Porsche Panamera – the facelift breaks cover

porsche panamera turbo executive 01

The facelifted Porsche Panamera is set to get its world premiere at Auto China in Shanghai later this month, but the automaker has officially released the first images of the reworked Type 970 after they were leaked.

External revisions include a tauter looking front end, with a new bumper offering larger air intakes and a more distinctive transition to the headlamps. The car also gets a redesigned rear section, with revised boot lid, new LED tail lights and a more swept-back rear window the fresh bits. Standard features now include items such as bi-xenon headlights and an automatic boot lid.

New to the lineup is the Panamera S E-Hybrid, which replaces the S Hybrid, with two extended wheelbase Executive versions (Turbo and 4S) joining the party. Meanwhile, the Panamera S and 4S get a new 3.0 V6 biturbo engine to replace the old 4.8 litre NA unit. In all, the Panamera range will now consist of 10 models.

porsche panamera turbo executive 02

The Panamera S E-Hybrid rolls in offering 416 hp of total system power, up from the 380 hp seen in the current pre-facelift S Hybrid. The electric drive itself offers 95 hp (70 kW), double the power of the S Hybrid’s 47 hp (34 kW) one, and a lithium-ion battery replaces the existing nickel metal hydride unit.

Porsche says that the plug-in hybrid – which can be charged within around 2.5 hours via the integrated on-board charger and the standard Porsche Universal Charger (AC), and less than four hours when connected to a conventional household electrical outlet – has an all-electric driving range of around 18 to 36 km in everyday operation, depending on conditions. It can achieve speeds of up to 135 km/h in all-electric operation. Other figures include a 0-100 km/h time of 5.5 seconds and a 270 km/h top speed.

Elsewhere, the Panamera Turbo Executive and Panamera 4S Executive versions feature a 15 cm longer wheelbase and air suspension as standard, resulting in improved rear seating space and better ride comfort.

As for the 3.0 litre V6 twin-turbo, there’s a 20 hp increase in power to 420 hp over the 4.8 litre NA V8, as well as 20 Nm more torque to 520 Nm, the hike in output achieved with an 18% improvement in fuel economy over the old mill. Next year will see a new 300 hp diesel lump replacing the current oil burner, as well as the introduction of the Panamera Turbo S and Panamera Turbo S Executive.

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Anthony Lim

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

 

Comments

  • I can only say last time it didn’t look nice on photo but looks good in real life. Not sure what’s with the now but it still doesn’t look nice on photo.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 3
    • Sam Loo on Apr 04, 2013 at 11:26 am

      So overpriced in Malaysia. In the US, its sold at about US$75,000.

      But here, it is about RM1 million. Either you are corrupted and never earned your money or you are a lottery winner, no one who has worked hard for their money will spend RM1 mil for a car when it is only worth RM200,000

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 1
      • Jimmy on Apr 04, 2013 at 1:34 pm

        Generalisation, too much.
        Our comments reflect our social status.
        Ethical businessman paying 100% income tax driving brand new, not recond, S-class; seen before?
        If Panamera in Malaysia has everything that an S-class has, then it may be considered by some potential customers.
        S + X6 = Panamera + E-convertible, and do you think that is difficult?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 3
  • kingston on Apr 03, 2013 at 7:44 pm

    Facelift looks like its from the collection of VW parts bin,headlights from a cayman,and the tail lights of a scirocco

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 5
    • Lolx Coz VW own them lolx anyway real car is much better looking than in the photo!

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  • I was never attracted to the original silhouette of the Panamera even in real life, it looks like a 911 with severe allergic reaction. The facelift does at least improve it a bit, with the reworked grill and rear diffuser hiding the fat a little. But still isn’t remotely beautiful.
    And it’s good to see a hybrid with a Porsche name. Ferdinand Porsche was one of the pioneer in hybrid tech, contributing to some working but unreliable hybrid powertrain for cars and tanks, pre and during WW2.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 5
    • frenzyaustin on Apr 03, 2013 at 8:42 pm

      It’s quite good looking, at the same time it does looks very ugly either.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
  • confused on Apr 03, 2013 at 8:19 pm

    Still uglyyyy… Hahahaha…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
  • GT-Rider on Apr 03, 2013 at 8:50 pm

    GT-R is still a faster car

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 20 Thumb down 0
    • BMW Fanboi on Apr 04, 2013 at 1:31 am

      and Preve is still a better car

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 20 Thumb down 9
      • bmw fangirl, your “joke” isn’t funny the first time, it isn’t funny the past 20 times you repeated it and it still isn’t now.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 8
  • Jimmy on Apr 03, 2013 at 10:43 pm

    The design theme was luxury sports saloon, I guess.
    In the 1st photo, the car looks good.
    The wheelbase is long to allow such a good rear leg room which can accomodate ottoman seats which I would recommend.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Still ugly. People bought it just because of Porsche…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • cecibo on Apr 04, 2013 at 1:11 pm

    this will be it’s shape for the next 50 years ahead. porsche is the laziest car design studio in the world

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
 

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