Spurred on by the back-to-back victories of the 919 Hybrid in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Porsche has made another car that can run on electricity. Say hello to the brand new Panamera 4 E-Hybrid.
No, not the S E-Hybrid. For whatever reason, they've gotten rid of the S, even though this is every bit the spiritual successor of the previous hybridized Panamera.
Pricing and availability details might take a while, as this is marked as a 2018 model, at least for the US. However, the tech bits have all been revealed ahead of the 2016 Paris Motor Show.
The 4th member of the Panamera family packs a punch, as the total system output is a very respectable 462 horsepower. When faced with a long enough stretch of road, it blasts past 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 277 km/h (172 mph).
However, at least in theory, it's more economical even than the 4S Diesel, with an impressive fuel consumption of 2.5 l/100km or 94 mpg US (corresponds to only 56 g/km of CO2).
As impressive as those numbers are, we are fascinated by what's under the hood. The 4 E-Hybrid uses Porsche's recently unveiled twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 engine, the same one found in the 4S and expected for the Audi RS4/RS5. However, the output has dropped considerably, to just 330 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque (450 Nm).
Between it and the front of the gearbox, there's a single electric motor that adds another 136 hp (100 kW) and 295 pound-feet of torque (400 Nm). Overall, the 4 E-Hybrid offers slightly more power and torque than both its predecessor and the current 4S.
Like all the other all-new Panamera models, it's got the 8-speed PDK gearbox and a multi-plate clutch four-wheel drive system. The outgoing S E-Hybrid made due with a 3-liter supercharged engine from Audi and a normal eight-speed torque converter equipped automatic gearbox.
As a green car, it's not mind-blowing. The maximum electric driving range of 31 miles (50 km) is average. However, Porsche wanted it to be a Panamera first and a hybrid second. For example, the electric motor reacts from the moment you put your foot on the gas, whereas the pedal needed to be pressed at least 80 percent of the way down to unleash hell on the old car.
And get this: if you have the Chrono pack, you can have Sport and Sport Plus driving modes in addition to E-power, Hybrid Auto, E-Hold, and E-Charge. So does that mean it will drift?
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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