Porsche Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid and Turbo S E-Hybrid

Porsche's top-of-the-line Panamera has landed in the UK in its latest, third-generation or '976' form.
Lording it over a pair of other V8-powered hot Panameras (leaving the V6 and V6 PHEV models, with which we deal in our regular Panamera review, to one side), the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid becomes quite the potent proposition in all sorts of ways: technically, as a performance option or simply as a luxury electrified GT. And it comes at quite the price.
The 493bhp pure-V8 GTS will cost you £132k before options; the 671bhp Turbo E-Hybrid £152k; and the Turbo S E-Hybrid a whisker over £175k. Our test car came to rest at an all-up £194k, even without Porsche's carbonfibre-intensive aero kit.
But Porsche actually delivers quite a lot on the top-of-the-line version for those who would be ordering a fully stocked vehicle anyway, and there's fully 772bhp, 0-62mph in 2.9sec and up to 52 miles of electric-only range to tempt you.
So just how generous should your budget be for the ultimate Porsche fast four-door? Read on to find out.
It's a powerful advert for the Panamera that, even in range-topping form, there's a sense of moderation and refinement about the car's design.
You can have the Turbo S's carbon aero kit if you must (it helped produce the downforce to deliver its record-setting Nordschleife laptime, needless to say). But leave it aside and this car passes on the visual aggression of the latest BMW M5 and what you might expect of an equivalent Mercedes-AMG or Audi RS model. Although it gets lumped in with the super-saloon set, it's well capable of rising above such easy definition and retains a richness and sense of the exotic that escapes its more prosaic rivals.
The '976' Turbo and Turbo S are available only with V8 PHEV power. The electric part, in both cases, is made up of a 188bhp motor sitting upstream of the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, which draws power from an NMC battery of just under 26kWh in capacity, carried under the loadbay floor (so PHEV Panameras have slightly less claimed boot volume than ICE ones). Electric range varies between just under and just over 50 miles.
The Turbo's blown V8 adds enough oomph to make for 671bhp of peak power and 686lb ft of torque, while the Turbo S's slightly higher-strung equivalent ups the ante as far as 772bhp and 738lb ft.
The difference in performance is less than half a second from 0-62mph (3.2sec versus 2.9sec). But it's also enough to make the Turbo S the first factory Porsche Panamera with a top speed beyond 200mph (it's 202mph).
All Panameras are built on the Porsche-developed MSB platform, constructed of a mix of high-strength steel and aluminium. The Turbo uses two-chamber, height-adjustable air suspension and PASM adaptive damping as standard.
But it's the suspension and steering technology that the Turbo can have as an option - and which the Turbo S gets as standard - that represents the Panamera's new technical tour de force.
The highlight here is a special active air suspension system called Porsche Active Ride (PAR). This does away with anti-roll bars entirely. Instead, each wheel has a corresponding motor-driven hydraulic pump that builds up the necessary pressure for actuators in the air springs to harden or soften, or even to lift or lower each wheel or corner of the car independently, thus enabling all manner of dynamic magic tricks.
Porsche had a static demonstrator at the Panamera's press launch in 2024 that could dance on its suspension like an American lowrider. More usefully, PAR can cancel out nearly all body roll. It can also enable 'active features' that positively lean the car into corners; and which also gently pitch it forward to counteract squat under acceleration and lean it back again under braking (the engineers describe its behaviour feeling a little like the movements of an Apache helicopter).
On rough roads, it can also lift up wheels for bumps; grab them to guard against rebound thwack; and return them to terra firma under perfect control on the far side of sleeping policemen etc.
The system draws its data from the steering, accelerator, brakes, accelerometers and, most importantly, sensors in the suspension itself. It doesn't use cameras to monitor the road surface, because Porcshe says they're unreliable when obscured. Given the suspension can adjust 13 times per second, it doesn't need to be proactive anyway.
