Head-up Display. For the first time, Porsche Connect will be made available in the new Panamera in Malaysia.
“What does Sport Turismo mean,” asked my father when I told him I was going to be driving the new Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo during the Porsche Drive of The Year.
I thought about it for a few seconds, and being unable to find a better way of explaining it, I just said:
“It is another fancy word for hatch back or estate, Dad, but it pretty much means the same thing – a car with a sweeping roof line”.
Or is it?
After driving it for an entire week around Peninsular Malaysia, I realized that the Panamera Sport Turismo is anything but, despite the sweeping roof line.
Before the days of SUVs, hatch backs and estates were the go to vehicles for convenience this side of a van, to store whatever it is you couldn’t store in a regular booth.
And many Sport Turismo articles have been written with references to the “shooting-brake” body style.
But how you could you explain the Sport Turismo concept without mentioning the shooting-brake, just look at the Ferrari 365 GTB Daytona Shooting Brake. This is about where it all started for the Shooting Brake themed sports cars.
But quick search on wikipedia will tell you that the shooting-brake was originally “horse-drawn wagons used to transport shooting parties with their equipment and game”.
Today though, the basic idea remains the same – to carry a lot of stuff – except the game now is replaced with the space necessary for family.
However, that still does not explain why Porsche prefers to call it Sport Turismo rather than the Panamera Shooting-Brake.
Lets first go back to the Grand Turismo, a type of car, initially a coupe, that was the perfect mix of luxury, a massive powerful engine, and the ability to traverse continents without the passenger knowing it.
The term then got twisted to prefer marketing departments of different manufacturers and that is how we arrived at the Sport Turismo, cousin of the Grand Turismo, cousin of the Grand Tourer, sometimes simply known as the GT.
The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is the cooler, sleeker, roomier and supposedly more convenient cousin to the Panamera sedan.
But to be totally, completely, to the point. It is not thaaaat much roomier than the sedan, in fact, from some points, the sedan is a better car. The Sport Turismo is actually 65kg heavier because of the additional body work around the c-pillar.
But what it is however is a cooler car, it has a lot more road presence simply because of its peculiar looks.
And the fact that it is a massive car, almost ten feet long and six and a half feet wide.
It may be a bulbous car though, but it has some very clever electronics that make its hefty size feel like a hot hatch.
At the heart of the car is a 3.0-litre, six-cylinder twin-turbocharg engine with 330hp and 450Nm of torque.
Arguably that is not a lot of power for a car that costs close to RM1 million, considering that a Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG makes 380hp, but I know that’s like comparing a “spruce goose” to an F-15. Just saying that it doesn’t make that much power.
But it still entertained everyone who drove it.
Driving the Sport Turismo is an experience by itself, one that is not much different from the sedan or the Cayenne.
The dashboard is as wide as the car and the centre console is takes up most of the space with the gear knob and touch-screen switches in the form of a black touch pad.
Confession – I still prefer the buttoned switches of the previous-generation Panamera.
But what I really appreciate about the interior of the car though is it’s:
A) Superb build quality.
B) A beautiful high resolution 12-inch touchscreen display.
C) Rear passenger leg room and amenities.
The Sport Turismo, like its cousin, sits four, but Porsche realized that sometimes family folks, instead of business moguls, buy the ST, so now offer a conventional 4+1 seating concept as standard.
If you’re a business mogul who prefers the four-seater, you just have to tock the box on the options list where it says “individual rear power seats”.
Anyway, back to what makes the ST feel like a hot-hatch. Technology and smart electronic systems.
The size of the car is managed by Porsche’s rear-axle steering system that moves the rear wheels in opposite direction to the front wheels at low speeds – giving the car surprisingly manageable in tight parking lots – and then moves the front and rear wheels in the same direction during high-speed maneuvering, aiding agility and “flickability”. About a year and a half ago, we were given the opportunity to take a ride in the ST around Sepang with Le Mans Earl Bamber behind the wheel, you can imagine what ensued, and that’s where the photo above is from.
