As part of its goal to become (almost) all-electric by 2030, Porsche plans to produce a fully electric Panamera on its version of the Volkswagen Group’s future SSP platform in a few years. In the interim, a third-generation gas-powered Porsche Panamera just made its Shanghai, China, debut.
It rides on an improved version of the old car’s MSB design and appears to share several hard points, making it more of a comprehensive revision than a whole new model. The 2024 Panamera, however, has significantly improved hybrid drivetrains, a fully redesigned interior, and an evolutionary external appearance that should keep the sedan current until near the end of the decade.
Porsche plans to offer three distinct Panamera versions at launch. With a few modifications, the twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 engine powering the base Panamera and Panamera 4 now produces 348 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque, which is an increase of 23 horsepower and 37 lb-ft. This results in a 5.0-second 0–60 mph sprint for the rear-drive Panamera and a 4.7-second sprint for the all-wheel-drive Panamera 4, both 0.3 seconds faster than the previous models. The top speeds are each 1 mph faster, at 169 mph and 168 mph, respectively.
The Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid, on the other hand, combines an 8-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission with an integrated 140-hp electric motor mated to a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine. Porsche claims that the Turbo E-Hybrid features a new 25.9-kWh battery pack, which is 8 kWh more than the previous Panamera PHEVs, and that the V8 has undergone a complete revamp. With a mere 20 horsepower decrease and a 44 lb-ft gain over the previous Turbo S E-Hybrid, the new Turbo E-Hybrid produces 670 horsepower and 685 lb-ft. The new Turbo E-Hybrid will accelerate to 60 mph from rest in 3.0 seconds, and a top speed of 195 mph will only be 1 mph slower than the previous Turbo S.
One more than the current generation, Porsche plans to offer four distinct E-Hybrid PHEV versions of the new Panamera in the future. According to the brand, all four will be more powerful and efficient than the previous hybrids, have stronger regenerative braking and faster charging, and have a longer EV range. (The 4 E-Hybrid, 4S E-Hybrid, and the more powerful Turbo S E-Hybrid are anticipated to be the other three.) It is unclear if normal V8-powered GTS and Turbo variants will continue to be available without any kind of hybrid support.
Active air suspension was formerly a $2,190 option available only in the base models, but it is now standard on all 2024 Panameras. Due to the revised air arrangement’s ability to independently manage compression and rebound in each damper, Porsche claims it has a wider range between comfort and sportiness than the previous three-chamber setup. Additionally, rear-axle steering is still accessible.
The great party trick of the 2024 Panamera is a new Active Ride configuration that is available on E-Hybrid variants. Active shock absorbers, two-valve dampers, and an electrically driven hydraulic pump are added to single-chamber air suspension. In order to better absorb impacts from the road and maintain the Panamera completely flat, the Active Ride system can separately increase pressure at each corner. It can also distribute wheel loads to boost grip. The Active Ride suspension can lean like a bike into bends to remove pitch and roll, and it can also lean forward or backward when braking or accelerating to remove dive and squat. When parked, the Panamera with Active Ride fitted can also rise up for more convenient entry and departure.
The 2024 Panamera has almost all of its dimensions with the outgoing sedan, and happily, it still has a liftback design. All other body panels are new, yet it looks like the window glass and door skins are shared with the previous generation Panamera.
Porsche’s designers have recently favored blockier, harsher faces and straighter lines, as seen in the 992 and revised Cayenne. The 2018 Panamera further develops this new design language. The Panamera’s front and back ends appear higher and have more horizontal lines, but the greenhouse and fenders are still elegantly sculpted and contoured. The taillights are a slimmer, Taycan-like light bar with an active spoiler on top, whilst the usual matrix LED headlights are larger, more angular, and more upright.
The base car’s front bumper features a large rectangular intake with vertical LEDs at each corner and a wide central intake. More air is fed to the engine through a narrow gap above the license plate region. I appreciate how the fender vents are executed; rather than employing a trim insert like there was previously, the vent is made by flaring the front fender and utilizing the character lines on the door.
The cosmetic differentiation of the turbo models will undoubtedly extend to the other Porsche models in the lineup. More body-color accents, a redesigned rear bumper, and even larger front intakes with horizontal running lights are all features of the Turbo E-Hybrid. The wheels, window trim, air intakes, badges, and Porsche crest are all finished in Porsche’s new Turbonite color, a lovely bronze-ish grey with a satin finish. The interior badging and the tachometer in the digital gauges are both finished with the Turbonite finish, which will serve as a distinguishing feature for all of Porsche’s next Turbo vehicles. For the first time ever, a Panamera with center-lock wheels is now available, and the Turbo model also has golden tailpipes.
Porsche claims that the revised inside offers the ideal balance of analog and digital controls, drawing inspiration from the Taycan and the facelifted Cayenne. Porsche’s latest PCM infotainment system is used on the broad 12.3-inch center touchscreen, which features a 12.6-inch curved gauge cluster display as standard. Rear-seat passengers get their own screen to control the media, climate, and other features, and a 10.9-inch front passenger screen is an optional feature.
Similar to the Cayenne, the gear selector is now located on the right side of the dashboard behind the steering wheel, and the left twist ignition switch has been replaced. A wider wing-shaped center console rises to meet the center screen and is encircled by leather and aluminum trim that flows elegantly onto the dash, as well as continuous ambient lighting throughout the cabin, all made possible by shifting the shifter. The storage compartments in the console and armrest are larger, and the center console now has actual cupholders rather than just one built into the armrest. The touchscreen is still used to control the air vents, but at least they appear less complicated.
Porsche reports that various two-tone leather color schemes, as well as other trim and accent options, will be available for the 2018 Panamera; perhaps, wood trim will still be an option. For the first time, the Panamera’s famed Pepita checkered fabric and Porsche’s Race-Tex material can be found combined in its leather-free upholstery.
Alongside its more opulent interior, the 2024 Panamera boasts a slew of new technological innovations. More features of the Panamera, such as the ability to adjust the climate control and activate the massaging seats, may be operated by Apple CarPlay users or by the Siri voice assistant. Lane-keeping assistance and evasive maneuver assistance have been added to the InnoDrive suite of driver-assistance technologies, while Remote ParkAssist allows the Panamera to be parked or driven without an operator.
The Leipzig factory of Porsche will continue to produce the 2024 Panamera, which will go on sale to dealers in the spring of that year. Starting at $101,550 (with a $1,650 destination fee), the standard Panamera will cost $7,700 more than it did the previous year, while the Panamera 4 will start at $108,550, a $10,100 increase. We have not yet received word on the Turbo E-Hybrid’s price or release date.
More than ten percent of Panameras, according to Porsche, are customized through the company’s Exclusive Manufaktur division. The new model will offer an even greater selection of options, such as exclusive Paint to Sample colors or bespoke interior elements. As part of the Sonderwunsch “special wishes” program, Panamera buyers will now have the ability to design entirely unique one-off automobiles. Porsche is offering a taste of what’s possible with a wild two-tone example on display in China.
With take rates in the single digits, it appears that the long-wheelbase Executive and Sport Turismo wagon body types have been discontinued. But even with the Taycan’s popularity and the global need for SUVs, the Panamera is still a popular car, at least in China and other similar regions. Porsche has delivered 26,779 Panameras worldwide so far in 2023, falling just 1,106 short of the Taycan and more than 10,000 above the 718 family total. It is evident that Porsche still values the Panamera, and the 2024 model aims to increase its market share and offer a more robust transition to electricity.