PAR is fairly pricey option (£7182) on the Turbo, but the Turbo S gets it as standard, and there are other technical tidbits the big-sibling model also gets thrown in that feed into its impressive ride and handling, to which we will come in due course.
The Turbo's cabin is inviting and luxurious, with plenty of elegance and hints of understatedness that mirror its exterior design.
There's a sense of lowness about its hip point and of cocooning intimacy about the arc of the roofline, which feel distinctly special and set it apart from most other fast four-doors.
It's not like an executive saloon to sit in but succeeds in conjuring more sporting ambition and sense of occasion.
The major controls are right where they ought to be, and its digital technology is integrated neatly and with just enough judicious reserve. The central touchscreen is designed neatly into the fascia rather than perched on top of it and isn't the domineering presence you find in some luxury cars. It's well laid out and usable, with conveniently located menu shortcut controls, and it's juxtaposed to proper physical heating and ventilation controls with plenty of tactile quality about them.
We would prefer a slightly less small and fiddly transmission controller than the downsized one that's perched to one side of the steering column, but the car's secondary control regime is hard to fault. There are physical buttons you can use to disable the car's lane-keeping assistance and speeding alarm systems; and Porsche's familiar dial on the steering wheel boss for easy selection of the major driving modes (E-Power, Normal, Sport, Sport+).
The Panamera's second row is a little less roomy and practical than in some uber-executive options, particularly if you stick with a standard two-seat rear bench, but still big enough for adult passengers to be comfortable.
That long, accessible boot, meanwhile, delivers beyond your expectations on cargo space, even in the case of the PHEVs, with their reduced load-bay volume.
On the move, both the Turbo's hybrid powertrain and its clever suspension have enormous potential to surprise and impress, and in a variety of different dimensions.
The system is the same in both the Turbo and the Turbo S; it's simply that the V8 engine can work so much harder in the faster version, to lend a hit of speed when called upon that feels fully Herculean rather than merely huge. And yet, even in the Turbo S, that engine never imposes itself unless you want it to.
In electric mode, there's enough oomph from the 188bhp motor for fairly assured, if unhurried, engine-off cruising around the national speed limit.
Our Turbo S test car's trip computer promised a little under 50 miles of electric-only running on a full charge, although it needed to be kept to lesser cruising speeds to reproduce that.
Even so, the motor is really well integrated into the wider power delivery; the engine starts and stops discreetly, after bigger pedal inputs that become easy to gauge even without any additional haptic pedal feedback.
The V8 fire and brimstone is there when you go digging for it, though, adding plenty of soul and theatre in wilder moments. And sure enough, every bit as much buttock-clenching acceleration as you have an appetite or use for, whether you want the torque-rich, locked-in-gear, hauling-from-lower-revs variety, or the redline-bothering, maximum-sound-and-fury kind.
Use Sport+ mode and the car ensures its hybrid battery remains at a healthy state of charge, so you never drag dead weight around.
The Turbo S is an unrelentingly fast car when given its head, and the Turbo isn't far behind it. Both have plenty of authentic audible V8 charm, provided that you option in the sports exhaust (without it, they can sound just a little overly digitally augmented from the driver's seat).
We've yet to test a Turbo or Turbo S without the PAR system fitted. With it, though, they seem to be at their very best on the road at that brisk but moderately relaxed pace that feels engaged and interesting yet still socially acceptable in 2025. It's the kind of pace, suffice it to say, that suits a fast modern luxury GT car very well indeed.