But there are other Porsche systems that bring the car to life on tight trunk roads, like the Porsche Active Suspension Management, Dynamic Chassis Control Sport, and a unique air suspension with three-chamber technology.
Managing everything in an onboard computer that calculates the car’s pitch, roll and yaw, calculates the data quicker than u can think and immediately preps the car, giving the driver maximum control at all times.
In the mountains around the Belum Rainforest Reserve in Pahang, the tight winding roads put the ST’s computers to the test.
The rear-axle steering hid the bulk while the electronic suspension kept the car’s body roll in check.
The car didn’t exactly handle as if it were on rails, but considering its size and weight, it handled beautifully.
Better than the Cayenne too, but the ST is low and wide, better handling than the Cayenne is to be expected.
But underneath it all, it was the electronic gremlins doing their thing. The Porsche Active Suspension Management working overtime to reduce body movement and interior comfort.
There is no way a car like the ST is able to accelerate and brake, turn on a dime and catapult out of a corner if it were not for advanced technologies underneath that metal work.
But inside it remains serene, even the sport exhausts have an elegant bellow, high-pitched at the fun end of the rpm meter, and low rumbles at the not so fun side.
You can customise the car according to how you want it, everything from the colour of the stitching to the colour of the rims.
The car we drove during DOTY costs a cool RM1.2 million. It of course came with all the feel-good, look-good, go-fast options.
Our favorite part about the car we spend a week with? The sport chrono package, sport exhaust, 21 inch wheels, and eight-way power rear seats.
The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is not here to make up for the standard Panamera lacks, it is here to make an already capable car all the better and is for those who want the space but not an SUV.
The first Porsche I ever laid eyes on was a black 964 around the hills of Bangsar. I was probably about four years old; I don’t remember much else except that it completely took my breath away and that it was love at first sight.
Since then, the 911 has been the ultimate everyday supercar for me. A Porsche fan boy, you can imagine what was running through my head when I got a phone call asking if I would like to join the Porsche Club Malaysia for a week long drive around Malaysia. It was going to be a 2200km and I could drive the Cayenne and the Panamera Sport Turismo and mingle with people who buy the GT2RS, GT3RS and the Turbo. And sometimes, that one person would have all three models in his garage.
Naturally I would have preferred a 911 for the road trip, but I was not about to say no, and so I had a few days to prepare for a week of driving.
It has been about 10 years since I last joined the Porsche Club Malaysia for a drive. The last one was a road trip to Rompin for a spot of charity and drag racing on a landing strip. This time however, it was an entirely different trip.
Called the Drive of the Year 2019, PCM Malaysia and PCM Singapore put in a joint effort to organise its first major drive of the year with fuel provided by Shell V-Power Racing. Beginning at the Porsche Centre in Sungai Besi and ending at Puteri Harbour on the first day, the convoy of about 40 Porsches of all models then headed to Tanjung Jara in Terengganu, followed by Belum in Perak, onto Penang Island via Kuala Perlis and back to KL from there.
Some of our rest stops were quite unique, and even included a stop over at the hugely popular RWB Museum in Johor. RWB – Rauh-Welt Begriff – the Japanese customiser who specialises in turning beautiful 964s into wider, lower, and depending on who you ask and dare I say it, rather handsome interpretation of the donor Porsche.
And when we weren’t eating at popular restaurant’s sometimes frequented by royalty, we were turbo-ing down the coastal roads of our country at speeds best kept secret.
We were in the new Cayenne and the Sport Turismo though, so we really were in the most comfortable cars in the convoy. But far from being the most underpowered or slowest with both cars offering 330hp and eye watering acceleration, I really wouldn’t say that keeping up was all that tough. Though the lead group would often reach the destination a good 45 minutes to an hour ahead of us. But driving both cars on highways and by-ways was an experience I won’t soon forget.
Why?
