Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo driven (8/10)
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As pretty as the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is to
look at, its styling is not the only story here. It's the new plug-in
hybrid electric drivetrain which the sleek new silhouette is hiding
that's the main feature. It's entirely possible, if you believe the
swirling rumours, that a production version of the car will be built in a
few years, but for now you really shouldn't let that knowledge affect
your buying decisions.
The e-hybrid drivetrain, as Porsche calls it, will debut much sooner.
Effectively a thorough upgrade of the existing Porsche parallel hybrid
drivetrain found in the current Panamera and Cayenne, e-hybrid swaps the
existing nickel-hydride battery for a much more perky lithium-ion unit.
This is almost exactly the same size as the more ploddy ni-hy cell
but offers much greater storage capacity. The li-ion battery offers more
of everything you want from a hybrid - faster acceleration, greater
range and a higher top speed without having to resort to waking up the
333bhp, 3.0-litre V6 supercharged petrol engine, a carry-over from the
current system.
The other new element - besides the ability to plug the car into the
mains - is the electric motor, which now produces around double the
amount of power (95bhp) compared with today's electric engine. This
brings the total drivetrain output to a maximum of 416bhp, allows a top
all-electric speed (if you feather the right pedal) of over 81mph and
increases the maximum all-electric range (not at 81mph, I might add) to
about 18 miles. Petrol consumption is a claimed 81mpg.
If you just get in the car and start driving, it defaults to
all-electric driving as much as possible. This can be overridden by
slamming down the throttle, or, more elegantly, by pressing a
wheel-mounted button. This allows you to charge up the battery as you
zip down the motorway and then cruise into town on a wave of electric
silence. Charging using an AC plug takes two and a half hours.
In the Sport Turismo, the system worked perfectly, cutting the engine
on cue and bringing it back into the game as soon as asked. It also
demonstrated in bursts of vivid acceleration down a sleepy section of
Sunset Boulevard with a police escort, that it is still very much a
Porsche. Its 0-62mph time is quoted at about six seconds, but it feels
faster than that.
When fitted to a production Panamera, the sensation will undoubtedly
be more muted, but still a significant advance over the current car.
It's a pity that Porsche won't do the same for the styling, but with the
Panamera Sport Turismo breaking cover, there's hope even that will
change for the better soon.
Pat Devereux
The numbers
3000cc, V6, lithium-ion battery, RWD, 416bhp, 428lb ft, 81mpg, 82g/km CO2, 0-62mph in 6.0secs (est), n/a mph, n/a kg
3000cc, V6, lithium-ion battery, RWD, 416bhp, 428lb ft, 81mpg, 82g/km CO2, 0-62mph in 6.0secs (est), n/a mph, n/a kg
The verdict
Impressive eco figures, and doesn't lose any Porsche DNA by being green
Impressive eco figures, and doesn't lose any Porsche DNA by being green

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