The active suspension is a technical triumph for Porsche, working uncannily well on UK roads, and acting pre-emptively but discreetly to counter pitch and squat yet also lateral roll, and to bring a real sense of effortlessness to fast cross-country motoring.
The secondary ride can be just coarse enough over really sharp edges and rough asphalt to remind you that you chose a Porsche, rather than a Bentley, Mercedes or Maserati, but rarely dismayingly so.
Turn the suspension's active posture-adjusting off, if you prefer, with a flick of the wheel-mounted dial into Sport or Sport+ driving modes, and both Turbo and Turbo S feel more conventional in their close body control. Still amazingly taut and poised when cornering, though, with a tactile feel to the steering, a suppleness to bump absorption and a naturally fluent alacrity to turn-in all of which so often elude performance cars of this kind of size and weight.
On track, meanwhile, you truly can feel how the body movements - or lack thereof - make it unlike any rival. It can take a while to acclimatise to the way the car declines to roll past the apex or dive under hard braking when you use Hybrid driving mode (the one with the most 'active' suspension management).
Engaging Sport or Sport+ mode changes the system's logic so that it aims to make the Panamera as composed yet natural-feeling as possible, for intuitive performance driving and even loading of contact patches, and progressive limit handling. While this is not as dramatic, it does serve to make this 2.4-tonne car feel far lighter than it is.
The weight still shows at times, especially under braking. Nevertheless, the way the Turbo enters tight turns and negotiates direction changes is impressive – if not as impressive as the way that it appears to simply flatten big crests and compressions and to apparently iron speed bumps almost pancake-flat around town.
Whether you're satisfied with a fairly lightly equipped Turbo or a fully laden Turbo S, you're unlikely to be spending much less than £160,000 on your fast Panamera, which makes it a pricey proposition even by modern fast saloon standards.
But there is a kind of 'millionaire maths' logic to spending big. Because it crams in so much more standard equipment than the regular Turbo (carbon-ceramic brakes, 21in centre-lock wheels, four-wheel steering, active mechanical torque vectoring and Porsche Active Ride suspension), the Turbo S isn't entirely the heart-over-head, irrational splurge purchase that you might expect.
Account for the optional cost of fitting all of that to a Turbo and you will end up within a couple of thousand pounds of the Turbo S's £175k starting price anyway. And so, for those likely to lavish so much optional equipment on their Turbo anyway, it's almost as if Porsche is giving away an additional 101bhp for free.
It's something of a shame that Porsche elected to drop the Panamera's old Sport Turismo estate bodystyle, of which we were fans - not least because it softened the impact of the car's slightly forced visual pastiche of a four-door 911.
That is about the only way you can really criticise the design or desirability of this car, however.
The Turbo and Turbo S are cars of an exceptionally broad range of dynamic ability. The Turbo S adds eye-popping performance and some show-stopping dynamic party tricks.
Both have plenty of big-car usability, top-level ride comfort and luxury appeal and an enduring dash of the elegant and special mixed in with their performance. You would have to be a very demanding owner indeed of a modern performance GT to really expect more.
It may be true to point out that much of the car's dynamic star quality depends on an active suspension system that's a fairly expensive option on the Turbo – something we will confirm when we get a chance to drive a car on standard air springs.
As flagship derivatives go, however, the Turbo S is a singularly easy car to recommend, because it includes that system as standard, as well as all the other steering and driveline technology contributing to a level of ride and handling sophistication that lifts it well clear of its rivals for driver appeal.
Porsche has also addressed the shortage of electric-only range versus key PHEV rivals and made that side of the car's character significantly more convincing.
It's not often that a car as expensive as this so comprehensively justifies its price, but in 2025, the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid feels like £175k of luxury GT, and then some.
]]>

