For 2020, Porsche has facelifted the Panamera. And on first sight, it seems to be a 'real' facelift. New headlights, a new bumper, a new...
exhaust system, and usually when they start talking about the optional Porsche Sport Chrono-watch, you know what time it is.
But, don't be deceived by the exterior updates. There's something new going on underneath the hood.
There's going to be a new Turbo S, which will be the new top-of-the-range-model. Without any hybrid technology, which will be replacing the Turbo.
It produces 630 horsepower, and then there's a new hybrid. The normal 4 E-Hybrid and Turbo S E-Hybrid will be joined by the 4S E-Hybrid.
It produces a system output of 560 horsepower and we're driving it today.
The new Porsche Panamera 4S E-Hybrid then. It has the same electric motor as the 4 E-Hybrid and Turbo S E-Hybrid, producing 136 horsepower.
Both of which aren't available right now. And the difference is found in the combustion engine, or rather the power it produces.
Just like the 4 E-Hybrid, this is powered by the 2.9-litre biturbo V6, but this unit produces more boost. That means it produces 560 horsepower,
which is a lot. Even though this car weighs around 2.300 kg, you don't get the impression it's a slow car. Even stronger, whenever you put...
your foot down, it'll go really fast really quickly, and it does so very easily. But that's not the point of this facelift.
What is, is the enlarged battery pack. That enables it to theoretically drive 54 kilometres fully electrically.
That's because it now is a battery pack of 17,9 kWh. However, when the battery runs out or if you put your foot down, the power...
transition is much more refined than before. Sure, the engine has to start up first and clutches between the electric motor and combustion engine...
and the electric motor and the gearbox need to close. Also, it needs to be in the right gear. So there's still a delay before you have...
all of the power. So it's not faster or anything, but it's so much smoother. And that's nice.
Also, it has some extra range now, which makes the car look even better as a deal.
Another small improvements have been made as well. The car is more quiet now, the infotainment system has been improved. However,
you still have the idiotic system to operate the central vent through the touchscreen, so you can't just move it with your hands.
They should've removed that, but they didn't. And that's too bad. It's still not the most usable system either,
because there's still a lot in there. However, it looks great and it works very well. Everything in here is of top-notch quality.
And yes, there is a new Porsche Design Sport Chrono-watch available. Everything put together, you've got a very nice sports limousine...
which is quiet, comfortable, and if you put everything in Sport Plus-mode... I mean, the air suspension lowers the car,
the adaptive engine supports, Porsche Torque Vectoring, four-wheel steering, everything becomes sharper. And for a car this big and heavy,
it becomes a very dynamic car. There's just no understeer. If an axle goes, it'll be the rear axle.
And that's a bold call. It's still an incredibly heavy car, and even though it's able to hide that with all kinds of technological features,
but if the weight goes, it goes. And that's a bold call, which makes the Panamera a unique choice in this segment. Now even more than before.
It's an incredibly good car, an incredibly good limousine, an incredibly good GT, but I'm not sure about the 4S E-Hybrid.
And that's not because I think it's a bad car, but it's more that if you want a 'cheap' Panamera, you get the 4 E-Hybrid.
That has around 90 horsepower less, but it's also €15.000 cheaper. And it'll also beat the regular Suzuki Celerio at the traffic lights.
And if you want a non-plus Ultra-hybrid, you just get the Turbo S E-Hybrid. I do get Porsche, because the more hybrids they sell,
the lower the CO2-fine is going to be. But if this is the sweet spot the car promises to be on paper? I don't think so.