– The biggest challenge is always whether a model has been successful, explains Dr. Stefan Utsch, sales and marketing manager for Panamera. – Then there will immediately be more to live up to.
Utsch has worked with the Panamera for 18 years, i.e. five years longer than the car has officially existed.
On the exterior, in typical German fashion, Porsche hasn’t taken the turns out hugely on the third-generation Panamera. The car’s appearance is in line with what one would expect from the family tree.
Sporty and comfortable at the same time
The new Panamera focuses on digitization, luxury and efficiency. – It is important that we offer class-leading performance, says Utsch. The brand has looked at all competitors to find a reasonable balance between comfort and sportiness.
The design language is recognizable from previous generations. Photo: Marcus Berggren
Competitors like the Maserati Quattroporte are at least as relevant as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. In Porsche’s case, the trump card is spelled Porsche Active Ride Suspension.
In quick moves, it is an air suspension that, with the help of a hydraulic pump, eliminates the unevenness of the road, and ensures that the body always remains neutral during cornering and hard acceleration and braking.
The new car was shown in Dubai. Photo: Porsche
Another function is that the whole car rises at the same moment as you open one of the doors, which makes it easier to get in. It is more relevant in markets such as the US, where the average age of a customer is 53. In China, it is 37.
Porsche aims for the Panamera to be the sportiest sedan on the market.
With one eye in the rearview mirror
Porsche believes that design does not have to be guided by whether a car runs on electricity or not. Instead, it is the brand’s DNA that governs, and it is believed that people still have a preference for what is aesthetically pleasing, regardless of the drivetrain.
The interior is recognizable from the new Cayenne. Photo: Porsche
The interior is therefore met with a traditional and driver-oriented environment. It’s a combination of digital elements, but with a lot of physical controls. – Touch screens are a shame for one’s fingers, believes Marcus Auerbachhead of interior design at Porsche.
The feeling of quality is high, while the infotainment system is intuitive. The rear seat is spacious and for those who are extra picky about rear seat space, there is an Executive variant of the Panamera that is approximately 15 centimeters longer than the regular model.
Porsche aims broadly with the Panamera
On site in Dubai, Porsche talked about how the brand adapts its range to local demand in various markets. Unsurprisingly, the UAE is not a market leader when it comes to electrification, something that is reflected in the local fleet.
Porsche is well aware of this, which is why the brand does not invest wholeheartedly in purely electric cars.
Porsche has let the brand’s DNA guide the design. Photo: Marcus Berggren
Porsche believes that so-called e-fuels (synthetic fuels) are a good way to manage the existing vehicle fleet, which globally consists of 1.3 billion cars.
The Panamera is therefore offered as a pure combustion car, with a 2.9-liter V6 with 353 horsepower and 500 newton meters.
The model will no longer be offered as a station wagon. Photo: Porsche
The top model at the time of writing is spelled Turbo e-Hybrid and combines a 4-liter V8 and an electric motor for a total output of 680 horsepower and 930 newton meters. It is therefore a plug-in hybrid with a range of up to 91 kilometers on electricity.
During an on-site call in Dubai, a German Porsche executive gave some indication that a purely electric variant of the Panamera will appear shortly. According to rumors, it is about 2026.
No station wagon
In total, China and the USA account for approximately 60–70 percent of Panamera sales. The rest is distributed over the rest of the world.
Of the total sales in Europe, the Panamera Sport Turismo – the station wagon variant – accounts for just over 30 percent.
In Porsche’s eyes, this is way too little, which is why the combi variant is now being removed from the model range.
In Sweden, the new Porsche Panamera 4 starts at SEK 1,190,000, while the Turbo e-Hybrid costs from SEK 2,090,000.