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Forbes

3 hours ago

• Forbes

YASA: UK Company Leading The Electrified Performance Car Revolution

The Ferrari SF90 Stradale takes advantage of YASA's electric motor technology. Electric cars predate those running on fossil fuel, but development was mostly dormant for a century after the combustion car took over in the early 1900s. The EV as we currently know it has only been around for a little over a decade. There's a lot of technological development taking place now, however. While most of the attention has been on batteries, motor innovation is extremely important too. One of the leading companies driving new motor technology is the UK's YASA, purchased by Mercedes in 2021. I talked to Tim Woolmer, Founder and CEO of YASA, about what makes his company special. YASA Technology: Available In An Electrified Supercar Near You The YASA name may not be familiar, but its electric motors are the secret sauce behind hybrid supercars including the Ferrari SF90 Stradale and 296 GTB, Lamborghini Revuelto and Temerario, McLaren Artura, and Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E-Performance. The latter is particularly relevant because of YASA's ownership change. This will also be the brand of the first all-electric car to use YASA motors. 'AMG has spoken about its new architecture, and the first car launched will be high performance electric vehicle,' says Woolmer. 'It's going to be a lot of fun, but it will be a different clientele than a mid-engine supercar.' YASA's focus will remain high-performance cars, but the company always had wider goals. 'Our core mission is to accelerate electrification. Our customers today have a good fit with the USPs of the product. They appreciate the size, light weight, repeatable performance, and efficiency.' The Lamborghini Revuelto is another electrified supercar using YASA's motors. Originally, the YASA motor was extremely low volume, used in halo hypercars such as the Jaguar C-X75, Koenigsegg Regera and a land speed record car produced by Lola-Drayson. Now YASA is increasing its production capacity considerably. In 2024, the company produced 14,000 motors, and with a new facility in Bicester Motion, this will increase to 25,000 motors annually for 2025-27. As part of the Mercedes relationship, its motors will also be produced in Berlin by Mercedes-AMG itself. 'We're going down this journey of commoditizing the product, going to high volumes, and reducing costs,' says Woomer. 'I'm absolutely convinced that the technology has got a perfect USP in the sports car industry. But as we move to new architectures, it could be commoditized to wider volume appeal. Lightweight is great for everything.' YASA Motors Mean The Yoke's On You The clue to YASA innovation is in its name, which stands for Yokeless And Segmented Armature. The motors use a different design to conventional radial flux systems, which almost all other electric motors employ. They don't have an iron core (or yoke), while the rotating part of the motor is segmented. This is an axial flux system, with permanent magnet rotors on either side of the electromagnetic stator. The result is around three times the torque density per kg compared to a radial flux motor, and a considerable reduction in raw material usage. Where a Tesla motor might have around 30kg of iron, a YASA motor only requires 3kg for the same power and torque. It's also a quarter of the size with a third of the copper. While this is useful for any electrified vehicle, weight saving alongside high power are particularly beneficial for performance vehicles. YASA's Axial Flux design is much lighter and more compact than a traditional Radial Flux motor. 'There are no downsides to it,' says Woolmer. 'You can take 200 kilograms directly out of a vehicle. Then you could start to see electric vehicles on par or even becoming lighter than their internal combustion engine equivalents. That's a real problem we must deal with, because EVs have a weight problem. They're up to 400kg heavier than a regular car.' YASA can produce motors from 100hp to 1,000hp, depending on the application. Most of its projects so far have been tailored to a specific customer's needs, rather than vice versa. However, this flexibility means YASA is ready to produce motors for all-electric cars. 'The first pure EVs going to production will be with AMG,' says Woolmer. 'The hybrids have been a wonderful preparation for that, because the motor is very similar.' The YASA motor used by Ferrari. The British Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) has been a key factor in YASA's growth. This is a joint UK government and industry-funded organization supporting the development of low-carbon propulsion technologies for the automotive industry to accelerate the transition to Net Zero. 'I don't think I would be exaggerating if I said I genuinely don't think this factory would exist without the APC,' says Woolmer. However, the Mercedes-Benz acquisition has enabled YASA to take its technology to a different level commercially. 'YASA was never looking to be acquired,' says Woolmer. 'But Mercedes put forward a compelling case for the purchase. They wanted us to be the speed boat; they didn't want to destroy our culture. They wanted us to keep our innovation and our brand. In return, they've got the industrial might to invest in the technology, which they've done both here and in and in the factory in Berlin. Four years later, they were true to all those statements. They've invested a lot in the assets, giving us a big new facility at Bicester Motion. That was a £70 million investment, plus a big investment in the technology to scale it up. They have been the perfect scaling partner.' YASA's UK Tech Triumph Despite the factory in Berlin, YASA will still be a UK-based company. 'We will remain fully British with our headquarters in Bicester Motion,' says Woolmer. 'All the R&D on the technology is happening here in the UK. Mercedes has manufacturing satellites all around the world, but manufacturing is not where the core Intellectual Property resides. The aspiration is to increase manufacturing the UK, not just do R&D here.' YASA will continue to develop its technology and build motors in the UK. The UK will also continue to manufacture for customers other than Mercedes, where Berlin will solely serve AMG. But now YASA has much more scale available. 'Ten years ago, we struggled to make 150 motors,' says Woolmer. 'Now, if we got a contract for 50,000 motors, we would know what to do.' YASA isn't sitting on its laurels and is already looking towards the next development. 'The game changer will be in-wheel motor technology,' says Woolmer. 'Renault launched the 5 Turbo 3E that will be the first production vehicle with in-wheel motors, although it's a limited series.' Donut Lab is another company chasing this possibility. 'We're not focused on it yet, but in the future, we will talk about it a lot more. We've got technology that can radically transform the way we design vehicles, and that really is empowered by the size and the weight of the motors. People have been trying to crack in-wheel motors for 25 years, and it's hard, but based off all the learning we've had so far, we think we've got the tech to do it.'

