Porsche is filling out its third-generation Panamera lineup with new mid-range GTS and top-dog Turbo S E-Hybrid variants. While neither are exactly surprising in terms of what they deliver, the Turbo S in particular is not only the fastest and most powerful Panamera yet, but it’s the second most powerful combustion-engine road car that Porsche has ever built, only beaten by the 918 Spyder.
The new Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid uses Porsche’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 as its basis, which makes 591 horsepower on its own. Add in the 187-hp electric motor that’s integrated inside the housing and cooling circuit of the PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission, and the Turbo S makes a total of 771 horsepower and 737 pound-feet of torque. That’s 81 hp and 96 lb-ft more than the old Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid and 131 hp and 147 lb-ft more than a 911 Turbo S, and it’s 104 hp and 207 lb-ft shy of the 918 Spyder. To further put it into perspective, this new Panamera is more powerful than a McLaren 750S and Ferrari F8 Tributo, and even the GMA T50.
According to Porsche, the Turbo S will rocket from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 202 mph, 0.2 second quicker and 8 mph faster than the last-gen model. At the Nürburgring, driver Lars Kern set a time of 7:24.17, a new record for “executive class sedans” that’s 5.64 seconds quicker than Kern’s 2020 lap time of the previous Turbo S. That means the Panamera is faster around the famed circuit than cars like the Porsche Carrera GT and Tesla Model S Plaid.
The new Turbo S’ larger 25.9-kWh battery pack can hold 45 percent more energy than before, and its recuperation power under braking regen has also been increased, but Porsche has yet to say what the electric-only range is. The Turbo S comes standard with the Porsche Active Ride suspension, huge carbon-ceramic brakes and 21-inch center-lock wheels. A new carbon-fiber aerokit is optional, with a front lip that reduces lift, different air blades and side skirts, and a Gurney flap on the adaptive rear spoiler; Porsche says it increases downforce by 132 pounds at 124 mph. Also optional are stickier Porsche-specific Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, sized 275/35 up front and 325/30 in the rear.
If the Turbo S E-Hybrid is overkill for you but you still want a V8 and a high-performance, the new Panamera GTS should be right up your alley. It uses the same twin-turbo V8, just without any hybrid assistance, for a total of 493 horsepower, 20 hp more than the previous-gen GTS. (Porsche hasn’t given a torque figure.) It takes just 3.6 seconds to reach 60 mph, 0.1 second quicker than before, and the GTS will hit a top speed of 188 mph. Porsche says the GTS’ sport exhaust is engineered to provide “a powerful, emotional sound,” and the engine is tuned for linear power delivery that’s “clearly noticeable” even above 6,000 rpm.
The GTS also gets things like dual-chamber two-valve air suspension with an 0.4-inch-lower ride height, reinforced anti-roll bars and a limited-slip differential with Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus. Like all of Porsche’s other GTS models, the Panamera has blacked-out exterior trim, more aggressive bumper designs, Dark Bronze exhaust tips, the same 21-inch center-lock wheels as the Turbo S, and tons of suede trim and contrasting Carmine Red or Slate Grey Neo accents inside.
Both new Panamera variants are available to order now, with deliveries set to start late in the first quarter of 2025. The Panamera GTS will start at $156,195 including $1,995 for destination, splitting the difference between the $128,795 4S E-Hybrid (which has a V6) and the $192,995 Turbo E-Hybrid (which has a V8). Meanwhile, the Turbo S E-Hybrid starts at $228,495, almost as much as a Taycan Turbo GT, and if you have fun in the configurator you can exceed the $300,000 mark.
