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We drove a $211,000 Porsche Panamera to see if it's a hybrid supercar with room for the whole family. Here's the verdict.
We drove a $211,000 Porsche Panamera to see if it's a hybrid supercar with room for the whole family. Here's the verdict.
Benjamin ZhangDec 19, 2018, 20:34 IST
Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider
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The Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo is all-new for 2018. It's a hybrid version of Porsche's first ever production wagon.
Turbo S E-Hybrid is powered by a 550 horsepower, 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 along with a 136 horsepower hybrid drive unit to produce 680 horsepower.
The hybrid drive system is inspired by the million-dollar 918 hybrid hypercar.
According to Porsche, the hybrid V8 wagon can go from 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 192 mph.
Once again, we were impressed by the Panamera's power, luxury, technology, and versatility. However, it wasn't as fast as we had expected and it's very pricey.
The base Porsche Panamera sedan starts at $86,3000 while our Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo wagon starts at $188,400. Options and fees pushed the as-tested price up to $210,940.
But Porsche is not one to rest on its laurels. This company is known to offer its cars in a multitude of flavors. Right now, you can select from more than two dozen variations of the 911 sports car.
So it's not all that surprising when I tell you that there are 18 versions of the Panamera on sale in the US.
They range from the $86,300 base Panamera sedan to the Turbo S E-Hybrid Executive sedan with a starting price of $196,600. There is also a multitude of Sport Turismo wagon variants in the mix as well.
And power output ranges from a stout 330 horsepower in the base Panamera to a supercar-shaming 680 ponies in the Turbo S E-Hybrid.
Recently, we got a chance to experience "peak Panamera" for ourselves when Porsche dropped off a 2018 Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo wagon at Business Insider's suburban New Jersey road test center.
We ended up spending a week with the Sapphire Blue Metallic Panamera.
Our 2018 Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo test car starts at $188,400. Options and fees pushed the as-tested price up to $210,940.
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Here's a closer look at the 2018 Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo.
The Sport Turismo wagon is based on the second generation Panamera sedan that we first checked out in late 2016.
Up front, the Sport Turismo is aesthetically identical to the Panamera sedan.
The LED headlights are gorgeous.
The side profile gives it away. The wagon's roofline is considerably less raked than the sedan.
See the difference?
However, its looks remain undeniably Porsche.
The only telltale features that give away the fact that this Porsche is packing some extra juice are the acid green brake calipers and...
... These relatively discreet e-hybrid badges located around the car.
Otherwise, it just looks like a run-of-the-mill Porsche wagon. If that's actually a thing.
Inside, the Panamera's Panamera Sport Turismo's cabin carries over from the sedan. We found the cabin to be modern and stylish without being over the top.
Our test car came with rich black leather upholstery and brushed aluminum accents.
In front of the driver is a sculpted Porsche steering wheel.
It's equipped with a drive mode switch that comes with Porsche's optional Sport Chrono Package.
In front of the driver is Porsche's signature center analog tachometer flanked by a pair of seven-inch digital displays.
The configurable TFT displays that can be styled to mimic analog gauges.
In addition, the Panamera is loaded with a host of driver's assistance including adaptive cruise control, traction-management systems, adjustable driving modes, lane-change assist, and...
...Even night vision.
The center stack is dominated by a massive 12-inch touchscreen infotainment display.
The updated Porsche Communication Management infotainment system is one of the best systems on the right now. It's packed with content such as...
... Satellite radio,...
... Navigation, and ...
... Apple CarPlay integration.
The climate control is particularly fun to play around with.
You can pre-cool or pre-heat the climate control.
Control the manner in which the air is dispersed within the cabin.
The showpiece of the climate control system is the touchscreen controlled vents.
You can even adjust the driving modes.
PCM will allow you to control the car's ride height, ...
... Its driver's assistance features, and...
... The massaging seats.
Another major piece of the Panamera interior is the touch panel center console.