Imagine cars weighing about two tons barrelling down the “kampung” roads with badly patched roads throwing the balance of the car all over the place. The onboard sensors looking out for any obstacle or any dangerous situation that may arise, immediately alerting you to a potentially dangerous situation. And if you do not react fast enough, the Cayenne and Sport Turismo would even apply the brakes for you. But it never got to that, of course ; )
Such bad roads put the suspension to the ultimate test – will the car glide, or will it hop and skip all over the place? The suspension in both the Panamera and the Sport Turismo is of course adjustable. In Sport and Sport Plus mode, selected via a knob on the steering wheel the same size as a old 20 cent coin, the suspension stiffens up, giving you more control of the car, but also shakes things up to a noticeable level in the cockpit as it transfers all the irregularities on the road directly to you instead of soaking it up, which is what it does in normal mode.
Back to the drive.
Tagging along with a group of hardcore Porsche enthusiasts for an entire week is one of those experiences that will stick with you for a while, up there with skydiving even. The cars are almost always the topic of conversation, besides the logistics and itinerary of the drive that is, and in club drives like this it is awesome to mingle with car enthusiasts who are as humble and down to earth as your best friend. Just don’t ask to take the GT2RS out for a drive though.
There’s not much to say about the Porsche Panamera which has not been said already. The world knows of its capability and opulence by now. But did you know that it’s name is short for Panamericana? And that it is named after a popular 1950s endurance race that lasted up to six days in Mexico called the Carrera Panamericana in which Porsche was successful in.
And that the world actually got a first glimpse of a four-door Porsche back in 1988, though it was called the 989 back then instead of Panamera (shown below).
Porsche actually spent three years developing the 989, until a halt work order came in at the end of 1991. The fact that a four-door Porsche like the 989, Panamera and the Cayenne infuriated Porsche purists is well documented so we will not repeat that story here, but the four-door models sold well and Porsche kept the purists happy by producing some mega wild cars like the Carrera GT, GT3 RS and the GT2 RS, all of which stood true to Porsche’s roots.
So the company found a way to make money without losing its core values. Some purists even softened up to the four-doors models when it became clear that the Panamera is Porsche’s answer to those who want a performance car with four-door practicality. Simply put, it had the performance of a true to word Porsche and the practicality of a proper sedan.
But the Panamera has been awkwardly limited as far as practicality goes. Instead, it has focused on being a luxury performance car for four people, or even a car to be chauffeured in. It is for the man who knows and loves his cars, but not attacking corners, he prefers to take the back seat in a car made by arguably the world’s best car maker. The Panamera offered all of that.
So, enter the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo – a Panamera that offers performance that rivals modern sports cars and yet also has the style, character and dare we say it, even the practicality of a sports wagon. And for very long the Audi RS6 was the king of that domain, but there’s a new contender for the title of world’s most practical performance car.
Some even suggest that the Sport Turismo is a better Panamera than the Panamera itself. Perhaps because it offers everything the Panamera does, but adds a huge amount of space, lots of style, and retains the Panamera’s touch of luxury and class. Its versatile; you can choose to drive the car, be driven in it, or pack your entire family in it for a long getaway.
Sime Darby Auto Performance, the company in charge of Porsche in Malaysia, may have just officially introduced the car recently, but a small group of journalists were allowed some time behind the wheel of a Sport Turismo Turbo for a blast around the Sepang International Circuit.
The Sport Turismo Turbo is a big, heavy car, so as far as dynamics go it really shouldn’t do very well on a specialised circuit like Sepang. But hey, we live in an era where we are sending robots to explore mars, so it really shouldn’t be very difficult to make a big, heavy car feel as agile as a ballerina on track. And that is exactly what the Sport Turismo Turbo does quite well.
We witnessed for ourselves as the Sport Turismo Turbo hunted down a lightweight Porsche and passed it as if it were standing still. We may have had two-time Le Mans winner Earl Bamber driving the Turbo, but the other Porsche had a half a circuit’s length head start. Not sure who was driving it though.
To be fair, the Sport Turismo Turbo has some trick electronics and a 4.0-litre V8 engine producing 550hp and 700Nm of torque; a true masterpiece of an engine. But that said, this is also the same car in which you can pack the family into and go on a long drive to Phuket. No seriously, you can, with space for the dog too.
