Porsche’s luxury limo now has a Sport Turismo wagon and range-topping 680bhp Turbo S E-Hybrid

Singapore –
Ahead of the Geneva Motor Show on March 9, 2017, Porsche premiered two new additions to the Panamera luxury limousine family: A new bodystyle in the form of the Sport Turismo shooting brake/wagon, and a new drivetrain option with the range-topping Turbo S E-Hybrid variant.

As the name of the latter suggests, it combines the electric plug-in hybrid system of the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid with the 550bhp twin-turbo V8 of the Panamera Turbo. With a V8, a plug-in hybrid system, all-wheel drive and being a luxury limo, the car isn’t light at 2.3-tonnes, but its sheer power makes short work of hauling mass.

The total system output is a faintly ridiculous 680bhp, which gives the car a mere 3.4 seconds in 0 to 100km/h time, 0.2 seconds faster than the petrol driven Turbo, with a claimed top speed of 310 km/h.

That makes it quicker and more powerful than the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S (which is available in wagon form) and even the Ferrari GTC4Lusso, although its price point will eventually sit between the two – likely around $850,000 without COE, given the most expensive Panamera, the Turbo Executive, goes for $764,788 without COE.

As mentioned, the drivetrain fuses Porsche’s 4.0-litre 550 hp V8 and a 136 hp electric motor for a total of 680 horses and 850Nm of torque, coupled to new eight-speed PDK transmissions to the all-wheel drive system ‘Porsche Traction Management (PTM)’. There’s a huge amount of standard tech onboard, including ceramic composite brakes, torque vectoring, and air suspension with dynamic chassis control.

Like the non-Turbo hybrid, the electric motor is powered by a 14.1kWh liquid cooled lithium-ion battery pack which charges in six hours via a 230 volt connection, and delivers up to 50km electric range.

As with the rest of the Panamera range, the long-wheelbase Executive version will be available, stretching the space between the wheels by 150 millimetres and equipped with four-wheel steering.

Sport Turismo wagon on left, regular Panamera on right 

The new powertrain variant will also have a new bodystyle to sit in, in the form of the just-announced Sport Turismo, which is a shooting brake and the first new Panamera bodystyle from Porsche.

While the standard Panamera already has a fastback design – it has a rear hatch, not a boot like most other luxury limos – the Sport Turismo stretches out the rear backward with less slope. Porsche says the design from the B-pillars onward is completely new, and the shooting brake look is one that we think suits the Panamera well.

The basic dimensions are almost the same as the Panamera, at 5,049mm long, 1,938mm wide and 2,950mm wheelbase, although the car is 5mm higher at 1,428mm tall. Detailed specs are yet to be released, but you can expect the Sport Turismo to be heavier.

Like the Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake, the result is a slight increase (20-litres) to boot space over the 500-litre space of the regular model, although the plug-in hybrid variant makes do with 425-litres. The hatchback rear, larger and lower loading aperture makes stowing cargo easier, though.

The key difference for the Sport Turismo is that it’s the first Panamera with a three-person rear bench, which also has 40/20/40 split and can be folded down for 1,390-litres in total cargo room, adding greatly to the versatility of the car. The limo version only has space for two in the back and 60/40 split.

One boast-worthy feature is the active aerodynamic spoiler, like the one seen on the limo, although this is a world-first implementation for aero roof-mounted on a wagon. The spoiler deploys at 170km/h (or 90km/h in Sport mode) and adds up to 50kg of downforce. It’s also programmed to reduce wind noise if the optional sunroof is open.

Five variants of the wagon have been announced, all of which have all-wheel drive, with the least expensive being the 440bhp Panamera 4 Sport Turismo, and the most expensive being the 550bhp Turbo Sport Turismo. Order books are open although deliveries are expected only in the later half of the year.

Panamera 4 Sport Turismo – SGD 388,388*

Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Sport Turismo – SGD 442,388*

Panamera 4S Sport Turismo – SGD 563,488*

Panamera 4S Diesel Sport Turismo – SGD 577,288*

Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo – SGD 728,288*

* Prices without COE