Remember the “Kills bugs fast” print ad for the 993 Turbo? The German automaker waxed lyrical about 181 mph (make that 291 kph) and just over four heartbeats to 60 mph (97 kph), but as it happens, pretty much every Porsche of the modern era is bad news for the insect world.
Although purists loathe the Panamera, the five-door liftback is more powerful than the 992-generation 911 Turbo. The range-topping hybrid is much obliged to deliver 690 horsepower at 6,000 revolutions per minute and 641 pound-foot (870 Nm) between 1,400 and 5,500 rpm, figures that would make thoroughbred supercars blush with admiration and respect.
Internally referred to as 971, the second-generation Panamera will be replaced in 2023 for the 2024 model year. The 972 has been recently spied while killing bugs fast at the world’s most grueling racetrack, and the sheer number of bugs up front is testament to its performance. The big question is, are we dealing with a ground-up or an extensive redesign?
Although it’s hard to tell from the camouflage that adorns the pictured vehicle, many things have been changed. The hardpoints appear to be similar to the 971, which indicates that Porsche uses the MSB platform.
The Modularer Standardantriebsbaukasten was introduced by the 971, and it’s also used by the Bentley Continental GT and the Flying Spur. The MSB also served as the basis for the J1 platform of the Taycan and Audi e-tron GT. Considering that Porsche doesn’t have anything to replace it with, an extensively upgraded MSB should be the ticket for the upcoming sedan.
Spied exclusively as a five-door liftback, the 972 presents yet another question. Is there a business case to be made for a shooting brake? Given that Porsche doesn’t break down sales figures between these body styles, it’s impossible to tell for the time being. Be that as it may, there’s no denying there are more liftbacks out there than there are wagons.
What’s absolutely certain is hybridization. Increasingly draconic emission regulations will force the German automaker to engineer a mild-hybrid system for the V6-powered base variant, and there’s no denying the mighty Turbo S E-Hybrid will soldier on as a plug-in hybrid with V8 muscle.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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