Unlike the standard Panamera, the Sport Turismo actually comes with five functional seats and seat belts. But for those who prefer taking life easy in the back seat, the Sport Turismo can also be had with two electric seats at the back. So it can either be a car for captains of industry, or it can be a car for the family. Either way it is brilliant at what it does.
Earl Bamber was at the Sepang Circuit testing his own GT3 Cup Car in which he races in the Carrera Cup race series. He then took some of us for a ride in the Sport Turismo, and though we were allowed to drive the car for a few laps, it was in his hands features like the Rear Axle Steering could truly be felt as his aggressive driving style truly worked the systems. At turn three of the circuit for example, a fast right hander where the car can carry speeds of over 200km/h, the rear felt as if it were on rails. It felt as if it was shadowing the front end instead of trailing behind it, planted.
Of course the rear axle steering system, a feature that turns the rear wheels in the same angle as the front during high speeds, couldn’t have done it by itself. There’s also the Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control that manages the body roll of the car in corners as well as the Porsche Traction Management which is an active all-wheel-drive system that sends and cuts power in individual wheels to help maintain maximum grip at all times.
Besides that the car has other neat tricks as well like an adaptive roof-mounted rear spoiler (above). The spoiler works in three stages depending on the driving situation and vehicle setting. It is a central component in the Porsche Active Aerodynamics, and when it stays in a retracted position of minus seven degrees it helps to reduce drag thus optimising fuel consumption. On track and at high speed, the spoiler moves to the performance position with an angle of plus one degree, this helps to increase stability. It also helps to lower the noise in the cabin when the sliding panoramic roof is open. It does this by inclining to a position of plus 26 degrees, keeping the wind noise away from the cabin.
When a car offers plenty of space for occupants and their luggage, we usually call it a practical car. And if a practical car is also incredibly powerful yet agile at the same time, well that’s what we would usually call a once-in-a-lifetime type of car. And if there was one car which we could drive for the rest of our lives, one car that seemingly had it all and more, well, then it would be the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo Turbo. Except that it costs RM1.95 million with taxes but before options.
The Porsche Panamera is not new to Malaysia, we see hundreds of them on our roads, and it is near impossible to go about your business in KL without coming across a Panamera, new or old. But the Panamera Sport Turismo is something else and completely new to our market.
Officially unveiled for the local market by Sime Darby Auto Performance, the custodian of the Porsche brand in Malaysia, two variants were introduced – the Panamera 4 Sport Turismo and the Panamera 4E – Hybrid Sport Turismo.
At first glance there is no mistaking the car for anything else but a Panamera, but move towards the rear of the car and the difference is obvious. The Sport Turismo is basically an estate, or hatchback version of the Panamera, but retains, in fact it improves on the practicality aspect of which the Panamera couldn’t really offer in its entirety.
The large tailgate, longer rear doors, increased storage capacity and even a 4+1 seating arrangement is all unique to the Sport Turismo, giving the Sport Turismo added practicality over the standard Panamera. And while the Panamera was a strict four-seater, the Sport Turismo on the other hand is able to seat five people, but there is also an option for four electronically adjustable seats if you so wish.
So what’s the difference between the Sport Turismo and the standard Panamera? Plenty actually, but it all begins aft of the rear doors. As mentioned, the rear doors are longer as is the roof line. The roof line then drops away less dramatically than the Panamera, to give the car the distinguished “shooting brake” design.
There is a roof mounted spoiler at the rear, and this works in three stages depending on the driving situation and the vehicle settings. At speeds of up to 170km/h, the spoiler retracts at an angle of minus seven degrees, this is to reduce overall drag co-efficiency and also to aid with fuel efficiency. In full flight mode of above 170km/h, the spoiler positions itself to an angle of plus one degree. At this angle the spoiler increases aerodynamic efficiency, keeping the car planted to the road thus maximising grip. But in Sport and Sport Plus mode, the spoiler automatically moves to the performance position at speeds above 90km/h. It also works as an air brake in case of emergency braking, and more interestingly, it can also help minimise wind noise when the sliding roof is open at speeds of 90km/h.