Associated Press

3 hours ago

• Associated Press

Dusty Cars Announces Updated Content for Porsche Appraisal Service

Dusty Cars proudly announces updated content for classic car enthusiasts. A Porsche appraisal service could be the right move to get the best price. 'When someone doesn't know how to move forward with selling their classic Porsche, such as a 1986 Porsche 911, they might experience a mental block keeping them in limbo.' — Douglas Berry PLEASANTON, CA, UNITED STATES, June 21, 2025 / / -- Dusty Cars, a California-based classic car buyer and valuation service at , is proud to announce new content focused on the Porsche brand. Owners of classic luxury sports cars may be ready to sell, yet may be confused about which path to take to get the best price. Beginning with a professional Porsche appraisal service could be the right way to secure a market-based offer. 'When someone doesn't know how to move forward with selling their classic Porsche , such as a 1986 Porsche 911 , they might experience a mental block keeping them in limbo. They want to sell but don't know how to do it properly,' stated Douglas Berry, the visionary founder of Dusty Cars. 'We are here to help them achieve their goals and get their classic Porsche sold at the best price!' The new content zeros in on a 1986 Porsche 911 Carrera Coup at . The 1986 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe is a highly sought-after classic car by enthusiasts and collectors. The Porsche brand remains popular in the classic car market. Several decades could be currently 'hot' in the classic car market. Porsche models vary across the decades, including the 1960 Porsche Cabriolet, the 1980 Porsche Targa, and the 1972 Porsche 911T coupe, for example. Those seeking to self-educate about valuing a classic Porsche 911 can visit the updated page at . A thorough evaluation by an expert appraiser of classic sports cars can help move an owner toward a fair selling process. Dusty Cars provides valuations for classic sports cars, including not just Porsches but also Jaguars, Corvettes, Maseratis, and Ferraris, as well as other makes and models. The company can help provide an evaluation and purchase for so-called classic 'old school' cruising cars, such as those from Chevrolet, Cadillac, Lincoln, and Ford. The car appraisal service process typically begins with an initial phone discussion. If the classic car owner chooses to proceed, a personal visit can be scheduled for a comprehensive evaluation. Details on a Porsche appraisal service can be found at . PROFESSIONAL PORSCHE APPRAISAL SERVICE BREAKS THE CYCLE FOR SELLING A CLASSIC SPORTS CAR Here is the background on this release. Selling a classic sports car such as a Jaguar or Porsche may require professional support. The details of handling the sale of a classic vehicle can be more complex than that of a regular car. The value of the vehicle may not be reflected by appearance or mileage. An owner of a classic sports car may be caught in a cycle of indecision about how to properly prepare and sell the automobile. Working with a Porsche appraisal service could be the right direction to break the cycle of uncertainty. ABOUT DUSTY CARS Dusty Cars ( ) is California's top classic car buyer. The company buys classic cars, offering top prices, free evaluations, and best-in-class cash offers. The company focuses on truly 'classic' vehicles such as classic Porsches, classic Jaguars (especially the Jaguar E-series), and classic Mercedes. It buys classic Alfa Romeos, Fords, Chevys, and Toyotas, depending on year and condition. Individuals looking to sell a classic car can contact the company for a discussion. Lee McDonald JM Internet Group +1 415-655-1071 email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.

Hypebeast

4 hours ago

• Hypebeast

Ferragamo and Porsche Italia Unite for Exclusive 40th Anniversary Models

Summary PorscheItalia andFerragamoare set to launch two special-edition models of the the911 Carrera 4 GTSandTaycan 4SforPorscheItalia's 40th anniversary. The two iconic brands reimagine the select Porsche models with elevated elegance and attention to detail. The 911 Carrera 4 GTS and Taycan 4S are both redesigned by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur. A standout feature is the custom 'Blu Sogno' colorway, inspired by Ferragamo's refined aesthetic. The interiors are equally luxurious, featuring blue Paldao wood accents that enhance the cars' sophistication and visual harmony. Pietro Innocenti, CEO of Porsche Italia stated viaAutoevolution, 'Our dream was to create something truly unique that embodies the spirit that has guided us for the past 40 years: Porsche style combined with Italian culture and aesthetics. That's why we chose Ferragamo as a partner for this project – a brand with which we share values such as excellence of craftsmanship, timeless elegance, and tireless attention to detail.' This exclusive release will be limited to the Italian market, with only 52 vehicles available in total.