Porsche is launching two completely redesigned luxury sedans, the 2017 Panamera 4S, and the Panamera Turbo.
This is the luxury sedan automakers major overhaul since its debut in 2009 in building the 4-door vehicles. The car comes complete with an overall amazing technology as well as improvements to the V6 and V8 Turbo-powered engines and ticks the boxes of safety and comfort.
Under the Hood
Both the models come with a twin-turbo engine, with a standard all-wheel drive. The V8 twin-turbo engine has a capacity of 4 liters and generates a power of 550 HP and a torque of 568 lb-ft. The time for the car to reach 0-60 mph is just 3.6 seconds, which proves that is a damn fast car by all standards. However, there is a compromise to be made while driving the car as the fuel consumption is reduced by almost 30 percent because of the cylinder deactivation technology. At cruising speeds or when the load of the engine is low, the V8 engine switches over to the 4-cylinders, which is the first of its kind to Porsche. The Audi-based V6, though not as powerful as the V8, it is still the best V6 twin-turbo in the market with an 8-speed slick-shifting PDK transmission. The V6 engine has a 2.9-liters fuel capacity and generates a torque of 406 lb-ft.
The intake system and the exhaust note of the V6 have been changed by Porsche by giving it an obvious appeal. The V6 will not blow away the ears like the V8, still both the engines will be welcomed since they have been designed to keep the interior noise to a minimum making it usable for everyday driving.
The Innovative Features
Porsche has maintained the same weight like that of its previous generation car, by using more of aluminum for the body structure and other light-weight materials to the side panels and for the entire roof. The new production techniques to bond and blend the different materials without any sort of welding techniques has resulted in a Panamera 4S of 1,870 kg (4,223 pounds) and the Panamera Turbo at 1,995 kg (4,398 pounds).
The most exciting feature of the Panamera Turbo is the Porsche’s InnoDrive technology, which is like the adaptive cruise control on steroids and has raised the driver-assist bar by a couple of notches. With the implementation of the InnoDrive, a number of things have been significantly taken into account like the high-resolution navigation data, video sensors to determine the speed limits, radar, the road gradient, and the corner radii along the route almost up to 1.8 miles ahead. The other interesting features include the traffic Jam Assist at exits while using InnoDrive, 4D Chassis Control, improvements to the 3-chamber air suspension system allowing easy switching between the Normal, Sport, and the Sport Plus modes by instantly changing the firmness from the 3 chambers to one.
The Interiors
The UI of the new Panamera is classy, intuitive, and modern, distinctively marked by the absence of physical buttons and a clutter-free area around the shifter. The conscious decision of Porsche to omit the localized haptic touch sensitive buttons is a little surprising. The physical buttons have been replaced by the menu options on one of the best 12.3-inch touch-enabled display screen, which uses proximity sensors, and makes it very easy to switch between options for climate control, playing the radio, setting the navigation, or even deploying the active spoiler.
Though the look of the new Panamera might be smaller and sleeker, it is indeed a slightly larger sedan with a length of 116 inches which allows more dividends in the interior space. The seats are comfortable with significantly noticeable bolsters for lateral support and the rear seat is fixed at a standard angle. Though the adjustable pitch of the 8-way power seats cannot be pushed back for that extra comfort like the lounge feel of the S-Class, it is more like reclining on an airplane seat.
The touchscreen use has been extended to the rear with a 7-inch display in the center for adjusting vents, climate control, radio, and navigation. The front heated seats are a standard across all the models, while the rear seats of the Turbo also can get the heating features, which is optional for the other models.
The pricing of the 2017 Porsche Panamera 4S starts at $ 100,950, while the Panamera Turbo comes at $ 147,950. The additional Sports package for 4S comes at a $ 6,930, while for Turbo it is $ 5,580 since the Turbo already comes with a standard Adaptive Air Suspension. There is also rear wheel steering which shortens or lengthens the wheelbase depending whether the car is traveling at high speeds or is being parked in a tight spot and comes at an additional price.
The 2017 Porsche Panamera is a mixture of technology that injects usability and innovation. The luxury sports sedan wraps up a potential and an aggressive experience in a more intuitive way with a flexible interface. With some amazing features like the Adaptive Air Suspension and InnoDrive, Porsche is here to make a real difference in everyday driving with the 2017 Panamera. With the Panamera 4S and the Panamera Turbo, both ready to serve to the appetite of a raw experience, of course by being heavy on the pocket, an already impressive car is all set to become even more impressive.