Besides that, the booth is much bigger than the Panamera, and because it has a lower rear end, picking up and placing heavy items is not as troublesome. The storage space measures in at 425-litres for the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Sport Turismo and 520-litres for the Sport Turismo. This is 20 litres more than the standard Panamera. When all of the backrests are folded down, the floor is virtually flat, and increases storage to 1,295 litres for the 4 E-Hybrid Sport Turismo, and 1,390 litres for the Panamera 4 Sport Turismo.
On the performance front, the range of Panamera Sport Turismo’s are powered by V6 engines. The entry-level Panamera 4 Sport Turismo is powered by a 3.0-litre, turbocharged V6 engine producing 330hp and 450Nm of torque. It has a top speed of 259km/h and accelerates to 100km/h in just 5.5 seconds. But opt for the Sport Chrono package with Launch Control and the figure drops to 5.3 seconds.
The Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Sport Turismo is powered by a 2.9-litre, turbocharged V6 engine coupled to electric motors that offers a combined output of 462hp and 700Nm of torque. It has a top speed of 275km/h and sprints to 100km/h in just 4.6 seconds.
And the top of the range Turbo model is powered by a 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 engine producing an eye watering 550hp and 770Nm of torque. It has a top speed of 304km/h and sees off the century sprint in 3.8 seconds, or 3.6 seconds with the Sport Chrono package.
The base price for the Panamera 4 Sport Turismo starts from RM990,000 while the E-hybrid model costs RM1,125,000 before options. For the top of the line Turbo variant, the base price starts from RM1,940,000 before options.
All Porsche cars sold by SDAP come with a four-year warranty and a free maintenance package that includes complimentary service, parts and labour.
The second generation of Porsche’s four door sedan for the road has finally been launched here in Malaysia. Featuring extensive changes both inside and out, the Panamera has a svelte silhouette which is a major improvement over the disproportional first generation car.
The new car is 5,049mm long, 1,937mm wide and 1,423mm tall making it longer, wider and taller than its predecessor. Despite the increase in dimensions, the reason for the new car’s sleek look is its lowered roofline, which sits 20mm lower than that of the previous car. Its wheelbase has been extended a further 30mm which means the front wheels have been moved forward in an effort to reduce front overhang.The rear overhang has been extended to make for a bolder presence.
As a means to improve handling, the new Panamera features rear wheel steering, Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM elecntronic damper control), Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control Sport (PDCC Sport), Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus), active roll stabilization and electromechanical steering system. The car even features a 4D chassis control system that works with all other systems to ensure that chassis remains balanced and controled regardless of the situation.
As of now, only two versions of the new Panamera have been made available, the Panamera and Panamera 4S. The V6 and V8 biturbo powerplants that have been optimised for power delivery. The tubrochargers sit in banked manner allowing them to be integrated with the rest of the engine making for a more compact package that is able to sit lower in the engine bay.
The 2.9-litre V6 engine develops 440bhp which is 20bhp more than that in the previous model. As such the Panameara 4S will be able to cover the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.4 seconds but even quicker when equipped with the Sports Chrono Package. In the Panamera, the engine is also turbocharged and 330bhp which is also 20bhp more than the car it replaces. The engine is mated to a 8-speed dual clutch transmission (PDK) and owners can now have their cars fitted with permanent all-wheel-drive system too.
Inside, the Panamera features better technology with the replacement of mechancial switchgear with that of the more modern touch sensitive system. The car retains the signature tachometer which is flanked with two 7-inch displays on each side. In the centre stack sits a 12.3-inch display infortainment system called the Porsche Communication Managment (PCM) system.
The Panamera is priced at RM890,000 and the Panamera 4S is priced at RM1,100,000. Both variants come with a four-year warranty and free maintenace package which is offered with complimnetary service, labour and parts. Should you require further information, please visit your nreartest dealerhsip or visit the company’s local website.
