Photo: SB-Medien
When it comes to Porsche and Nurburgring lap times, Zuffenhausen's motorsport heritage is a case of noblesse oblige, with the German automaker's new and upcoming models delivering astounding Nordschleife times.
We once again started zooming in on this Green Hell situation last fall, when Porsche announced the 420 hp 991.2 Carrera S can lap the 'Ring in 7:30 (here's a 7:34 lap by sport auto). Compared to other Porsche times, that meant a massive 10s drop (vs the 991.1), as well as a time that came incredibly close to that of the Carrera GT.
Well, Porsche's retired halo car is now being used as a benchmark by the company itself - speaking to autocar, Panamera model line director Gernot Döllner, explained the new Panamera Turbo can lap the Nurburgring "as fast as our previous super-sports car,"
The British journalists got to ride shotgun in the new Panamera during a testing session in South Africa, hence the effervescent discussion.
A new twin-turbo 3,996cc 90-degree V8 is replacing the twin-turbo 4.8-liter on the second-generation Panamera Turbo. The unit delivers 542 hp (550 PS) and 567 lb-ft (769 Nm) of torque, while promising a 30 percent efficiency boost. The powerplant will be mated to a new ZF-sourced eight-speed gearbox, which Porsche engineers call PDK II.
But the powertrain is just a part of the phenomenal tech arsenal that allows the Panamera to rival Porsche's mid-engined supercar from one decade ago. Rear steering, a special air suspension, as well as the Porsche-developed 48V electromechanical active roll stabilization system the debuted on the Bentley Bentayga are some of the other technical jewels that deserve credit here. As for the chassis itself, the new MSB platform allows the upcoming Panamera to be 30 percent stiffer than the car it replaces.
And that's not all: such hardware sees the new Panamera using FlexRay control electronics, allowing the control units of various hardware pieces to communicate at a rate of 100 messages per second.
Nevertheless, Neunelfer fans shouldn't fret when hearing extreme performance numbers such as those mentioned above, though - Porsche said the 991.2 Turbo S can go round the Green Hell in 7:18, remember? Then again, this might upset Rennsport aficionados since the 991.1 GT3 RS needs 7:20 for the task...
Well, Porsche's retired halo car is now being used as a benchmark by the company itself - speaking to autocar, Panamera model line director Gernot Döllner, explained the new Panamera Turbo can lap the Nurburgring "as fast as our previous super-sports car,"
The British journalists got to ride shotgun in the new Panamera during a testing session in South Africa, hence the effervescent discussion.
A new twin-turbo 3,996cc 90-degree V8 is replacing the twin-turbo 4.8-liter on the second-generation Panamera Turbo. The unit delivers 542 hp (550 PS) and 567 lb-ft (769 Nm) of torque, while promising a 30 percent efficiency boost. The powerplant will be mated to a new ZF-sourced eight-speed gearbox, which Porsche engineers call PDK II.
But the powertrain is just a part of the phenomenal tech arsenal that allows the Panamera to rival Porsche's mid-engined supercar from one decade ago. Rear steering, a special air suspension, as well as the Porsche-developed 48V electromechanical active roll stabilization system the debuted on the Bentley Bentayga are some of the other technical jewels that deserve credit here. As for the chassis itself, the new MSB platform allows the upcoming Panamera to be 30 percent stiffer than the car it replaces.
And that's not all: such hardware sees the new Panamera using FlexRay control electronics, allowing the control units of various hardware pieces to communicate at a rate of 100 messages per second.
Nevertheless, Neunelfer fans shouldn't fret when hearing extreme performance numbers such as those mentioned above, though - Porsche said the 991.2 Turbo S can go round the Green Hell in 7:18, remember? Then again, this might upset Rennsport aficionados since the 991.1 GT3 RS needs 7:20 for the task...
Google News