Photo: SB-Medien
It's amazing to think that the Panamera was once considered ugly, an insult to Porsche fans. However, the mighty four-door has been steadily evolving and is near the mid-life point of the second generation.
Our spies stationed in Scandinavia don't have to follow social distancing rules because the Panamera prototype was testing in the middle of nowhere. At first glance, this looks exactly the same as the car Porsche currently sells, but we knew where to look for changes.
If you closely inspect the front bumper, you'll see a small piece of camo covering the nose. Porsche probably isn't making large changes, but you can at least expect new bumpers and headlight graphics.
Meanwhile, the back has camo over the trunk, trying to hide the fact that the taillights will become a little slimmer. The passenger-side exhaust tips are not sitting right, suggesting they might be temporary. In any case, the prototype has the green brakes of a plug-in hybrid.
Porsche and Audi collaborated on the development of the V6 and V8 engines they currently offer, saying that no new generation will come after that. However, the Panamera still needs to be updated to the new hybrid and mild-hybrid standards using the 48V electric architecture.
Audi even uses this on a performance 3.0 TDI engine with about 350 hp, used by everything from the S4 to the S7 in Europe. We're curious to see if Porsche will try to offer this as well. The Stuttgart brand has previously stated that it will stop using TDI technology, but these engines are still relevant in Europe due to a combination of emissions targets and customer demand.
Also, we believe the facelift will have to include at least one new version, which we believe to be a combination of Panamera Turbo powertrain with a GT3-style aero package and suspension tuned for the track. Expect to see all being revealed this fall, either in Paris or Los Angeles.
If you closely inspect the front bumper, you'll see a small piece of camo covering the nose. Porsche probably isn't making large changes, but you can at least expect new bumpers and headlight graphics.
Meanwhile, the back has camo over the trunk, trying to hide the fact that the taillights will become a little slimmer. The passenger-side exhaust tips are not sitting right, suggesting they might be temporary. In any case, the prototype has the green brakes of a plug-in hybrid.
Porsche and Audi collaborated on the development of the V6 and V8 engines they currently offer, saying that no new generation will come after that. However, the Panamera still needs to be updated to the new hybrid and mild-hybrid standards using the 48V electric architecture.
Audi even uses this on a performance 3.0 TDI engine with about 350 hp, used by everything from the S4 to the S7 in Europe. We're curious to see if Porsche will try to offer this as well. The Stuttgart brand has previously stated that it will stop using TDI technology, but these engines are still relevant in Europe due to a combination of emissions targets and customer demand.
Also, we believe the facelift will have to include at least one new version, which we believe to be a combination of Panamera Turbo powertrain with a GT3-style aero package and suspension tuned for the track. Expect to see all being revealed this fall, either in Paris or Los Angeles.
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