It replaces the button-heavy console found on the first generation Panamera.
The panel is home to a variety of controls ranging from audio and climate controls to seat heaters and suspension settings.
Our test car came with a two-seat rear cabin. The Panamera Sport Turismo can be configured to seat three in the back.
The second boasts sufficient room for two adults. However, it's not as roomy as I would have liked in a 16.5-foot-long car.
Especially when it comes to legroom.
On the plus side, the second-row seats proved to be supportive and comfortable.
And there's also a bevy of tech toys for the folks in the back seat to play around with.
Along with a pair of cup holders.
Open the rear hatch and...
... You'll find 15 cubic feet of cargo space, down from 18.3 cubic feet in the non-hybrid Sport Turismo. The culprit? The giant bag of sitting in the middle of the cargo bay that...
... The car's charger plugs. Fold down the rear seats and cargo room expands to 45 cubic feet.
Under the hood is a 550 horsepower, 4.0 liter, twin-turbocharged V8 driving all four wheels through a lightning-fast eight-speed PDK twin-clutch transmission.
There's also a 14.1 kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack and a 136 horsepower electric motor.
It's a hybrid drive system inspired by Porsche's million-dollar 918 hypercar.
The Panamera can also be had with a 330-horsepower, 3.0-liter, turbocharged V6, a 440-horsepower, twin-turbocharged, 2.9-liter V6, and the 4.0-liter V8 sans hybrid system. There's also a 462 horsepower hybrid drive system available.
According to Porsche, the Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo can 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 192 mph. The non-hybrid Turbo V8 Sport Turismo can make the sprint is 3.6 seconds with a top speed of 188 mph.
So, what's it like to drive?
The Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo is a monster of a machine and its 680 horsepower will humble most supercars. After all, it out-muscles the Ferrari 488 GTB, Lamborghini Huracan, McLaren 570s, Audi R8 V10 Plus, Nissan GT-R, and Acura/Honda NSX.
In fact, it's got 100 more horsepower than the legendary Porsche 911 Turbo S.
The 550 horsepower twin-turbo V8 is a jewel. It delivers effortless power all-day everyday. There's no lag to speak off which means its copious output is always at your beck and call.
In most cases, electric motors equal more immediate acceleration. There are few sensations behind the wheel as memorable as the jolt of instant electric motor torque. Those who have floored it in a Tesla know immediately what I'm talking about.
You don't really get that here.
I'm not saying the Turbo S E-Hybrid isn't fast. It's insanely fast. It just doesn't feel any faster than the non-hybrid Turbo Panamera.
That's because the 130 horsepower gain from the hybrid drive system is effectively wiped out by the 600 pounds in added weight.
Plus, the beefy V8 is the main event as far as the Porsche powertrain is concerned. If breakneck all-electric acceleration is what you want, go buy a Tesla Model S P100D for $150,000 and save yourself a ton of cash.
The verdict.
The Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo we tested was groundbreaking in that it delivered Porsche sports car performance in a package with room for the whole family and all of their stuff.
The Turbo S E-Hybrid builds upon the Turbo with the addition of a hybrid drive system and a stunning 680 ponies in the barn.
But, we weren't quite blown away by the hybrid wagon. It's certainly faster than the non-hybrid version, but only incrementally and not to the extent we were expecting.
On paper, Porsche says the Turbo S E-Hybrid is 0.2 seconds faster to 60 mph than the last non-hybrid Turbo Sport Turismo we tested. It's also 0.2 seconds faster in the quarter mile. But in everyday driving, that difference in performance isn't just negligible, it's virtually imperceptible.
Now, performing on par with a world-beating $175,000 super wagon shouldn't be a disappointment, but it is here.
The Hybrid costs a whopping $36,000 more and I don't feel like you really get your money's worth.
So, save the $36,000 and buy Porsche Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo instead. Your pocketbook will thank you.
