Photo: Stefan Baldauf/SB-Medien
Introduced in 2016 on the MSB vehicle architecture, the second generation of the Panamera is up for a mid-cycle refresh. This time around, the carparazzi caught the Sport Turismo with minimal camouflage.
First things first, Porsche has changed the design of the LED daytime running lights incorporated at the sides of the front bumper. The air intakes are also different, yet the LED headlights don’t look particularly new.
The acid green-painted brake calipers might indicate that the prototype is the Turbo S E-Hybrid, the range-topping powertrain option. Even though it’s a plug-in hybrid, this version of the Panamera churns out 680 PS (671 horsepower) and tons of torque sent to the wheels by an eight-speed PDK.
Changes were brought to the full-width taillights as well, along with the streamlined rear bumper and deeper aerodynamic diffuser flanked by four round tailpipes. There will be a few improvements to the interior too, but this set of pictures doesn’t reveal anything, not even the updated infotainment system.
Elsewhere in the range, Porsche is expected to borrow the mild-hybrid technology from Audi and Volkswagen for the 2.9-liter V6. The twin-turbo engine with 48-volt assistance should feature more ponies and superior efficiency to the current powerplant, and this model would be slotted beneath the E-Hybrid. The lesser brother of the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid is expected with an electric-only range of approximately 30 miles (a.k.a. 50 kilometers).
The Turbo and GTS shouldn’t get mild-hybrid assistance, but an electric compressor from Audi could make the cut to improve the spooling and acceleration. The biggest question, however, is whether Porsche has anything for the Panamera that would challenge the GT 73 from Mercedes.
AMG is expected to give 800 horsepower or thereabouts to the coupe-ified sedan, and that kind of output coupled to 4Matic+ could make the Mercedes quite a bit quicker off the line than the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. There’s also talk of coupe and convertible derivatives scheduled for a 2020 launch, yet Porsche hasn’t been spied testing these body styles up to this point.
The acid green-painted brake calipers might indicate that the prototype is the Turbo S E-Hybrid, the range-topping powertrain option. Even though it’s a plug-in hybrid, this version of the Panamera churns out 680 PS (671 horsepower) and tons of torque sent to the wheels by an eight-speed PDK.
Changes were brought to the full-width taillights as well, along with the streamlined rear bumper and deeper aerodynamic diffuser flanked by four round tailpipes. There will be a few improvements to the interior too, but this set of pictures doesn’t reveal anything, not even the updated infotainment system.
Elsewhere in the range, Porsche is expected to borrow the mild-hybrid technology from Audi and Volkswagen for the 2.9-liter V6. The twin-turbo engine with 48-volt assistance should feature more ponies and superior efficiency to the current powerplant, and this model would be slotted beneath the E-Hybrid. The lesser brother of the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid is expected with an electric-only range of approximately 30 miles (a.k.a. 50 kilometers).
The Turbo and GTS shouldn’t get mild-hybrid assistance, but an electric compressor from Audi could make the cut to improve the spooling and acceleration. The biggest question, however, is whether Porsche has anything for the Panamera that would challenge the GT 73 from Mercedes.
AMG is expected to give 800 horsepower or thereabouts to the coupe-ified sedan, and that kind of output coupled to 4Matic+ could make the Mercedes quite a bit quicker off the line than the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. There’s also talk of coupe and convertible derivatives scheduled for a 2020 launch, yet Porsche hasn’t been spied testing these body styles up to this point.
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