![white porsche panamera](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2025-Porsche-Panamera-first-drive-1-800x600.jpg)
Jonathan Gitlin
Seville, Spain—Once upon a time, Porsche made two-door sports cars. Then the 21st century happened. People started getting fickle and demanding things like practicality and comfort, as well as good handling and solid engineering. Porsche, which prefers to stay in business, recognized these market changes and strengthened its lineup with SUVs starting in 2003, and in 2009 with the Panamera sedan.
The sedan is now in its third generation, and we visited the Leipzig factory late last year to preview a prototype. The new Panamera has now entered production. We spent a day driving a pair of models on the road and track ahead of the cars' launch in the U.S. this summer.
Externally, the third-generation Panamera is very similar to its predecessor, with exterior dimensions that are completely identical: 198.8 inches (5,052 mm) in length, 76.3 inches (1,937 mm) in width, and 56 inches (1,423 mm) in height. . However, it will only be offered as a five-door hatchback and the Sport Turismo variant is said to be no longer available.
![The light cluster at the rear is now more three-dimensional.](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2025-Porsche-Panamera-first-drive-2-980x735.jpg)
Jonathan Gitlin
The design looks slightly sharper than the older car, with more pronounced fenders above the wheels and steeply raked LED matrix headlights. At the back, the folding rear wing is a segmented piece that protrudes and extends above a certain speed threshold. The keen eye will see additional air ducts at the front to better cool the engine bay.
powertrain
The Panamera was the first Porsche to be equipped with a hybrid powertrain, overtaking the 1899 Lohner-Porsche Semper Vivus. In 2016, Porsche equipped the Panamera with a plug-in hybrid powertrain for the first time, and a total of four PHEV powertrains will eventually be applied to the 4th generation vehicle. However, only one will be offered at launch and that is the Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid. You'll know you're looking at a Panamera Turbo because of its unique “Turbonite” colored badges and accents, and passers-by will be happy to know that this car actually has forced induction.
In fact, the 4.0-liter V8 uses a pair of turbochargers that are now monoscrolls instead of the twin-scroll turbines of the existing car. This allows the car to heat the catalytic converter faster and operate at higher exhaust gas temperatures. No more cylinder deactivation. Instead, Porsche engineers used variable valve lift and opening to cope with different engine loads.
There is an all-new 188 hp (140 kW), 332 lb-ft (450 Nm) electric motor for the PHEV powertrain, which is now located inside the eight-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission (powering all four wheels) rather than downstream. . its. Total power and torque output is 670 hp (500 kW) and 685 lb-ft (935 Nm).
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Cutaway illustration showing the powertrain of the Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid.
porsche
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Cross-sectional illustration of the Panamera plug-in hybrid battery pack.
porsche
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This is a cutaway showing the inside of the PDK transmission of the Panamera Turbo Hybrid. Notice the electric motor on the far left.
Jonathan Gitlin
The electric motor is always connected to the transmission, and only when the car wants to add internal combustion power does the decoupler close and connect to the V8 as well. When braking, the electric motor can regenerate up to 88kW before the friction brakes engage. Top speed is 87 mph (140 km/h) on electric power alone, or 190 mph (305 km/h) with the V8.
There is also a new high-voltage traction battery available for use with the new electric motor. Porsche has increased the capacity to 25.9 kWh, which means the distance that can be driven on electric power alone increases significantly. Porsche has not yet released official EPA fuel economy data, so we cannot provide specifics, but the European WLTP electric-only driving range is 76 to 91 km depending on driving mode, which is about 75% improved compared to the previous Panamera. PHEV. Using the onboard 11kW AC charger, recharge time (0-100%) is just 2 hours and 39 minutes.
The other two powertrains at launch will be the rear-wheel drive Panamera and the all-wheel drive Panamera 4. Both use a 2.9L twin-turbo V6 gasoline engine producing 349 hp (260 kW) and 368 lb-ft (500 kW). Nm), both statistics increased by 10% compared to the outgoing V6 Panamera. When combined with the new 8-speed PDK transmission, this saves 1 to 2 seconds from 0-60 (4.8 to 5 seconds depending on whether the Sport Chrono package is selected) and increases top speed to 168 mph. 170 km/h (270 km/h) for the Panamera and 169 mph (272 km/h) for the Panamera 4.