Never let it be said that Porsche doesn't give its customers choice. For those who found the first variants of the new Panamera a bit tame, or aren’t interested in the Taycan as an electric executive express, there are now two new variants of the former: the GTS, and the Turbo S E-Hybrid.
The GTS has always been an eminently recommendable Panamera, back to the first generation, combining V8 emotion with a smartly upgraded chassis and some choice options. It was always the nice one if you didn’t need silly Turbo shove. It’s much the same this time around, with 500hp from the twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 (up from 480hp before) - nobody really wants to go much faster than 3.8 to 62mph and 187mph. Further lifting the package above the rest of the range are a sports exhaust, ‘particularly sporty tuning’ for the suspension (including a 10mm ride height drop and reinforced anti-roll bars), plus black accents for the body. ‘Twas ever thus for a Porsche GTS - if it ain’t broke and all that. Dark Bronze for the exhaust tips is a nice break from the black. Apparently the Race-Tex application - another GTS hallmark - is ‘lavish’ inside, so best be prepared for Alcantara overload. Specific interior packages are available on top.
The Turbo S E-Hybrid offers another Focus ST’s worth of V8 welly over a GTS. Its 782hp maximum is 102hp more than the previous model (y’know, the really tardy 680hp one), combining 600hp from a modified version of the V8 and 190hp from the electric motor. That’s supplied by the same 25.9kWh battery as found elsewhere in Porsche’s hybrid range. The stats are predictably nutty: 2.9 seconds to 62mph, 202mph flat out (in a Panamera!), 54 miles of electric range and 738lb ft - or a nice, round 1,000 newton metres. No wonder the PDK has been redesigned to cope with the Turbo S E-Hybrid; it won’t be spinning wheels so much as spinning the planet the other way. And the V8 is ready for Euro 7 emissions, so Porsche definitely sees it having a future in the Panamera.
Though not as overtly driver focused as the GTS, the E-Hybrid does benefit from standard, massive ceramic brakes (440mm front, 380mm rear), Porsche’s Active Ride suspension, and the option of a carbon aerokit. Porsche credits the latter with contributing significantly to its new Nurburgring Nordschleife lap time with the car - 7:24.172 is not only crackers, it’s 5.64 seconds than the last Panamera record there. So 60kg of extra downforce at 124mph was worth something, as were specially designed Michelin Cup 2s. Quite the achievement, but maybe don’t expect many E-Hybrids to leave the showroom like XXL touring cars.
Speaking of which,both GTS and Turbo E-Hybrid are available to order now, priced from £125,600 for the 500hp model and £168,700 for the 782hp one. Still less than a Taycan Turbo GT, right. Deliveries are expected in the second half of this year and, yes, you’re right to think that old ones are an awful lot less. This previous gen GTS looks superb in Papaya Metallic and is £76,900; this Turbo S E-Hybrid ST has been put to good use, covering just over 60k - it’s for sale at £59,990.
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